The life of Toronto based rapper K’naan began with a turbulent start. After the outbreak of the 1991 civil war in Somalia, his family fled to begin a new life in Canada. From there, K’naan turned to music as a way to cope with the transition. The decision certainly paid off, as the three-time Juno Award winner has received rave reviews for his work as a rapper, poet, singer, songwriter and MC.
Now, the artist is planning to tell his story in a more visual way. K’naan recently announced that he will be publishing a children’s book about his life. According to Tundra Books, “When I Get Older: The Story Behind ‘Wavin’ Flag’” will be released in Canada and the U.S. on September 25.
The 32-page, full-colour book, illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez, follows the rapper’s immigration to Canada and escape from the Somalian conflict. The hardcover and ebook will also include lyrics and sheet music of the musician’s hit song, “Wavin’ Flag.”
“I think of empathy as a muscle in the soul, which develops through the nutrition we provide for it. The stories we hear as children can be that nutrition,” said K’naan in a press statement.
“I wanted to write a children’s story that reflects the new immigrant’s sense of family and identity, which can sometimes be lost in translation. In this book, the main character is Wavin’ Flag, a song whose ownership has been long claimed by children all over the world.”
The book’s release comes at a perfect time, as the musucian will also be releasing his third album, ‘Country, God or the Girl’, this fall.