You might know that I’m a football fan. Not many would know that I’m also a fan of hip-hop. When I first heard this world cup song by an African singer, I kinda liked it. This being the first world cup in Africa and all that, the world cup anthem is by this Somalian rapper with this strange name K’Naan.

I really like his music. I like his music for exactly why I like hip-hop. The music is not about how much the singer ‘wants his lover’, ‘needs his lover’ and ‘wanna be with her forever and ever’. His music is about the real issues facing his society and what it means to grow up and live in Africa. It’s all very authentic, genuine and original.

In one song he says that, when he was a small boy, his close cousin, a buddy that he grows up with, was left in the civil war because his mom did not have enough money to rescue him. And that it was such a tough choice for her that only she and K’Naan could flee the country leaving his cousin was left stranded in the civil war. This song did something to me. I truly truly feel for the people of Africa. The people and the land of Africa were and are being very cunningly exploited.

That’s when I thought we may not even know the real meaning of the word ‘privilege’. Of course we have our own versions of ‘tough life’ most having to do with poverty. To live in a war-ravaged country is something horrendous. It is a dreadful combination of violence, lack of freedom, poverty and above all hopelessness.

I’m very intrigued by the situation in Africa. Why most of the African countries are so poor? Why are there so many wars and violence? Being such a repository of resources, why should this continent be the biggest recipient of global support? Why, even in South Africa where the standards is living are relatively better, one person in every five is infected with AIDS?

I’ve seen this movie ‘Hotel Rwanda’ which is one of my favourite movies. I liked ‘Blood Diamond’ which gave me some more idea. I knew that these may only be the tip of the iceberg.

I want to read the history of Africa. I want to know how it all began. I’m very curious to know the root cause for their current state. I can pretty much guess that the established empires of the west could have exploited and finally left them in the lurch when it all became unmanageable.

I mean it. I’m going to learn more about Africa.