“Soobax,” (pronounced “sohbah”) the first single from K’naan’s upcoming album The Dusty Foot Philosopher Deluxe Edition, is percussion-fuelled protest music at its finest. Set in K’naan’s native Somalia, the song is a fervent look at life in a war-torn country ruled by competeing warlords and their gangs. Says K’naan, “The term ‘soobax’ actually means to ‘come out’ so when I recorded it, I imagined myself being in front of gunmen and I’m communicating directly to them.” He adds, “Sixty-year-old women in Canada jam to that song because it says things they couldn’t say. When my brother heard the song he said that it’s the first song he’d heard of mine that could get me killed.”

K’naan – Soobax