The Dusty Foot Philosopher

The Dusty Foot Philosopher is the debut studio album by the Somali-Canadian rapper K'naan. It was released by BMG Music on June 7, 2005, in Canada and on June 23, 2005, in the United States.

Critical reception

The Dusty Foot Philosopher was widely acclaimed by critics. K'naan received particular praise for addressing serious topics, such as the wartorn conditions in his childhood home of Mogadishu, while still managing to display lightheartedness and humor. K'naan's choruses were also singled out for praise, with reviewers labeling them "deft" and "infectious". A more mixed appraisal of the album's songwriting came from Miles Duncan of Okayplayer, who opined that the album's focus on Somalia caused it to fall into "drab uniformity".
The production on The Dusty Foot Philosopher received significant attention for its distinctive, African-influenced sound; critics particularly highlighted the splashing-water melody of opening track "Wash It Down", which Robert Christgau likened to Mbuti water drumming.

Awards

The album won the Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year in 2006 and was shortlisted for the 2006 Polaris Music Prize. He also was nominated for an mtvU award for most downloads of his song, "Soobax". In November 2007, the album was included in The Guardians list of 1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die. The album was put at 194 on Rolling Stones list of the Top 200 Greatest Rap Albums of All Time.

Soundtracks

"In the Beginning" is part of the soundtrack of the 2008 comedy Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay. This song also gives the title for episode 7 of the fifth season of True Blood, appearing in the closing credits of the episode. "Soobax" was used on the soundtrack for the video game FIFA 06.