Spoken: Kamau
Old soul speaks truth in the first installment of Earwaks' spoken word series.
Artist Statement:
Ian (given name) Gaelic _ meaning: God’s Gift _ Origin: Ireland/Scotland
Kamau (given name) Kikuyu _ meaning: Quiet Warrior _ Origin: Kenya, East Africa
My name is Ian Kamau, or simply Kamau, I consider myself an artist. I believe that my ability to create and communicate is closely connected to my purpose in life although I am unsure of exactly how.
Primarily I am a writer and a graphic/visual artist. I perform much of what I write so some have defined me as a performer, a poet or a hip-hop artist. I don’t necessarily define myself in this way but it’s not for me to say. In short, I make music and am interested in expression and communication through many forms of art.
After five years of studying fine arts and graphic design I graduated from University with a specialized honors degree in design but this is by no means the end of my interests or my only creative outlet.
I was born and raised in Toronto, Canada by Trinidadian parents who immigrated to North America in 1970. My parents are documentary filmmakers, my mother a producer, my father a writer and director from a family of teachers so I grew up around information, education, ideas and art.
I believe that art is the expression of an idea, emotion or point of view by creative means. The greatest artists in my estimation are those who have the ability to create compelling and inspiring work while communicating strong ideas, fresh perspectives and powerful messages to everyday people. The most influential artists are in fact everyday people themselves with the ability to communicate their thoughts, frustrations and ideas in a direct, creative and unassuming way.
My interest in all forms of art in many ways determines how I communicate and the direction of my life. I think that art in general and music specifically is meant to be an instigation of a larger conversation and not an absolute statement. Music of all the arts is the greatest of communicators because most people listen to music in some form. While some may never go to an art gallery or attend the theatre the majority of us listen to music. Hip-Hop specifically speaks directly to people and is an amazing tool for people to speak to each other.
The music that I create has in one way or another taken me all over the world, it has opened doors to places I never thought I would have gone and has put me in the position to have conversations with a diverse range of individuals, conversations that have opened my mind and changed my opinions. I have performed my work in The UK, Cuba, America, Kenya, The Netherlands, Ghana and France and extensively all over my home country of Canada. I have also had the pleasure of meeting, performing and recording with many other artists from around the world, which has exposed me to a international arts community.
My belief in community and community building is strong. Outside of my creative life my primary work has been in the community, specifically with arts-based youth projects. From painting murals in lower income neighbourhoods in Toronto, to volunteering with youth hip hop projects in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Nairobi to working with the Royal Conservatory of Music in their community school programs. That side of my life has always run parallel to my artistic life and reminds me of the importance of expression, inspiration and opportunity.
My desire at this point in my life is to begin to put my thoughts, experiences and expressions out into the world creatively or otherwise so that I may enter into a larger conversation with people in different parts of the world.
Peace…
-Ian Kamau
Home
Imagine that you had nothing to gain from change and even less to gain if the world stayed the same
Imagine you were forced into another mans name, born into the title of another mans shame
and believed your skin to be a curse and a pain
they hid the fact that you walked this earth first stole the claim of a proud people
My worth never was considered equal, considered ignorant, thieving and feeble
Imagine you heard the verses and internalized their belief systems
Imagine they stole all the lives that you could give them
and gave you little back they allowed you to laugh
and you felt that you were free trapped your past in the past
I welcome you to the present although it’s obvious who lacks the power and who remains dominant
I still speak
although I often feel weak, I pray the ancestors rest well in their sleep
This isn’t my world
This isn’t my world
This isn’t my world
This never has been our world
they pressed our baby girls curls and told her she was now beautiful, at long last
she wished for their skin to be a part of their caste
But what about you, what about the beauty of you, what about us
diamonds are our daughters of dust
to dust and ashes they burnt us alive
some hung from trees like autumn just for us to survive
And they asked us to forget and too many of us did
and we never spoke about it and chose not to teach our kids
but what now, their world closes around us
chains on our feet saw the seas deep they drowned us
without a second though
abandoned our humanity it’s like we never fought to alleviate the tragedy
Now we see ourselves only through their eyes and live our lives in the shadows of their lies
I was taught in his schools, raised in his community
appropriation and assimilation is his unity
but what about us
God what about us, what about us
even our own sons we distrust
we’re one and the same
all we do is try to place ourselves inside of their petty game
and few of us know from where we came, so much confusion where do we place the blame?
Some of them they ask me why I’m angry but what I am is tired, tired of having to fight for the freedom we’ve desired for so many years
so many tears rolled down the cheeks of our black faces in fear
heartache and pain standing over the graves of out forefathers that where descended from slaves
I’m tired of reacting I just want to live
but we have nowhere to call our own so little left to give
Where do we place the blame, how do we stay the same
it’s funny how we still call each other the same names that they used to keep us down it’s like we love the sound
of insults the result is the word is still around
loud and out in the open, so many hearts we’ve broken because this simple ignorance continues to be spoken
remember how they raped us, no matter how they paint us
With love on our side they could barely stand against us
Still they forced us to the ground, claimed that we were savages tore us from our traditions desecrated out languages
How is it we can regain power and prominence when my people are separated and scattered across the continents
While they reap the benefits of peoples free labour
claiming no responsibility generations later
we’ve built many a nation almost from their birth
it’s no coincidence that they’re the strongest countries on the earth
Begging for some peace our spirits in the east
served, protected and seen as guilty by police
These days it seems it doesn’t even matter what we say
being forced into new struggles every living day
Search for truth and you will find it
some have to be reminded of the struggle we continue to go through no longer blinded
by what we need to communicate we are not alone
we’re all trapped in a diaspora and looking for a home.
Show your love: www.myspace.com/iankamau
Newsletter
interesting
I am kenyan and have been in the entertainment circles for donkey years and am radio/TV broadcaster by profession, am impressed and would invite you to send in an article on yourself and some pictures for a new website on African entertainment we are building, pls send us your view on this Q
the truth
digustingly ill
ian
truth.
kamau
heavy stuff...amazing writer and he has really good music
kraZ
I first spotted Kamau on myspace after checkin Shad K's page. I gotta say that Kamau is nearly as good, and spits some hot poetry.
Ian Kamau - Home
Word up, keep putting this truth in the art. You're doin' good work.
From the T-dot to the world!
Finally we can hear Afrodiasporic voices from Canada. Welcome to the mind of a genius trapped in our sad world. Stay up Kamau.
From the T-dot to the world!
Finally we can hear Afrodiasporic voices from Canada. Welcome to the mind of a genius trapped in our sad world. Stay up Kamau.
loving it
Wishing you well...an abundant well of keeping real with no end...Thank you
Props
I like it ... Nice delivery and timing.
Home
Kamau, my friend... You are real...!
word
i love this shit
floored
kamau you should make an album
quiet warrior
I got curious about the meang of your name and found thils. cool.
quiet warrior.
indeed.
peace
rose
another tale
..and here you sit tomorrow's child. So full of Love so Full of Light!
Your words speak right to the heart! Bless!
Well said...
Interestingly deep poetry with truth in it...
whatever...
boring!!! ...this guy sucks
-kamau :)
www.myspace.com/iankamau