British grime artist Wiley, real name Richard Cowie, has forfeited his MBE for ‘bringing the honours system into disrepute’, according to a list published on the Cabinet Office website.
The musician, whose real name is Richard Cowie, and who is often referred to as the godfather of grime, was honoured for his services to music in 2017.
He shared his approval on social media at the time, writing ‘Big up the Queen’ after the honour was made public.
But in July 2020, he was suspended from Twitter after spending hours on a long rant which included several anti-Semitic messages discussing the ‘power’ of Jewish people.
He began his missive: ‘Listen to me Jewish community Israel is not your country I’m sorry… The Star of David that’s our ting … Some people have gotten too comfortable on lands that don’t belong to them.’
British grime artist Wiley, real name Richard Cowie, has forfeited his MBE for ‘bringing the honours system into disrepute’
The rapper, pictured, is acknowledged as The Godfather of Grime and received an Ivor Novello award in 2019
Wiley received an MBE for services to music in 2017. He shared his approval on social media at the time, writing ‘Big up the Queen’ after the honour was made public
In one tweet from this morning, he compares the Jewish people to the Ku Klux Klan
The singer’s manager John Woolf completely disassociated himself with his client’s messages. He told MailOnline: ”To be very clear here. I do not support or condone what Wiley has said today online in any way shape or form. I am a proud Jewish man and I am deeply shocked and saddened but what he has chosen to say. I am speaking to key figures in my community in light of today’s tweets. This behaviour and hateful speech is not acceptable to me’
Later, using the trope of Jewish people’s influence in the entertainment industry, he wrote: ‘There are 2 sets of people who nobody has really wanted to challenge #Jewish & #KKK but being in business for 20 years you start to undestand [sic] why … Red Necks Are the KKK and Jewish people are the Law…Work that out.’
He said: ‘If you work for a company owned by 2 Jewish men and you challenge the Jewish community in anyway of course you will get fired.’
Wiley is considered by many the ‘Godfather of Grime’ and in 2019 was awarded an Ivor Novello ‘Inspiration’ award for his work in the early noughties.
In a statement at the time, Wiley’s manager John Woolf said: ‘To be very clear here. I do not support or condone what Wiley has said today online in any way shape or form.
‘I am a proud Jewish man and I am deeply shocked and saddened but what he has chosen to say. I am speaking to key figures in my community in light of today’s tweets.
‘This behaviour and hateful speech is not acceptable to me.’
But Wiley’s antics didn’t stop there, and in 2021, he caused further controversy when he claimed his Jewish associates in the music and entertainment industry ‘still see us as slaves’ in an interview with The Voice newspaper.
In the subsequent days, the musician denied he is racist and apologised for ‘generalising’.
He then set up a new Twitter account under the handle @WileyRecordings, which the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) says was used to ‘spout racist hate towards Jews’.
Rapper Wiley has twice suspended from Twitter after posting ‘anti-Semitic’ messages from a new account
On one account, he tweeted a number of posts, including an image of himself in Hasidic garb
Twitter told Jewish News in 2021 that the account was ‘permanently suspended for violations of the Twitter rules on hateful conduct policy’
On that account, he tweeted an image of himself in Hasidic garb and a video titled ‘the Jewish Faces that Control Hiphop and Mainstream Black Music.’
He posted a further video ‘discuss[ing] historical tensions between blacks & Jews’ and, in another tweet, asserted: ‘The more they block me the harder I go and when I get through the door I will stand there and look in their faces with the same look they don’t wanna see….They are just angry they can’t control me…’
Then on his Instagram page, Wiley posted a screenshot from his Twitter account – which has now since been suspended – with the caption: ‘No point shutting me down I got 20 burner accounts to use lol.’
On that platform, he shared another video which referred to ‘Satanic Jews’ before appearing to taunt a senior figure in the CAA, by changing his profile picture to an image of the man and allegedly calling him a ‘coward’ in an Instagram live stream.
Twitter told Jewish News that the account was ‘permanently suspended for violations of the Twitter rules on hateful conduct policy’.
Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) wrote to the Ivors Academy calling for Wiley’s 2019 Ivors Inspiration Award to be rescinded.
CAA also contacted venues scheduled to host Wiley, leading to multiple cancellations, including Village Underground.
Following sustained calls, the Honours Forfeiture Committee commenced an investigation into Wiley’s conduct, with a view to stripping Wiley of his honour, which he received in 2018.
Broadcaster and campaigner against antisemitism Jonathan Sacerdoti was among those who wrote to the Forfeiture Committee.
He said: ‘I am pleased they have now finally acted… How could it take four years?
‘When someone brings the honours system into disrepute with anti-Jewish racism, action must be taken. But it must be taken quickly and visibly, and a delay of four years doesn’t inspire people with faith in the system.
‘It would be good to know why anti-Semitism doesn’t immediately disqualify someone from keeping their honour.’
Stephen Silverman, director of investigations for CAA, welcomed Wiley’s forfeiture of his MBE.
He said: ‘Antisemites like Wiley must understand that we will work tirelessly to hold them to account.
‘For four years, we have worked to ensure that Wiley faces ruinous consequences for his unhinged antisemitic tirade, for which he has shown no remorse. Today’s decision is a vindication of that effort.
‘We commend the Honours Forfeiture Committee for using its powers to make clear that anti-Jewish racists cannot be role models in our society and will be stripped of their honours. Receiving an honour is not a one-time thing: it carries an ongoing responsibility to set an example to others.
‘Due to technical reasons, including legal action that we continue to pursue against Wiley, the forfeiture was delayed. We are grateful to the Honours Forfeiture Committee for its work on this matter.’
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