Slowthai Removed From Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds Festival Lineups Following Court Appearance on Rape Charges

Warning: the following story contains descriptions of an alleged sexual assault.

British rapper Slowthai‘s name appeared to be quietly scrubbed from the lineups of the Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds festivals on Tuesday (May 16) after the MC appeared in court on two charges of rape. The 28-year-old rapper (born Tyron Frampton) was charged with two counts of rape earlier in the day during a video link court appearance before Oxfordshire, England magistrates, where he was charged with oral and vaginal penetration of a woman without her consent in connection with an alleged 2021 incident in Oxford.

NME reported that Slowthai’s name was taken off the festival’s rosters after the court appearance and at press time neither the artists nor the festival organizers had made an official announcement about the change; Billboard confirmed that Slowthai is no longer listed on the lineups for the events on their official websites. A spokesperson for Slowthai had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment at press time.

Slowthai posted a message on Instagram following his brief court appearance to deny the allegations. “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.” He asked his supporters not to “comment about this situation” and to “respect the process and privacy” of his family.

According to The Guardian, Frampton did not enter a plea during the appearance and only confirmed his real name, date of birth and Northampton address. Prosecuting lawyer Adam Yar Khan said the rape charge must be heard at crown court, due to it being an indictable-only offense. At the time of publication, there is no further information surrounding the charges and the accuser’s claims.