I still remember the first time I heard qaraami music crackling through a worn-out speaker in a Detroit corner store. The melody was both foreign and familiar, a thread connecting me to a home I’d left behind and a city I was learning to claim. That moment planted the seed for LIBAAX: Grow Your Roots Where You Land, my debut book—a love letter to immigrants, to dreamers, to anyone who’s ever felt caught between worlds. Writing this book wasn’t just about telling a story; it was about weaving a tapestry from the voices I’ve carried with me, from the streets of Mogadishu to the pulsing heart of Detroit.
Cedric Mu – A Storyteller Bridging Worlds
My name is Cedric Muhikira, and I’m an immigrant, a storyteller, a bridge-builder. Growing up, I straddled cultures—each step a negotiation between who I was and who I was becoming. I’ve known the ache of displacement, the sting of being “almost understood” in a language that doesn’t quite fit your tongue. But I’ve also known the fire of resilience, the kind that burns in the eyes of young men washing dishes in diners, spinning dreams in basements, and riding motorcycles through city nights. These are the stories that became LIBAAX, and they’re the stories I want to share with you.
Ayaan’s Journey – From Dishes to DJ Decks
The heart of LIBAAX is Ayaan, a Somali immigrant who lands in Detroit with a civil engineering degree and a suitcase heavy with memories. By day, he scrubs dishes; by night, he spins records, blending Somali qaraami melodies with the raw pulse of trap beats. When a last-minute DJ gig thrusts him into Detroit’s underground music scene, Ayaan begins to carve out a space for himself as DJ Ayaan. His journey isn’t a straight line from struggle to triumph—it’s messier, more human. It’s about heartbreak and fleeting romance with Isabeli, a bartender with a spark that matches his own. It’s about friendships with Ahmed, a reformed pirate with a quick laugh, and Maria, a law student who sees the world with unflinching clarity. And it’s about Libaax, his motorcycle, his streak of fire on the asphalt, where he paints sagas of survival and joy.
Cedric Mu’s Inspiration:
Writing Ayaan’s story felt like spinning a mixtape of my own life. I drew from the late-night conversations with first-generation youth, the former refugees I met in community centers, the elders who shared their truths over tea. Detroit became more than a setting—it was a character, with its grit, its soul, its stubborn refusal to be anything but itself. I wanted LIBAAX to capture the in-between moments: the loneliness of a new city, the thrill of a beat dropping just right, the quiet victory of finding a chosen family. These are the threads that make up the immigrant experience—not just tragedy or triumph, but the rhythm of becoming.
Behind the Scenes of LIBAAX
One of the most unforgettable moments in writing this book was crafting Ayaan’s first DJ gig. I’d blast qaraami and trap mixes, letting the music guide my words. The room would fade, and I’d see Ayaan behind the decks, the crowd swaying, the air thick with sweat and possibility. I wanted readers to feel that energy, to hear the bass thrum in their bones. But the challenge was staying honest—neither romanticizing migration nor reducing it to pain. Ayaan’s story is raw, poetic, and unapologetically human, just like the people who inspired it.
Themes in Cedric Mu’s LIBAAX
The themes in LIBAAX are the ones that have shaped me: displacement and identity, the way we stitch ourselves back together when home is a memory; music as both memory and resistance, a way to defy erasure; and the delicate dance of belonging and rootlessness. I explored masculinity and vulnerability through Ayaan, letting him feel deeply without apology. And I celebrated chosen family—those unexpected bonds with people like Ahmed and Maria, who anchor us when the ground feels unsteady.
Why Read LIBAAX by Cedric Mu?
This book is for anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider, but it’s especially for those who know the immigrant hustle: the students, the dreamers, the dishwashers, the poets. It’s for readers who crave lyrical prose, urban grit, and stories that don’t shy away from complexity. If you love coming-of-age tales, multicultural narratives, or simply a good story that pulls you in and doesn’t let go, LIBAAX is for you.
What Makes LIBAAX Unique?
What makes LIBAAX unique? It’s not just about immigration—it’s about remixing culture, rebuilding joy, and finding rhythm in the chaos. The prose shifts like a DJ set, sometimes an internal monologue, sometimes cinematic, always immersive. One line captures Ayaan’s transformation best: “He wasn’t the guy who fumbled slang or froze at Kroger’s endless aisles. On Libaax, he was elemental—a streak of fire painting sagas on the asphalt.” I hope readers feel that fire, that defiance, that stubborn beauty.
Cedric Mu’s Vision for LIBAAX
My dream for LIBAAX is simple but fierce: I want it to spark empathy, curiosity, and connection. For immigrants and their children, I hope it’s a mirror, reflecting their resilience and complexity. For others, I hope it’s a window into lives too often flattened into headlines. I want to shift the conversation around immigration from statistics to stories, from “other” to human.
Where to Find LIBAAX by Cedric Mu
You can find LIBAAX: Grow Your Roots Where You Land on Amazon or learn more at my website, cedricmuhikira.com. I’m thrilled to connect with readers through digital readings on Zoom, book club visits, and community discussions. This fall, I’ll be at a Detroit independent bookstore for a signing and reading—details are coming soon, so follow me on social media for updates.
Join Cedric Mu on Ayaan’s Journey
Writing LIBAAX was my way of growing roots where I’ve landed, of honoring the voices that shaped me. I invite you to join Ayaan’s journey, to hear the music, to feel the pulse of a story that’s as much yours as it is mine.