Voice 1 Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Liz Waid. Voice 2 And I'm Ryan Geertsma. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 3 "They don't teach us the ABCs We play on the hard concrete All we got is life on the streets All we got is life on the streets" Voice 1 This song is called "ABCs". It is from the Somalian Hip Hop music artist K'Naan. "ABCs" tells about life in Somalia. It tells how the children of Somalia are not receiving an education like they should. Instead, all they know is war. This is only one of the issues K'Naan sings about. K'Naan says: Voice 3 "The people of Somalia just do not have a voice. They are to me the most forgotten people in the world." Voice 2 That is why K'Naan wants to use his music to show the world what is happening in Somalia. Today's Spotlight is on K'Naan and his goal to tell the world about the condition of Somalia. Voice 1 The country of Somalia rests on the east coast of Africa, on the Indian Ocean. For many years the country has suffered through civil wars and violence. Save the Children UK estimates that over 300,000 people have fled the country. 200,000 have no home inside the country. Since 1991, the country has lacked a central government. Many people living there are poor. Many suffer through violence from a very young age. And for some, violence is all they have ever known.
Voice 2 K'Naan was born in 1978 in Somalia. He lived in the capital city, Mogadishu. This city was the center of much of the conflict. K'Naan says these are "the meanest streets in the universe." The city is filled with war and violence. He described his experience in Mogadishu like this: Voice 3 "It was like a fire coming into your house and you not having a way to escape. You knew you were going to die because everyone else was dying. I imagined I would not be lucky enough to live, let alone escape Somalia. So we were just running around careless and wild in the streets." Voice 1 As a young boy, K'Naan himself was surrounded by violence. He was eight years old when he first fired a gun. When he was eleven years old, he saw three of his friends get shot. But he managed to escape the bullets.
Voice 2 Through all the violence, K'Naan always loved music. When K'Naan was a young boy, his father had travelled to the United States to earn money for his family. When he sent money, he often also sent American Hip Hop or rap music CDs for K'Naan. K'Naan listened closely to the CDs. He enjoyed the music, even though he did not understand any of the words. He learned the words to the music by saying their sounds.
Voice 1 When he was thirteen years old, K'Naan, his mother and his older brother were able to escape the country of Somalia. At this time, airplanes were going to stop all travel to and from Somalia. His mother fought to get the documents they needed to join their father in the US. K'Naan, his mother and his brother were on the last airplane out of the country. Even today, K'Naan is amazed that he was able to leave. Voice 2 After a year in the United States, K'Naan and his family moved to a Somali community in Ontario, Canada. When he had arrived in the United States, K'Naan could not speak any English. But he was learning quickly. He began to write his own poems and rap songs. He created rhythms to his raps by hitting garbage boxes and other things he found. When K'Naan was a young man he travelled away from home. He rapped in front of people whenever he could. After a time, he returned home.
Voice 1 K'Naan has always used his writing and singing skills to tell people about Somalia. In 1999 a friend helped him get a chance to speak to the UN. K'Naan spoke before the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He performed a piece of poetry he had written. The poem criticized the United Nations for failing to help the Somali people. A singer in the audience recognized K'Naan's writing skills. He asked K'Naan to work with him on a music project. After this, K'Naan was able to travel the world and expand his music career. Voice 2 Today, K'Naan has released three CDs of music. Music experts around the world believe he is very skilled. Many of his songs tell about the conditions the Somali people live in. In his song "My Old Home" he tells about the different parts of Somalia. He writes about the beauty. These words are from that song: Voice 3 "The coastal line was a place of seduction The coral reefs make you daze in reflection The women walked with grace and perfection." Voice 1 He talks about the beautiful coast, the way the beauty of the country makes people happy, and the way the women are proud and beautiful. Voice 2 But then, he also talks about the terrible changes war makes to a beautiful country. He writes about the current state of Somalia: Voice 3 "Religion is burned down in my old home Kindness is shackled in my old home Justice has been raped in my old home Murderers hold posts in my old home. "Voice 2 There is no kindness. There is no justice. And evil people hold important places in the government.
Voice 1 There are so many horrible things that happen in the world. And a people without a voice may feel powerless. Powerless people need help. They need people to speak for them. To K'Naan, his songs are not just about words and music. They are about spreading a message. How much do you know about the situation in Somalia? K'Naan hopes that if you listen to his music, you will know a lot more. He hopes that his music will be a voice for the people of Somalia.
Voice 2 The writer and producer of this program was Liz Waid. The voices were from the United States. All quotes have been adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. Computer users can hear more Spotlight programs on our website at http://www.Radio.English.net. This program is called "Hip Hop Artist K'Naan." Voice 1 If you have a comment or question for Spotlight, you can email us. Our email address is radio @ English . net. We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye!
