Slowthai confronted a member the crowd at the NME Awards last night, after being heckled for sexually harassing the show’s co-host Katherine Ryan.
Shortly after winning Hero the Year award, which was voted for by the public, the 25-year-old Northampton rapper made a string uncomfortable comments toward comedian Katherine Ryan, drawing angry shouts from the crowd, including being called a “misogynist”.
Footage the incident has been posted on Twitter, in which slowthai puts his arm around Katherine Ryan and says to her: “You ain’t never had anyone play with you like I’ll play with you” and “She wants me to tend to her flowers”.
Why slowthai, why pic.twitter.com/zt8aSWDs8A
— G-Force (@ficialgham) February 12, 2020
@slowthai pic.twitter.com/MBtxPv0ZFa
— Insta: @audi_odane_poetry (@AudiOdane_) February 12, 2020
After drawing criticism, slowthai accused the audience “ruining” his speech and dropped his microphone into the crowd. A crowd member then used the mic to shout “Wasteman!” at the rapper before he had both the mic and a wine glass chucked at him on stage. Security had to hold Slowthai back as he hurled his own glass at the fending spectator, jumped f the stage and then attempted to fight the heckler.
According to NME, slowthai subsequently left the event. The Met police later confirmed that no complaints were filed after the event, and there won’t be an investigation made to the altercation.
Katherine Ryan posted about the incident on Twitter, saying: “He didn’t make me feel uncomfortable”.
He didn’t make me uncomfortable.
— Katherine Ryan (@Kathbum) February 13, 2020
This is why we need women in positions power. I knew he had lost from the moment he opened his mouth like any heckler coming up against a COMIC - not a woman - a COMIC. I was operating 2/10. What a sweet boy. I defused it.
Tonight was fun! ❤️ https://t.co/BBMPZpIvhy
Slowthai has made an apology on Twitter, asking NME to give his award to Katherine Ryan and stating “I am not a hero”.
His full staement reads: “.@nme please forward my award to @kathbum for she is the hero the year. what started as a joke between us escalated to a point shameful actions on my part. i want to unreservedly apologise, there is no excuse and I am sorry. i am not a hero.
“katherine, you are a master at your craft and next time i’ll take my seat and leave the comedy to you. to any woman or man who saw a reflection situations they’ve been in in those videos, i am sorry. i promise to do better. let’s talk here.”
(2/2) katherine, you are a master at your craft and next time i’ll take my seat and leave the comedy to you. to any woman or man who saw a reflection situations they’ve been in in those videos, i am sorry. i promise to do better. let’s talk here.
— tyron. (@slowthai) February 13, 2020
Slowthai has made an apology on Twitter, asking NME to give his award to Katherine Ryan and stating “I am not a hero”.
His full staement reads: “.@nme please forward my award to @kathbum for she is the hero the year. what started as a joke between us escalated to a point shameful actions on my part. i want to unreservedly apologise, there is no excuse and I am sorry. i am not a hero.
“katherine, you are a master at your craft and next time i’ll take my seat and leave the comedy to you. to any woman or man who saw a reflection situations they’ve been in in those videos, i am sorry. i promise to do better. let’s talk here.”
(2/2) katherine, you are a master at your craft and next time i’ll take my seat and leave the comedy to you. to any woman or man who saw a reflection situations they’ve been in in those videos, i am sorry. i promise to do better. let’s talk here.
— tyron. (@slowthai) February 13, 2020