Wavin’ Flag Rapper K’naan Charged With Sexual Assault In Quebec City, Pleads ‘Not Guilty’ –

Best known for his 2010 FIFA World Cup Anthem Wavin’ Flag, Somali-Canadian rapper K’naan has been accused of sexual assault. The 47-year-old rapper was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in her 20s in a hotel room in July 2010. The victim alleged that the singer was in Quebec City, Canada, for a music festival.

The victim had filed a complaint against K’naan in May 2022. As reported by the local media, the rapper’s lawyers entered a not-guilty plea in court on Thursday. K’naan was, however, not present in court. The court has scheduled a preliminary hearing regarding the case in April 2025. Born in Mogadishu in 1978 as Keinan Abdi Warsame, the rapper fled Africa when he was 13. He grew up in Toronto, Canada where he started to rap in English.

He rose to fame when he criticized the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in 1999. This act brought him to Senegalese star Youssou N’Dour’s attention. He was invited by the star to contribute to an album that fuelled his musical career. He became a global name when he released Wavin’ Flag in 2009. The song spoke about Somalia overcoming its struggles.

K’naan took a break from music after his album Troubadour was released. He returned to music in 2023. He donned the hat of a director and helmed Mother Mother. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month. Recently, the singer received an award from the Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada for the impact he created with Wavin’ Flag. He also won the 2024 Grammy Award for his song Refugee under the Best Song For Social Change category.

The rapper has not issued a statement as of now.