A musician and associate of Chris Brown has been formally charged in connection with an alleged assault on a music producer at a London nightclub in 2023, British police announced Saturday.
Omolulu Akinlolu, 38, known professionally as "Hoody Baby," is facing a charge of grievous bodily harm with intent. He is expected to appear before the Manchester Magistrates’ Court.
Chris Brown, 36, was taken into custody on the same charge and is currently being held without bail, casting uncertainty over his upcoming tour. His next court appearance is set for June 13 at Southwark Crown Court in London, coinciding with the third day of his scheduled world tour.
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Akinlolu, a Dallas-based rapper, has worked with Brown and Lil Wayne and also uses stage names like “Fat Leopard” and “Super Hood.” While police have not specified his exact involvement, they confirmed his charge stems from the same incident involving Brown.
According to prosecutor Hannah Nicholls, the assault took place in February 2023 during Brown’s UK tour. She stated that Brown attacked producer Abe Diaw at Tape nightclub in London’s upscale Mayfair district, hitting him repeatedly with a bottle in what was described as an unprovoked assault. Surveillance footage also allegedly captured Brown chasing Diaw and continuing the assault by punching and kicking him in front of clubgoers.
During his court appearance, Brown did not enter a plea but confirmed his personal details. He was arrested at the Lowry Hotel in Manchester on Thursday morning.
A representative for Brown has not responded to multiple inquiries from The Associated Press.
Brown, widely known as “Breezy,” gained fame in 2005 as a teenage R&B artist and has since become a major figure in the music industry with hits like “Run It,” “Kiss Kiss,” and “Without You.” He has received multiple Grammy Awards, including one earlier this year for best R&B album for “11:11 (Deluxe).”
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Despite the legal developments, Brown is still slated to begin his international tour in June, kicking off the European leg in Amsterdam on June 8, with North American dates starting in July. Joining him on tour are Jhene Aiko, Summer Walker, and Bryson Tiller.