K'NAAN - Dayless Nite (Freestyle)

Since Day ‘n’ Nite catapulted Kid CuDi to pop stardom, big names and unknowns alike have been bombarding the ‘net with their own renditions of the sleeper hit—which we’ve largely avoided featuring, since endless retreads can get old pretty fast.  If there’s one artist who can bring new insight to an arguably overexposed track, though, it’s Booth favorite K’Naan.  On this new freestyle, leaked to the ‘net via Wale‘s Twitter feed, the hip-hop Troubadour sticks close to CuDi’s vocal blueprint, but uses the ennui-laden cut as a springboard to discuss a more serious issue—namely, the Dayless Nite that faces residents of his home country.  It’s the closing verse that hits the hardest here; describing the recent rescue of Captain Richard Phillips from the perspective of a Somalian who chose a life of piracy over one of crushing poverty, the rapper reminds us that the men shot in the altercation were simply human beings struggling to survive in a strife-ridden environment.  K’naan’s talent for encouraging contemplation of global issues by way of a catchy tune is on full display here, and the subject is certainly one that bears discussion—any thoughts, readers?