K’naan
Album: Troubadour
Label: A&M/Universal
Rating: **** 1/2
If there’s any doubt about which North American country can lay claim to having the best rappers around, just listen to K’naan’s new record and you’ll see that Canada wins. Somalia-born, Toronto-based wordsmith Kanaan Warsame’s sophomore effort delivers a masterful record of rap, rock, reggae and everything in between. It’s loaded with contagious hooks (I Come Prepared), anthemic arena-ready hip-hop (ABCs) and even a scorching guitar solo by Metallica’s Kirk Hammett on If Rap Gets Jealous. With such a strong follow-up effort such as this, it’s only a matter of time until the U.S. hands Canada the hip-hop crown.
On the web
www.myspace.com/knaanmusic
