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<p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif""><img width="178" height="70" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image005.jpg@01CCF0A4.8476E930"></span></b><b><u><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:48.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">K’NAAN
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif""><o:p><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">Set to Debut New Album, “</span></u></b><b><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">Country, God
or The Girl” </span></u></b><b><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">May 1<sup>st</sup> on A&M/Octone<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif""><o:p><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">Features Collaborations with Bono, Will.i.Am, Nelly Furtado, Nas & Keith Richards<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><i><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif""><o:p><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></o:p></span></u></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><i><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">K’NAAN to Debut Live Performance of his NEW single “Is Anybody Out There” with Nelly Furtado on ‘The Late Show with
David Letterman’ on February 23<sup>rd</sup> <o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif""><o:p><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">“The first single from Somalian hip-hop artist K'NAAN's new EP "More Beautiful Than Silence" picks up right where uplifting cuts like "Wavin' Flag"
left off….If his latest single is any indication, "More Beautiful Than Silence" is poised to keep "Troubadour" enthusiasts coming back for more.”</span></i><i><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">Billboard Magazine<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
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</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="KN" style='position:absolute;left:0;text-align:left;margin-left:0;margin-top:.75pt;width:119.25pt;height:179.25pt;z-index:1;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text'>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width="159" height="239" src="cid:image006.png@01CCF0A4.8476E930" align="left" hspace="12" alt="KN" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2"><![endif]><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">Critically
acclaimed Hip Hop MC and singer/songwriter <b>K’NAAN </b>has announced the release date of his highly anticipated third album
<b><u>Country, God or The Girl</u></b>, set to debut on<b> May 1<sup>st</sup> </b>
through<b> A&M/Octone</b>. The album follows the release of his EP <b><u>More Beautiful Than Silence</u></b>, which debuted earlier this year. K’NAAN’s new collection features the irresistible single ‘<b>Is Anybody Out There’</b> with
<b>Nelly Furtado</b>, which will make its live debut on <u>The Late Show with David Letterman</u> on
<b>February 23<sup>rd</sup></b>. </span><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">After launching via a two week-long on-air/online Artist Integration campaign with Clear Channel on January 30th, "Is Anybody Out There" is already making an impressive mark
on T40 radio, garnering immediate airplay at some of the country's most powerful and nationally recognized pop brands such as
<b>Z100</b> & <b>KIIS</b> as well as <b>Sirius XM Hits 1. </b></span><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">In addition to the single,
<u>Country, God or The Girl</u> features a diverse collaboration with some of music’s biggest talents -
<b>Bono, Will.i.Am, Nas</b>,<b> </b>and <b>Keith Richards</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">Globally celebrated
</span><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">MC, singer songwriter</span><b><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif""> K’NAAN</span></b><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">
</span><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black">made a powerful mark on the music world with a series of album releases, including his acclaimed debut release
<u>Dusty Foot Philosopher</u> and sophomore album,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><u>Troubadour</u>.
</span><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">Wrapping his world tour for <u>
Troubadour</u> in the fall of 2010, K’NAAN has since been hard at work in the studio. His dynamic new album gives fans a taste of the diverse sound that they have come to know the artist for, while highlighting the expansive sonic direction K’NAAN has explored
writing and recording over the last year. In addition to the empathetic “<b>Is Anybody Out There</b>,” the album includes such stand out tracks as ‘<b>Hurt Me Tomorrow</b>” and “<b>Sound of My Breaking Heart</b>,” which shows the softer, vulnerable side of
the artist, along with lyrically direct and punk-rock reggae inspired “<b>The Seed</b>.”
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black">With his eloquent and thought-provoking lyrics,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>in the tradition of great folk singers and protest songs,
K’NAAN carved a new path that widened the traditional hip-hop music perspective. With his sophomore album, K’NAAN was declared an “Artist to Watch” by<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Rolling Stone, NPR, The Los Angeles Times</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>MTV</i>.
The album included </span><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">his multiplatinum single
<b>“Wavin’ Flag,” </b>which saw worldwide success after being selected by <b>Coca-Cola
</b>as their theme song for their<b> FIFA 2010 FIFA World Cup™ </b>campaign. Declared the “People’s Anthem” with its message of hope and solidarity, the single reached
<b>#1</b> in over <b>18 countries</b> and also topped <b>Billboard’s European Hot 100 Singles</b> chart.
</span><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">In addition, K’NAAN has won a variety of awards including four
<b><u>Junos</u></b> including <u>Artist of the Year</u> and <u>Songwriter of the Year</u> and was also nominated for a
<b><u>Polaris Music Prize</u>, as well as a <u>BBC Newcomer of the Year</u> </b>award. The artist has guested on multiple notable projects including Nas and Damian Marley’s
<u>Distant Relatives</u>, Keane and Mos Def. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">For more information, please go to
</span><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black"><a href="http://www.knaanmusic.com">www.knaanmusic.com</a></span><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">Press Here<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">Carleen Donovan/ Natalie Sawyer
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif"">212-246-2640<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif""><a href="mailto:carleen@pressherepublicity.com">carleen@pressherepublicity.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif""><a href="mailto:natalie@pressherepublicity.com">natalie@pressherepublicity.com</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#595959">Carleen Donovan<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#595959">PRESS HERE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#595959">138 West 25th Street 9th Fl<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#595959">New York, NY 10001<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#595959">p: 212.246.2640<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#595959">f: 212.582.6513<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#595959">e: carleen@pressherepublicity.com<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#595959">----->For downloadable photos, press kits, releases, bios & tour dates go to our website
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