1) [1] a UK hi… Read Full Bio ↴There are three musical projects by the name of Kano --
1) [1] a UK hip hop / grime rapper
2) [2] a classic italo-disco project.
3) [3] a Japanese singer who covers Vocaloid songs.
[1] In his early teens Kano attended Langdon Comprehensive School in East Ham, Newham, where his mother still works. Kano was a promising footballer, representing Chelsea F.C., Junior Hammers and Norwich City by the age of thirteen, but in the end he abandoned his sporting ambitions in favour of a musical career. His cousin Jonathan Fortune plays for Charlton Athletic.
His first track was "Boys Love Girls". Kano first became known on the UK grime scene for his work with his original group, N.A.S.T.Y Crew (Natural Artistic Sounds Touching You). From this springboard he was signed as a solo artist and began work on his debut solo album.
He is signed to 679 Recordings and is a label mate of The Streets. He was also a key member in East London’s N.A.S.T.Y. Crew. However, since being signed to 679 recordings, he has now left N.A.S.T.Y Crew, and took Demon and Ghetto with him.
Home Sweet Home was a great critical success, from across the British press, most notably The Independent and The Observer, two creditable UK based newspapers. Many artists in the UK and US have expressed positive views of the album, including Busta Rhymes, Nas, RZA, Jay-Z, Andre 3000 and Chuck D of Public Enemy.
Towards the end of 2005, Kano also released a mixtape, Beats & Bars, which is currently only available at his concerts.
London Town was released on September 10, 2007, which included hit single, "This Is The Girl", featuring Craig David. London Town includes tracks featuring Gorillaz member Damon Albarn formerly of Blur, Kate Nash, Craig David, Vybz Kartel and Leo The Lion.
Kano is also releasing a special Deluxe Limited Edition that includes a DVD featuring a interview with Kano, This Is The Girl video and acoustic studio footage with Craig David.
Kano has now left 679 recordings.
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[2] Kano was a post-disco music project formed in 1979 by Italian-based producers/musicians Luciano Ninzatti, Stefano Pulga and Matteo Bonsanto. They were early producers of a style of Italian dance music called Italo-disco, a blend of 1970s disco and funk with the addition of synthesizers.
Kano's sound was first heard on radio stations and in dance clubs around the world with their debut hit single, 1980's "I'm Ready", from their self-titled debut album (which also included the minor hits, "It's a War" and the instrumental track "Cosmic Voyager"). The b-side of "I'm Ready", "Holly Dolly" used the same essential production elements. "I'm Ready" also peaked at #21 on the Black Singles chart. "It's a War" was also a big hit on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in the U.S., reaching #2 for five weeks.
The project went on to record two other albums, including 1981's "New York Cake" (which included the minor hits "Don't Try to Stop Me", and "Can't Hold Back") and 1983's "Another Life" (including the title track and "I Need Love") which introduced West Indian-born singer Glen White. Their last song was 1985's "This Is the Night".
"I'm Ready" was later used as a sample on a few songs, such as Gigolo Tony's 1986 hit "Hokie Pokie" and Rofo's 1987 hit "Flashlight In A Disconight". The most well-known use of it as a sample is on Tag Team's 1993 hit, "Whoomp! (There It Is)". "Another Life" was remixed by Master Blaster featuring in their 2003 album "We Love Italo Disco". "Another Life" was also sampled in the 2005 track "Discopolis" by Lifelike & Kris Menace. "Ikeya Seki" was sampled by the French electro house artist Kavinsky for his track "Grand Canyon", which appeared on his 2007 EP, 1986.
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[3]Romanized name of the utaite 鹿乃, for a full biography, check that page.
Feel Free
Kano Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From the east and the west we come,
And we'll all feel better tomorrow,
When the lord does come.
It could a Cartier or a Rolex,
Presidential threat to magary,
And you can probably take a pretty chick from a party,
But guess what time don't wait for no man,
Upside down 'til no sand it won't slow down,
It's going it's going 'till it's gone,
It feels right 'till you notice that it's gone,
And why can't we all get along,
It's peace whenever I turn the mic on,
It's beef whenever I turn to violence,
It's deep in the east I'm deep in the beats,
I sleep on the beach and see my nephew see 24,
Am I easily pleased umm I just wanna clean up my community,
And throw a party for the whole street hardly asking for a whole leap,
It's deeper than music it's a movement now sing along to it
Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalala,
But sometimes you have to fight, struggle, grind, hustle
And you get no peace and too much trouble no range rover with rims on,
Put your headphones on and sing along,
Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalala,
If you just get by the pence and ain't got no money for the rent,
When your self motivations gone put your headphones on and sing along,
Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalala,
So the stories told in London Town
From the east and the west we come,
And we'll all feel better tomorrow,
When the lord does come.
Look times of the essence rhyming's a weapon,
Metal detectors and lines at the entrance,
See I made the news when my gig pulled,
Same show next year no violence at all,
But no more rap breaks and academies,
But I'd like to see them shut down McD's,
Cause they shootin' nah made you look,
You're the slave to the page in a cheque-book
Did use a few G's to the police,
Just to put a show on for the fans to see,
If you listen the I'll spit the lyric,
In N.W.A style and start killin' 'em
Nah I just wanna make them see,
Spit my verses say my piece,
Get off my back it'll make my sleep,
A hell of a lot easier this week,
Cause time in the present life is a lesson,
I'm still learning trying for perfection,
I'm still giving you fire on the record,
The vinyl's like Ryu's fireballs,
Yes I've got the road the world's my oyster,
I want the globe it's DDDamon you already know,
KKA N to the O if mumsies hardly at home,
You and your bro share the same clothes,
Work ain't done cause your baby sittin'
Fell free sing along to the riddim
Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalala,
If you grew up without no dad,
And everything you want you can't have,
Lost love ones and you really miss em'
Feel free sing along to the riddim,
Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalala,
Just feel free sing along to the riddim,
Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalala,
So the stories told in London Town,
From the east and the west we come,
And we'll all feel better tomorrow,
When the lord does come
The song “Feel Free” by Kano ft. Damon Albarn tells the story of London Town and the hardships, struggles, and pain that people go through in their daily lives. The lyrics talk about the differences between the east and the west in London, but also the commonality in feeling free and finding peace through music. The song incorporates elements of hip hop, reggae and electronic music, with the catchy chorus inviting the listener to sing along and feel free.
The first verse describes the materialistic and fast-paced lifestyle of London, with references to high-end watches and technology. However, Kano emphasizes that time waits for no one, and that life can quickly pass by. He also questions why people can’t get along and promotes peace when he turns on the mic. The following verse talks about the struggles of being a rapper, dealing with metal detectors and lines at the entrance, and the pressures of fame. Kano references N.W.A and Ryu of Street Fighter fame before bringing it back to his personal experiences and motivations, which include working towards perfection in his music and capturing his audience’s attention.
The chorus of the song invites everyone to feel free and sing along to the rhythm, regardless of their circumstances. The lyrics are relatable to anyone who has gone through hardships, lost loved ones, or felt out of place. The hope is that by coming together and sharing in the joy of music, people can find some sense of unity and freedom. Overall, “Feel Free” is a powerful anthem that captures the spirit of London and the resilience of its people.
Line by Line Meaning
So the stories told in London Town
The different experiences and tales in London are shared and passed down.
From the east and the west we come,
People from different parts of the city and the world come together.
And we'll all feel better tomorrow,
There is hope for a brighter future.
When the lord does come.
The belief in a higher power bringing redemption and relief.
It could a Cartier or a Rolex,
Valuable possessions and material wealth.
Presidential threat to magary,
A warning to the dangers of power and corruption.
hi-tech yes I can tell by the heartbeat,
The presence of advanced technology and its impact on society.
And you can probably take a pretty chick from a party,
The lure of temporary pleasure and the potential consequences of it.
But guess what time don't wait for no man,
The inevitability of time moving forward and its connection to mortality.
Upside down 'til no sand it won't slow down,
Time will continue to move forward regardless of circumstances.
It's going it's going 'till it's gone,
The fleeting nature of time and life.
It feels right 'till you notice that it's gone,
The realization that something was valuable only after it has been lost.
And why can't we all get along,
The desire for unity and peace among people.
It's peace whenever I turn the mic on,
The power of music to bring people together and create a peaceful environment.
It's beef whenever I turn to violence,
The contrast between the peacefulness of music and the violence that can come from other forms of expression.
It's deep in the east I'm deep in the beats,
The connection between hip hop and eastern culture.
I sleep on the beach and see my nephew see 24,
Reflecting on family and the passage of time.
Am I easily pleased umm I just wanna clean up my community,
Simple desires to improve one's immediate surroundings.
And throw a party for the whole street hardly asking for a whole leap,
The desire to bring people together in celebration without expecting anything in return.
It's deeper than music it's a movement now sing along to it
The message and power of music, and its role in driving social change.
Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalala,
The repetition of a simple, joyful melody.
But sometimes you have to fight, struggle, grind, hustle
The difficulties and challenges that come with pursuing success.
And you get no peace and too much trouble no range rover with rims on,
The struggles of achieving success and the false promises of material rewards.
Put your headphones on and sing along,
The power of music to provide comfort and escape from the struggles of life.
If you just get by the pence and ain't got no money for the rent,
The struggles of financial insecurity and poverty.
When your self motivations gone put your headphones on and sing along,
The importance of finding internal motivation and the power of music to provide comfort and inspiration.
Look times of the essence rhyming's a weapon,
The urgency of time and the power of music to create change.
Metal detectors and lines at the entrance,
The reality of violence and the need for heightened security measures.
See I made the news when my gig pulled,
The impact and attention that comes with success.
Same show next year no violence at all,
The hope for peace and the possibility of social change.
But no more rap breaks and academies,
The criticism and stereotypes associated with hip hop culture.
But I'd like to see them shut down McD's,
The negative impact of fast food and corporatism on society.
Cause they shootin' nah made you look,
The prevalence of violence in American society and its connections to societal issues.
You're the slave to the page in a cheque-book
The constraints of capitalism and the pressure to succeed financially.
Did use a few G's to the police,
The corruption and unethical actions of those in power.
Just to put a show on for the fans to see,
The superficial priorities of some artists and the corruption that can come with fame.
If you listen the I'll spit the lyric,
The power of words and storytelling.
In N.W.A style and start killin' em
The impact and influence of hip hop music.
Nah I just wanna make them see,
The desire to use music to communicate a message and create social change.
Spit my verses say my piece,
The importance of using one's platform to make a statement.
Get off my back it'll make my sleep,
The desire to escape from criticism and the importance of finding inner peace.
A hell of a lot easier this week,
The struggle to balance personal and professional pressures.
Cause time in the present life is a lesson,
The constant opportunity for growth and learning in life.
I'm still learning trying for perfection,
The pursuit of self-improvement and growth.
I'm still giving you fire on the record,
The artist's dedication to creating quality music for their fans.
The vinyl's like Ryu's fireballs,
The impact and power of music, and its influence on culture.
Yes I've got the road the world's my oyster,
The freedom and opportunity that comes with success.
I want the globe it's DDDamon you already know,
The desire for global influence and recognition.
KKA N to the O if mumsies hardly at home,
The struggle of growing up without a strong family support system.
You and your bro share the same clothes,
The struggles of financial insecurity and making do with what you have.
Work ain't done cause your baby sittin'
The difficulties of balancing personal responsibilities with professional pursuits.
Fell free sing along to the riddim
The power of music to bring joy and unite people across backgrounds and experiences.
If you grew up without no dad,
The impact of absent fathers and the difficulties that come with it.
And everything you want you can't have,
The struggles of financial insecurity and unfulfilled desires.
Lost love ones and you really miss em'
The pain and grief of losing loved ones.
Just feel free sing along to the riddim,
The healing and comforting power of music.
Contributed by Jeremiah F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Phobs DSR
This is one of them vintage Kano classics. The most creative grime rapper to ever touch mic. Those who know the body of work won’t argue with that. 20 yrs in the game, consistent, relevant, timeless, real and one hell of a talent. Damon knew Kano was a gem coming up. There’s a reason why KA, Ghetts, D Double and Wretch are still leading it in 2020.. Pioneers and still setting pace.
Hassan Hamid
Kano... is definitely one of the grime legends. No argument...
bdm87 music4life
💯
Phobs DSR
Dun know bredrin
KingIceXIX
U are right
DBYouthMovement
Love this Kano and Damon Albarn collaboration, Kano's known but underrated to much. He's one of earliest grime artists so should be more attention
Phobs DSR
Tell them fam.. Vintage right here, the best in the game
F Nzau
well guess what there is...
ANOTHA ONE!
Ehehe9
kano is so underrated, all his tunes are real!
mpsherpa93
Kano is an amazing artist!