September 27, 2024 01:47 PM IST
Somali-Canadian rapper K’naan, who rose to fame with the 2010 global hit Wavin’ Flag, has been accused of sexual assault.
Somali-Canadian rapper K’naan, whose megahit Wavin’ Flag became the 2010 soccer World Cup anthem, was accused of sexual assault on Thursday, according to local media. The 47-year-old rapper, whose real name is Keenan Abdi Warsame, is accused of sexually assaulting a 20-year-old woman in July 2010 while he was in the Canadian city for a concert. ,Also read: Bollywood visuals for upcoming K’Naan single,
On Thursday, his lawyers filed a plea of not guilty in the court on his behalf. He was reportedly not present. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for April 2025.
Who is Kannan?
The Mogadishu-born rapper in 1978, who fled the war-torn Horn of Africa country at the age of 13, grew up in Toronto, turning to rap to learn English, but now lives in the US city of New York.
His criticism of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in 1999 brought him to the attention of Senegalese star Youssou N’Dour, who invited him to contribute to an album, effectively launching his music career. Their football anthem is a funky ballad full of hard-hitting beats and a reggae riff.
Kannan’s music career
Kanaan took a long break after his album Troubadour, but returned with new music in 2023, which earned him a Special Merit Award for Best Song for Social Change from the Recording Academy. He also made his directorial debut with Mother Mother at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month.
This week, the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada gave Knaan an award for the lasting cultural impact of “Wavin’ Flag” around the world.
After the success of Wavin’ Flag, Kannan gained immense popularity in India also. In 2010, he collaborated with Indian composer duo Vishal-Shekhar. He adds, “Initially, the idea was to make a Hindi remix of Wavin Flag. But Vishal said that he would prefer to make an original song rather than a remix. I appreciate this approach of collaboration,” the rapper had then told HT.
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