Diaspora

[Interviewer]
Um, how does that relate to you as someone who is abroad and wants to stay connected to Africa?

[K'naan]
Well I am conn-- I'm pretty much connected all the time, cause I kinda brought it with me, like I brought Africa with me in my nature. And in my music, it's just, you know, as an African, you live an African life and you lead an African life where, you know, in your language, in your thought, and in your music, and in your way of living. And that, just like a European would lead a European life whether he's conscious of his European living or not, you know, it's like we live it, and um, I'm connected, you know, through my mother and through all sorts of things, through phone calls of like "send me money!"

*Both laugh*

[Interviewer]
Absolutely! It's just dope that people are starting to celebrate that...

[K'naan]
Right

{Interviewer]
...as it is something that's been denied

[K'naan]
Well, it's good. It's a real good thing and it's like, it shouldn't be fake, you know what I mean? It shouldn't be because it's, see it's--- it's not good when it's like, it's halfway there. It should be in nature, you know, because it's like--- you know, as you know, some people praise art while being natural and some people praise nature while being artificial. And that's the real thing that, you know, separates what is real and what isn't and--- But some artists, you know like, that I love are doing it real and you can tell and you can feel it and it's in their nature and they really did take back their identity, you know... artists like Dead Prez

[Sample]
I'm an African, ugh!
And I know what's happening
You-you-you-you-you an African!