A grime artist has denied charges of rape, assault by penetration, false imprisonment and assault.
Andy Anokye, 31, who performs under the stage name Solo 45, appeared at Bristol Crown Court to deny 31 charges against him.
The charges, relating to four alleged victims, include 22 counts of rape and five counts of false imprisonment.
Solo 45 (pictured at a Boy Better Know gig in Brighton) has been denied with 22 counts of rape
Anokye, who is most famous for the track Feed ‘Em To The Lions, also denies two charges of sexual assault and two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
A jury panel of 16 was selected at the court on Monday. This will be whittled down to 12 as the trial proceeds.
Judge William Hart told the panel: ‘The defendant is called Andy Anokye. He is a grime artist, a musician.
‘He is known professionally as Solo 45. He is a member of a grime collective called Boy Better Know.’
The trial is due to open on Friday and will last between five and six weeks.
Christopher Quinlan QC will prosecute the case, with Sallie Bennett-Jenkins QC representing Anokye.
Judge Hart told the panel: ‘This case concerns sexual allegations including rape.
Andy Anokye, 31, who performs under the stage name Solo 45, appeared at Bristol Crown Court to deny 31 charges against him
‘During the course of the trial you will be played video footage of graphic sexual acts between the defendant and a number of complainants.
‘The sexual acts depicted are of course deeply personal and intimate for those involved.
‘The prosecution allege that it captures the defendant physically assaulting two of the complainants and committing acts of rape.
‘The defence say that the acts shown on that footage are consensual and as part of role play.’
The artist is best known for his song Feed Em To The Lions (pictured: performing in 2016)
Anokye, of Millennium Promenade, Bristol, denies all the charges against him and the case continues.
Boy Better Know are a grime record label and collective run by brothers JME and Skepta (real names Jamie and Joseph Adenuga). Their artists include Wiley, who was recently appointed an MBE in the 2018 New Year’s Honours list for services to music and Canadian rapper Drake who is one of the most successful Hip Hop artists ever with 86 million global record sales.
The collective headlined Glastonbury’s Other Stage last year.
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