Somali-Canadian rapper K’naan, best known for his global hit “Wavin’ Flag,” has been charged with sexual assault in Quebec City. The incident allegedly took place in July 2010 when K’naan, whose real name is Keinan Abdi Warsame, was in the city for a music festival.
The 47-year-old artist is accused of assaulting a woman in her 20s in a hotel room. The alleged victim came forward to file a police complaint in May 2022.
K’naan’s lawyers entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf during the court appearance, although the rapper himself was reportedly not present. A preliminary hearing is set for April 2025.
Born in Mogadishu in 1978, K’naan fled Somalia at the age of 13 and later grew up in Toronto. He used rap music as a way to learn English, eventually launching a successful career that brought him international fame. His 2009 single “Wavin’ Flag,” originally a tribute to Somalia’s struggles, was re-recorded as a charity single for Haiti following the 2010 earthquake. Coca-Cola also used a celebratory version of the song as an anthem for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
In recent years, K’naan has taken a break from the music industry but returned in 2023 with new material that earned him a special merit award for Best Song for Social Change from the Recording Academy. Earlier this month, he made his directorial debut at the Toronto International Film Festival with the film Mother Mother.
This week, K’naan was honoured by the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada for the enduring cultural impact of “Wavin’ Flag” around the world.