Can Nelly Furtado, Bono, Keith Richards, Mark Foster and NAS all make appearances on one cohesive album? K’naan’s latest effort, “Country, God or the Girl,” proves it is possible with the same nonchalant hip-hop stylings of 2009’s “Troubadour.” The Somali-Canadian artist utilizes swift beat schemes to lay down catchy rap hooks. While the album boasts a diverse group of featured artists, K’naan’s focus on uplifting self-preservation and complicated relationship themes unifies all of the songs on the album. “Country, God or the Girl” is more slickly produced than earlier releases, which lends it a more sophisticated depth of complexity, however this sacrifices some of K’naan’s gritty “street-warrior” sound and appeal. The lengthy 17-track album features plenty of songs with K’naan performing solo, including highlights “Hurt Me Tomorrow” and “Better.” The album stretches K’naan into other genres like pop and R&B, adding depth to his repertoire.

Grade: B+