UK Rapper Slowthai Sparks Outrage For Brandishing Severed Head of Boris Johnson at Award Show

British rapper Slowthai sparked outrage after brandishing a model of the severed head of Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the Mercury Prize awards on Thursday.

The rapper, who wore a “Fuck Boris” t-shirt, also shouted during his performance, “Fuck Boris Johnson! Fuck everything! And there ain’t nothing Great about Britain.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2m0qDWJPFl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=dlfix

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2mwgeKn-2K/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=dlfix

The BBC reportedly cut the severed head part out from their upload of the performance — it can be seen briefly in the video above — but Slowthai’s stunt prompted both outrage and support online.

Slowthai was criticized by influential British political blog Guido Fawkes, radio host Julia Hartley-Brewer, and the Sun’s Deputy Political Editor Steve Hawkes.

Surely all MPs can condemn thishttps://t.co/crYOubYSqa

— steve hawkes (@steve_hawkes) September 20, 2019

Slowthai holds fake decapitated Boris Johnson head at Mercury Prize 2019. Because this is just normal these days – and greeted by rapturous applause. Waiting for all politicians on all sides to condemn this 100%, no ifs, no buts. https://t.co/u6zuH41SWK

— Julia Hartley-Brewer (@JuliaHB1) September 20, 2019

Australian political columnist Rita Panahi commented, “What the hell is a slowthai & why is Britain home to so many self loathing malcontents?”

The Guardian‘s deputy music editor Laura Snapes, however, described the stunt as “amazing,” declaring, “Slowthai stole my heart on the red carpet so I’m all in for him and his brilliant laugh.”

Slowthai finished his Mercury performance by pulling a dummy of Boris Johnson’s decapitated head out of a bag and shouting (for the third time), “FUCK BORIS!” Amazing.

Lauren Laverne: “Slowthai, with his own views there.”

— Laura Snapes (@laurasnapes) September 19, 2019

Slowthai’s performance also received support from the London Evening Standard‘s Business News Editor, Alex Lawson, who claimed it was “definitely” the “best performance waving a Boris head and shouting f*ck Boris. No need for nuance.”

“If @slowthai doesn’t win, we riot,” wrote NME news editor Andrew Trendell.

On Instagram, Slowthai was supported by Skepta, Little Simz, Asim Chaudhry, Mette Towley, and music reviewer Anthony Fantano.

In response to the controversy, Slowthai wrote in a statement, “Last night I held a mirror up to this country and some people don’t like its reflection. Yet this is exactly where we’re being taken, cut off and at all costs. The people in power who are trying to isolate and divide us aren’t the ones who will feel its effects the hardest.”

He continued:

They’re not the ones queueing at the food banks, not the ones navigating Universal Credit and not the ones having to deal with systematic oppression and hate crimes at the hands of privileged politicians who say what they want without fear and consequence. We as a people are not being looked after and our best interests are not being served by those in government – this is their job and they’re not doing it well enough. This ‘act’ was a metaphor for what this government is doing to our country, except what I did was present it in plain sight.

No Boris Johnson’s were hurt in the making of this Slowthai performance. I don’t condone violence in any form.

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