BAD RAP
Rapper Slowthai apologises to Katherine Ryan for his ‘shameful actions’ at the NME Awards
SLOWTHAI has apologised "unreservedly" to Katherine Ryan for his "shameful actions" at the NME Awards.
The furious rapper, 25, jumped into the crowd last night after audience members labelled him "misogynistic" and accused him of making host Katherine feel "uncomfortable" with a string of lewd comments.
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But this afternoon he has taken to Twitter to say sorry to Katherine and anyone else who was offended.
And he even asked NME to give his award to Katherine after his controversial behaviour at the boozy awards bash.
"@nme please forward my award to @kathbum for she is the hero of the year," he tweeted.
"What started as a joke between us escalated to a point of shameful actions on my part.
"I want to unreservedly apologise, there is no excuse and I am sorry. I am not a hero.";
He added: "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 of situations they’ve been in in those videos, I am sorry.
"I promise to do better. Let’s talk here."
NME has decided to strip Slowthai of his award and present it to Katherine as requested by the rapper.
An spokesperson said: “The safety of all attendees and presenters is and always will be our number one priority. We want everyone at our events to have a good time and feel comfortable.
“We would like to extend our thanks to our incredible hosts Katherine Ryan and Julie Adenuga for making it a brilliant night. We have accepted Slowthai’s proposal to forward his fan-voted Hero Of The Year award to Katherine. Katherine – keep an eye on the post!”
Last night Slowthai pelted a fan with a champagne glass and had to be restrained by bouncers during an explosive row.
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Slowthai - who released a debut album called There's Nothing Great About Britain last May - was collecting the award for Hero of the Year when he began leering at comedian Katherine.
Shocked Twitter users shared footage of the uncomfortable exchange and the angry scuffle that followed at the Brixton Academy in south London last night.
The rapper, real name Tyron Kaymone Frampton, was heard urging Katherine to "smell my cologne" on stage as he added "smells good don't it" and shushed her.
'SMELL MY COLOGNE'
She appeared to try to get away from the Nottingham musician as he proceeded to paw at her, prompting co-host Julie Adenuga ro ask the crowd: "What is happening? What is the protocol for this?"
Julie then asked musician Mura Masa, who had joined Slowthai to open the awards show with their Deal Wiv It, to "come and get" the rapper.
Slowthai then called Katherine "babygirl", adding: "If you want to do something, see me later," before walking off.
The rapper was then seen attempting to lean his head on 36-year-old Katherine's breasts while he tried to get up close and personal with the comedian.
Slowthai told her: "You ain't never had someone play with you liked I'd play with you."
Katherine responded sarcastically with: "You are like the hottest guy I've seen."
After a brief exchange she mocked him, saying: "I am so thirsty for your c*** thank you for the attention" before pulling a disgusted face and adding: "Let's hear it for Slowhot, he's so hot".
She also told him: "You are younger than my babysitter."
As he stomped back to his seat, Slowthai then went on to tell her she could earn him, but twerking Katherine fired back: "Or I could just earn loads of money and buy my own house without a man."
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Katherine also referred to him as "needle d***" as she batted his comments away during their increasingly heated exchange.
Then, as a fan shouted "misogynist" from the crowed, furious Slowthai hit back, blasting the audience member for "ruining my speech" before hurling his microphone into the crowd.
When a man picked it up and call him a "wasteman" before throwing it back at the snarling rapper, he appeared to lob a glass of champagne at fans before launching himself into the crowd shouting "what's your f***ing problem?".
Meanwhile Katherine was seen telling the rapper to "calm down" during the scuffle.
The member of the public was removed as three bouncers attempted to hold the rapper back.
Last year Slowthai made headlines when he stripped to the waist and yelled "f*** Boris Johnson. F*** everything" and brandished an effigy of Boris Johnson's severed head at the Mercury Prize show at London's Eventim Apollo.
Up until the ugly scenes, last night had been a good one for Slowthai, who had already taken home the Best Collaboration award with Mura Masa and had racked up six other nominations at the event sponsored by Copper Dog whisky.
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Taylor Swift was said to be gobsmacked at the behaviour of the rapper
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Fellow winner Taylor Swift was said to have been gobsmacked by the altercation with one onlooker saying "her jaw just dropped open in disbelief".
One guest at the ceremony said of the exchange with Katherine: "It was incredibly uncomfortable to watch. At first Katherine didn't seem to know what to do and then decided her best bet was to mock him.
"It not the kind of behaviour you expect at an industry event - especially not someone behaving that way and invading the stage."
And fans at home wondered if the comedian had been using sarcasm to "mask her discomfort" at Slowthai's awkward approaches.
Another wrote: "If anyone says ‘He’s had a drink’, you need to check yourself & your mentality. As always (Ryan) handled the situation, but imagine if it was someone not as quick or confident? Absolutely disgusting."
But the comedian has since took to Twitter to say that Slowthai didn't make her feel uncomfortable and that she instead "defused" the situation.
She said: "This is why we need women in positions of 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."
Rapper Slowthai makes Katherine Ryan 'uncomfortable' and throws glass at NME awards crowd