Award-winning rapper and pioneer of grime music, Dizzee Rascal, has been charged with the assault of a woman at a property in south London during a domestic argument. Although much is unclear, the incident is alleged to have happened at a house in Streatham on June 8th.
Police have confirmed that the woman had minor injuries but needed no further medical attention. The Boy in da Corner musician, real name Dylan Kwabena Mills, will arrive at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Friday, September 3rd.
The Metropolitan Police statement clarified: “Dylan Mills, 36, of Sevenoaks, Kent, has been charged with assault after an incident at a residential address in Streatham on June 8th.” It continued: “Officers attended and a woman reported minor injuries. She did not require hospital treatment.”
The statement concluded: “Mills is due to appear at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Friday, September 3rd.”
Per his website, Rascal is set to perform at South Facing Festival 2021 and Crystal Palace and Lydiard Park’s in August, but that appearance will now be up in the air pending the upcoming court case.
Along with his mentor Wiley, Dizzee Rascal is hailed as one of the founding fathers of grime; their track ‘Eskimo’ was one of the first in the burgeoning grime genre. His breakthrough album, 2003’s Boy in da Corner is now regarded as an early classic within British rap. After its release, Rascal continued to release hits in the ’00s. His fourth album, Tongue n’ Cheek, embraced EDM alongside producer Calvin Harris. The partnership gave us smash-hits such as ‘Dance Wiv Me’, ‘Holiday’ and ‘Bonkers’.
As well as pioneering musical contributions over the years, Rascal made himself popular after various appearances in the media. The most iconic moment came in a 2008 Newsnight interview with Jeremy Paxman in which he described the incumbent President Obama as “an immediate symbol of unity”.
Rascal’s contribution to British music has been so extensive that in 2020 he was awarded an MBE by the Queen.
The domestic abuse case continues.