UK rapper and grime artist Solo 45 has been convicted of raping four women, The Guardian reports. Andy Anokye, better known as Solo 45, was found guilty by the jury of 21 counts of rape, five counts of false imprisonment, two counts of assault by penetration, and two counts of assault with bodily harm. Anokye had pleaded not guilty to the 31 charges previously that included 22 counts of rape.
Crown Prosecution Service's Jill MacNamara said, "We were able to prove that Anokye was a violent, controlling narcissist and bully who took pleasure in inflicting pain and suffering upon his victims... He claimed sexual activity with these women was consensual role-play and pointed to the fact that some of the women stayed in a relationship with him after the assaults. However, the CPS was able to prove none of these women had consented to the sexual activity or the violence and threats made against them."
The guilty verdict arrived after jurors watched footage of the rapes that Anokye allegedly filmed himself. Four victims provided evidence against the rapper as they also detailed the alleged assaults. One woman detailed being waterboarded while another claimed that he stabbed her in the thigh.
Anokye had reportedly admitted that he enjoyed striking fear in others, referred to as "dacryphilia,” saying that he "terrorized" his victims but denying that he had raped any of them.
At that time in my life things were going so smoothly,” he said during the trial. “Everything was working so well. I would never do anything to put my freedom on the line … Life was too sweet.”
Solo 45 was part of the grime collective Boy Better Know alongside artists like JME and Skepta who he allegedly made his victims refer to him as during the assaults.