Would rather get gunned down than dumbed down K'naan (Ft. M-1 & Stori James) – Til We Get There
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He talks about intellectual things and the only way you could “dumb” him down is by killing him. He could also be saying he won’t sell out (which is usually seen as making your lyrics dumb and radio friendly) by referencing Lupe Fiasco’s Dumb it Down.
This is a play on words because when you die, you become “brain dead” or dumb.
From the poorest and blackest of people
To surviving the streets of Mogadishu
The most dangerous armed and lethal
Yet peaceful, we know evil
I come from the slums that's run down K'naan (Ft. M-1 & Stori James) – Til We Get There
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K'naan is from one of the most dangerous and poor countries in the world, Somalia (he grew up in Mogadishu, the capital).
Despite this and stereotypes of Somalis he isn’t evil or violent and he was able to escape the poverty to become a success.
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Saying goodbye to someone you love hurts, even if we try to pretend it doesn’t by putting the word “good” in it.
It's just a wall, I'm waiting on the other side
I won't let you slide
Love won’t break, I'll catch you on the other side K'naan (Ft. Mark Foster) – On the Other Side
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No matter how impossible you think it is to achieve your dreams, you can do it.
Like:
"I'm not the only one" Lennon said
Chapman is here
But Lennon's dead K'naan (Ft. Mark Foster) – On the Other Side
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In Imagine John Lennon sang about how he wasn’t “the only one” who wanted everyone to join together and create world peace. Yet he is dead while his murderous assassin (Mark Chapman) is still alive.
This is proof that life is screwed up or “twisted”.
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Children growing up during Civil wars (like him) never choose to be apart of it, yet they still have to deal with the consequences.
With a fine dime I brought from Stockholm K'naan (Ft. Mark Foster) – On the Other Side
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Not many people would have guessed that a poor Somali would one day end up on an expensive vacation with a Swedish girl (who have a reputation for being hot).
Coz sometimes it coulda gotten messy K'naan (Ft. Mark Foster) – On the Other Side
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He feels like he is blessed because there were many times where he could have ended up dead.
Call it cock-block coz ain't no pussy 'round here K'naan (Ft. Mark Foster) – On the Other Side
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A play on words, his block is a cock-block because it has no pussies or soft people.
This is due to the fact that you can’t be soft where he’s from or you’ll end up dead.
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Even though he is pretending to be happy on the outside, it feels like he is dying on the inside.
I win, I smile a mask for my cries…