Buy this CD!
B. Cummings | Snowmass Village, CO United States | 07/01/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"K'naan's "Dusty Foot Philosopher" is on that real tip. Kid grew up in a warzone and caught the last flight to Canada before the airport shut down. Since then he's been rocking the house. Saw him live with Stephen Marley last year and he killed it! Glad the cd is finally available in the states."
Hip Hop From a Different Perspective
Miles Gwyn | Las Vegas, NV | 06/25/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This album has good production quality. The rhymes are clean and its nice to hear hip hop with a different perspective. Something different from that same old party, and gangsta stuff. Makes you wonder "What's hardcore really""
Every bit as good as Troubadour
Jeremy Casterson | Craig, CO USA | 07/10/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There's a good chance you bought K'Naan's Troubadour and you liked it as much as I did. You're going back a few years to consider picking up K'Naan's 2005 album Dusty Foot Philosopher. I very strongly recommend you do. You will not be disappointed.
DFP is a bit rawer than Troubadour, allowing K'Naan's brilliant poetic abilities to shine through on this album. There aren't many stars such as Mos Def or Damain Marley featured with him, but they're simply not needed. It strays a bit more from traditional hip hop, integrating a lot more African sounds/rhythms, basic drum beats, and acoustic guitar instead of polished samples. K'Naan's voice isn't anything special in my opinion, but he sings with such passion and emotion that his songs are sure to move you in more ways that one. K'Naan has an uncanny ability to make positive, uplifting songs from depressing themes. With a refreshing absence of degrading and violent lyrics, this is great hip-hop for kids. You may need to listen to it three or four times, but once it grabs your ear, you will realize this effort is just as amazing as Troubadour.
"Soobax" was the first release off this CD and it totally delivers, with catchy African beats and clever lyrics. Check out the video if you want to see great Nairobi footage. "Smile," one of my favorites on the CD, conjures up the years I spent in Africa where I was impressed that people with so poor could be so happy. "The Dusty Foot Philosopher" is a great straight-forward hip-hop song with a fun chorus. The smooth and mellow "Strugglin'" is one of the best tracks on the disc. I love "Hoobaale" and even the poetic "Until the Lion Learns to Speak." Every song is quality, with songs like "I Was Stabbed by Satan" and "Voices in my Head" and filling out the top tunes on the album.
The best song on the album? Little question in my mind that goes to "In the Beginning." I listed to DFP three times before this song blew my mind. Now I can't stop listening to it. It simply features an acoustic guitar, a drum, and K'Naan's powerful poetry. It's almost impossible to not dance and chant "DRUM DRUM DRUM!" along with K'Naan and throw up your fist in the air when he yells with all his heart "Put up your fists if all you want is freedom!"
"Put up your fists if all you want is..."
"
Track Listings (18) - Disc #1