National Geographic Music (National Geographic)

It seems like just yesterday that our favorite Somali-Canadian MC K'naan was rocking a stadium full of screaming fans at the world cup in South Africa with his anthemic "Waving Flag".

But that powerful performance is two years in the past, back in the summer of 2010. And even if it feels like K'naan never left the building, some quick math reveals that it's actually been almost four years since K'naan last dropped any new music. His last offerings all date from 2009 - when he dropped his last official album, Troubadour and two mixtape collaborations The Messengers and You Can't Buy This.

Though K'naan's kept plenty busy, building on Troubadour's breakout success with a hectic touring schedule and some high-profile collaborations with the likes of Damien Marley and Nas, he never seemed to find the time to do much recording of his. But that's all changed with the release of his new More Beautiful Than Silence EP, which dropped earlier this month on (A&M/Octone Records).

The new EP picks up where Troubador left off - with K'naan at the top of his game, spitting imagistic, emotionally resonant lyrics about deadly serious topics that could break your heart if he didn't leaven them with so much humor and humanity. He's also joined by guest stars Nelly Furtado and Nas on two of More Beautiful Than Silence's five tracks.

Nat Geo Music recently caught up with Nas to find about this new release, his recent return home to Somalia, and what happens when Mitt Romney tries to bite one of your songs.

Nat Geo Music: It's been a while since you last dropped some new music - what was it like going back into the studio?

bK'naan: What happens when you're on tour is that life really stops. Life in the true sense. You begin to become stagnant if you do it too long. I had to spend the last year just living my life and reflecting. It's been really good for me to just stop and recharge. So when I got back to the it was like breaking the silence. The dam just burst. [laughs]

I've recorded enormous amounts of songs - like 60 that nobody will probably ever hear - but I was thinking that people haven't heard my music in a while, It's too long. If you take out the touring element, then you probably have more time to make music. Four years seems like a long time, but it went by really fast for me.

I know that we're talking about the EP now, but that you've got a full album coming out in April?

That's right. The album is called Country, God or the Girl and it comes out in May.

Where did the title come from?

It began with what was seemingly a small moment of inernal conflict - a falied relationship became what's the point of doing anything, what's the point of creating anything? It all comes from such a small and specific moment.

What's changed in your personal life since 2009 - anything that altered your perspective as a performer or a songwriter?

Just regular life stuff lately - family issues, good things, difficult things, falling in love, having a heartbreak, all the jewels that people have been dealing with since the beginning of time. It's intense. People forget that it's a privilege to have time to make mistakes, to have a heartbreak. Those small stories that happen in the between times in our lives are what really matter. I was acutely aware of these things as they were happening.

I know you went back to Somalia last for the first time since you left, 20 years ago - can you talk a little bit about that? Why were you there and what was it like for you?

It was a wonderful experience - but it wasn't pleasant. It was a good reminder of where I came from and where I could still be. It was by chance and fortune and luck that I got this life and not those of people I was seeing there struggling just to make the necessities.

Did you still recognize the city or had it changed too much?

It's destroyed. No structures left without bullet holes. So intense that you can't take it in too deeply, it can destroy you. The kind of thing you just have to accept on a factual basis, like "this has happened". I'm fortunate and I'm better. It'll cripple you if you internalize it.

Going back and driving around the neighborhood and the streets I used to walk and the beaches all riddled with bullets and militas you have to write about that blessing of getting out.

Were you ever in any danger? From Al-Shabab or any of the other militias?

Not that I was ever really aware of. It was always an intense and heightened kind of feeling, but I was surrounded by people who cared about me. I didn't want to acknowledge the danger too much, because I didn't want to lessen the experience and make it about me.

How do people back in Somalia feel about your success?

Very proud. But they don't talk about the success in terms of being popular or selling records - they reference my endless support for their struggle and the dignity that I depicted it with all these years. It's frightening to think of how I would have been seen if I had chosen to ignore their struggle. Not out of charity but out of the creative human urge to mend something to fix something.

Let's talk a little bit about the 2010 world cup in South Africa - you really blew up the spot with "waving flag"?

Yeah, sometimes you get really lucky like that as a songwriter and just hit something that everyone can relate to. But you can't hold that too close. You have sort of step back from what you created and just give it up to the world, you know?

Anyone who can use it, can think it's theirs. It takes on a life of it's own. I try not to be very aware of that kind of thing, or that process. It's such an intricate relationship you have with art. I don't want the muse to be mad at me. [laughs]

Does that include Mitt Romney? I heard you gave him the smackdown on Twitter when his campaign tried to use the song? What happened?

[laughs] No. I'm so glad that the world has found out about my true inspiriation, when I was writing it I was like "I hope that Mitt Romney can figure out what this song is about for me and then make it all about America". [laughs]

Let's talk a little bit about More Beautiful Than Silence. Where did the title for the EP come from?

The track itself is about that voice inside you that tells you to speak out. It's about listening to that voice and saying your piece. Because sometimes you need to step up and break the silence. You have to have the confidence in yourself to do that and say what's right.

You brought out some big guns for the EP. Tell me about working with Nas and Nelly Furtado?

I worked with Nas on the Distant Relatives album with Damien Marley. I first met Nas through Damien, but he was always a great hero of mine. I was actually just working with him yesterday on a video for the remix. It's been an amazing experience for me. I had to pinch myself a few times.

And with Nelly, she's a remarkable artist who alsohappens to be a friend of mine since forever! [laughs] I've known Nelly even back before I did Dusty Foot Philosopher. We've been friends for a really long time but never had a real chance to work together. So to finally have a chance to be on the same song together was something that was long overdue.

I think I like it better when Nelly Furtado sings the hooks.

No doubt. [laughs]

"Better" references "Wavin' Flag" - and almost feels like an update of that song's themes? like it's part of the same journey. Is that what you intended?

Yeah, I think so. I mean, in the larger perspective, this whole album is part of that same journey. It's just where I'm at right now at this point in time as an artist and as a human on this planet. But both those songs are about growth, and rising up stronger as you go. Moving forward with momentum and positivity?

I gotta ask - you rhyme about "knowing pirtates on " Do you really know Somali Pirates? Is that as awesome as it sounds?

Well after what I just said about Mitt Romney I can't answer that question. In case he wins I don't want to go to Guantanamo! [laughs]