ABCs is the first official single by rapper

K'naan Keinan Abdi Warsame (born 1 February 1978) ( so, Keynaan Cabdi Warsame, ar, كَينَان عَبدِ وَرسَمَ ''Kaynān ʿAbdi Warsama''), better known by his stage name K'naan (), is a Somali-Canadian musician. He rose to prominence ...

on his album ''Troubadour''. It also features rapper

Chubb Rock Richard Simpson, also known as Chubb Rock (born May 28, 1968 in Brooklyn, New York) is a New York-based rapper who released several successful hip hop albums in the late 1980s and early 1990s. A National Merit Scholar, Chubb Rock dropped out o ...

and is produced by A&M/Octone Records.K'naan - ABCs- Listen Now
djbooth.net The song was also featured on the soundtrack for the video game

Madden 09 ''Madden NFL 09'' is an American football video game based on the NFL that was published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It is the 20th annual installment in the ''Madden NFL'' video game franchise. The game was released for the Ninten ...

and in both the film and the trailer for

The Trotsky ''The Trotsky'' is a 2009 Canadian comedy film directed and written by Jacob Tierney and starring Jay Baruchel, Emily Hampshire, Colm Feore, Saul Rubinek, and Michael Murphy. Plot High School student Leon Bronstein believes that he is the reinc ...

. The song can be heard in the films ''

Step Up 3D ''Step Up 3D'' (also known as ''Step Up 3'') is a 2010 American 3D dance film directed by Jon M. Chu and written by Amy Andelson and Emily Meyer. It serves as a sequel to 2008's '' Step Up 2: The Streets'' and the third installment in the ''St ...

'' (2010) and ''

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'' (2011). It samples

's "Treat 'Em Right" and

Mulatu Astatke Mulatu Astatke (; French pronunciation: Astatqé; born 19 December 1943) is an Ethiopian musician and arranger considered as the father of "Ethio-jazz". Born in Jimma, Mulatu was musically trained in London, New York City, and Boston where he ...

's "Kasalefkut hulu."

Music video

The video was directed by

Marcus Raboy Marcus Raboy (born November 30, 1965) is an American film and music video director. Since the early 1990s, Raboy has amassed a large number music video credits directing music videos for Mary J. Blige, Dixie Chicks, Rihanna, Luther Vandros ...

and was filmed at the

Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge is a hybrid cable-stayed/ suspension bridge in New York City, spanning the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Opened on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first fixed crossing of the East River ...

and

Williamsburg, Brooklyn Williamsburg is a Neighborhoods in Brooklyn, neighborhood in the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Brooklyn, bordered by Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Greenpoint to the north; Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, Bedford–Stuyvesant to the s ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. It begins with K'naan walking across the bridge and he buys a vinyl record at the ''Pass Out Records'' store. While K'naan is walking along a street, Chubb Rock drives up in a 1965 Pontiac Catalina with two large speakers in the back, picks up K'naan, they go to a party. K'naan then walks along a street, under an elevated Subway. America's Best Dance Crew Season 2 Champions Super Cr3w make an appearance.

Chart positions

"ABCs" debuted at #75 on the Canadian Hot 100 on the issue of March 3, 2009, based on downloads.

References

2008 singles 2008 songs K'naan songs A&M Octone Records singles Music videos directed by Marcus Raboy Songs written by Gerald Eaton Songs written by K'naan Songs written by Brian West (musician) Canadian hip hop songs {{2000s-hiphop-single-stub