U.K. grime artist Solo 45, real name Andy Anokye, was reportedly found guilty in a Bristol crown court this week of repeatedly raping and torturing four women.
According to The Guardian, Anokye was found guilty of 30 charges that occurred over a two-year period, including 21 rapes, five counts of false imprisonment, two counts of assault by penetration and two of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The Boy Better Know collective member insisted all for women consented to what he called a “rape game.”
Prosecutor Christopher Quinlan QC told the jury Anokye was “a narcissist and a violent bully,” explaining, “Not one of the women from whom you have heard said that they consented to what he says is a game – the ‘rape game.’ They marked a boundary and he trashed it because he doesn’t recognize boundaries, either for himself or others.”
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The women, who had never met each other, all described similar instances with Anokye, which included weapons, being held against their will, having cloth with bleach applied forcibly to their face and waterboarding. He also filmed much of the abuse on his cell phone.
Anoyke’s attorney Sally O’Neill argued the videos they’d watched showed “rough, sometimes unpleasant but importantly, consensual sexual activity” and claimed the alleged victims were “independent, adult women” who were operating on a “level playing field.”
Anoyke was arrested in 2017 after a woman claimed she’d been raped at his Bristol apartment. Subsequently, police examined videos and images on his digital devices and reached out to other women. The 33-year-old rapper denied 31 charges relating to the four complainants and told the jury he wouldn’t have done this out of fear of jeopardizing his career.
Following the hearing, DCI Neil Rice of Avon and Somerset police said, “I hope today’s verdicts bring some solace to the victims in this case who have suffered unimaginable horrors. Our focus will remain on supporting them as we have done for almost three years since this investigation began, and we will continue to do so through to sentencing and beyond.”
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Anokye rose to fame in 2014 with the track “Feed Em To The Lions.” Over the course of his career, he’s performed with fellow grime rappers such as Stormzy, Skepta, Wiley and JME.
Judge William Hart adjourned sentencing to a date to be fixed and ordered a psychiatric examination.
