FIFA World Cup 2010 theme song

Somalian-born, Canadian-based hip-hop artist K’Naan (Keinan Abdi Warsame, Somali: Keynaan Cabdi Warsame, Arabic: كنعان عبدي ورسمه‎) has spoken about the “unity and celebration” that will connect with his song “Wavin’ Flag,” after it was chosen as the official anthem of Coca-Cola’s 2010 FIFA World Cup program.

K’Naan has specially recorded a version of the song for the tournament, hosted by South Africa. The remix of “Wavin’ Flag” is part of Coca-Cola’s global integrated marketing campaign “inspired by the joyous dance celebrations familiar to Africa.”

The track is being used as the music element throughout the entire campaign, including as the soundtrack for all television commercials, during the trophy tour.

A story of success

Born in Somalia, K’naan spent his childhood in Mogadishu and lived there during the Somali Civil War, which began in 1991. His aunt, Magool, was one of Somalia’s most famous singers. K’naan’s grandfather, Haji Mohamed, was a poet. He is Muslim, and his name, Keinan, means “traveler” in the Somali language. He spent the early years of his life listening to the hip-hop records sent to him from America by his father, who had left Somalia earlier. When he was 13, K’naan, his mother, and his three siblings, older brother, Liban, and younger sisters Naciimo, Sagal were able to leave their homeland and join relatives in New York City, where they stayed briefly before moving to Canada, to the Toronto neighbourhood of Rexdale, where there was a large Somali community and his family still resides. There, K’naan began learning English, partly by listening to hip hop albums by artists like Nas and Rakim. Despite the fact that he could not yet speak the language, the young K’naan taught himself hip hop and rap diction, copying the lyrics and style phonetically. He then also began rapping.

Waing Flag (Lyrics)

ohhh ohhh ohhh ohhh

Give me freedom
Give me fire
Give me reason
Take me higher
See the champions
Take the field now
You’re the fighters
Make us feel proud

En las calles muchas manos
levantadas, celebrando
una fiesta sin descanzo
los paises como hermanos

Canta y une tu voz
grita fuerte que te escuche el sol
el partido ya va a comenzar
todos juntos vamos a ganar

Unidos!
Seremos grandes,
seremos fuertes
somos un pueblo
bandera de libertad
que viene y que va
que viene y que va
que viene y que va
que viene y que…

when i get older
i will be stronger
they’ll call me freedom
just like a wavin flag
So wave your flag
Now wave your flag
Now wave your flag
Now wave your flag
Now wave your flag
Now wave your flag
Now wave your flag

ohhh ohhh ohhh ohhh

Danos vida
danos fuego
que nos lleven a lo alto
campeones o vencidos
pero unidos a intentarlo

In the streets
are exalifting
as we lose our inhibitions
celebration is around us
every nation all around us

Singing forever young,
singing songs underneath the sun
let’s rejoice to the beautiful game
and together at the end of day

we all sing
Seremos grandes,
seremos fuertes
somos un pueblo
bandera de libertad
que viene y que va
que viene y que va
que viene y que va
que viene y que…

when i get older
i will be stronger
they’ll call me freedom
just like a wavin flag
So wave your flag
Now wave your flag
Now wave your flag
Now wave your flag
Now wave your flag
Now wave your flag
Now wave your flag

ohhh ohhh ohhh ohhh

and we go…
Seremos grandes,
seremos fuertes
somos un pueblo
bandera de libertad

when i get older
i will be stronger
they’ll call me freedom
just like a wavin flag
So wave your flag
Now wave your flag
Now wave your flag
Now wave your flag
Now wave your flag
Now wave your flag
Now wave your flag

ohhh ohhh ohhh ohhh

And everybody
will be singing…
And everybody
will be singing…

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