Slowthai has pleaded not guilty to raping a woman in 2021, and his trial is set to begin next year.
The British rapper (real name Tyron Frampton) was charged with oral and vaginal penetration of a woman without her consent last month. The incident allegedly occurred in Oxford, England in September 2021, but no other details have been made available.
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According to the BBC, Slowthai appeared in an Oxford court on Thursday (June 15) to plead not guilty to all charges, and was joined by Alex Blake Walker, another defendant accused of raping the same woman and sexually assaulting a different person.
Walker also pleaded not guilty to one charge of rape and two counts of sexual assault. Both defendants were released on bail, and their trial is set to begin in July 2024.
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The 28-year-old rapper previously denied the allegations against him in a since-deleted statement shared on Twitter.
“Regarding the allegations being reported about me. I categorically deny the charges,” he wrote. “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.”
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He added: “I ask that my supporters don’t comment about this situation and respect the process and privacy of my family during this time.”
Slowthai rose to fame with his critically acclaimed debut album Nothing Great About Britain in 2019, which peaked at No. 9 on the U.K.’s albums chart and was nominated for a Mercury Prize award, losing out to Dave’s Psychodrama.
Two years later, he topped the chart in his homeland with his sophomore effort Tyron and earned his first Grammy nomination for Best Dance Recording thanks to his “My High” collaboration with Disclosure and Aminé.
He’s also worked with the likes of A$AP Rocky, Tyler, The Creator, Denzel Curry, Skepta and Gorillaz, and most recently dropped off his third album UGLY in March.
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In an interview with Complex following its release, Slowthai said the project was meant to “broaden his horizons” as an artist.
“I want to broaden horizons and open their eyes to different music,” he said. “You got to love yourself and let people know they’re not alone — I want them to live with the album and grow with it. All of us have something ugly, so love yourself as is.”
