Slowthai Denies Rape Allegations; Pleads Not Guilty To 2 Rape Charges

Following the recent allegations against him, rapper Slowthai has entered a not-guilty plea to the two rape charges. According to the BBC, the Grammy-nominated British artist is reportedly accused of raping a lady twice in one night in September 2021. On Thursday, he submitted his plea in a British court. The 28-year-old musician, whose real name is Tyron Frampton, was accused last month of oral and vaginal penetration of a woman without her permission.

Alex Blake-Walker, a co-defendant with Frampton, entered a not-guilty plea to one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault. The same woman is suspected of being raped by both men, but Blake-Walker is also charged with another woman’s sexual assault. The court granted both individuals parole, and they are now free on conditional bail until their July 2024 trial.

The rapper, best known for the singles “Feel Good” and “Selfish,” was forced to cancel appearances at the Reading & Leeds Festivals in August and the Glastonbury Festival in June. He also recently withdrew from a show at Wembley Stadium slated for next month. “Self Esteem,” a British art pop performer, and “Blur,” a Britpop band, are on the lineups.

Slowthai was nominated for a Grammy in 2021 and a Mercury Prize, which recognizes musicians from the United Kingdom and Ireland, in 2019. Slowthai refuted the claims in a May statement obtained by the UK’s Far Out. And he added,

“Regarding the allegations being reported about me, I categorically deny the charges. I am innocent, and I am confident my name will be cleared. Until then, I will apply my energy to ensure this is concluded swiftly and justly. I ask that my supporters don’t comment about this situation and respect the process and privacy of my family during this time.”

With his well-received and politically-charged debut album, “Nothing Great About Britain,” the rapper gained notoriety in 2019. On it, he raps about Theresa May, Brexit, and the monarchy. He released “Tyron” in 2021, followed by “Ugly,” his third album, in March. In a 2019 article, the Guardian called the rapper “Britain’s most compelling new MC… His brand of hip-hop isn’t exactly grime, but it is grimy: pungent and abrasive in sound and content, but it is charming with it.”