Story By: Michael Leidig,Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
A rapper branded the “future king of Irish hip-hop” will not be charged by Japanese prosecutors after he admitted spraying graffiti on the wall of a shopping centre near a local tube station.
Rejjie Snow was arrested earlier this month (4th September) as part of a crackdown by cops in the Japanese capital Tokyo after he was caught spraying the word “Popeye” in blue paint inside a blue cloud on the wall.
Snow, 26, whose real name is Alex Anyaegbunam, was arrested by police at the Mark City shopping and office complex near near the JR Shibuya Station in Tokyo which sees 2.4 million passengers a day and is the fourth busiest rail station in the country.
Police said he was arrested together with DJ Tanner Dale and after his arrest was quoted by local police as admitting: “While under the influence of alcohol I scrawled (the graffiti).” Dale, who was with him, denied any involvement for the vandalism.
Prosecutors later confirmed after the admission by the high-profile rapper that he was responsible they would not be taking the case to court, although no reason was given for the decision.
The crackdown that saw him arrested by cops is part of a high-profile attempt to wipe out graffiti attacks after 20 incidents reported in Shibuya ward this year.
The rapper arrived in Japan in August to take part in a local music event during which he was arrested.
He was born in Dublin in Ireland and has a Nigerian father as well as an Irish-Jamaican mother and regards Dublin as his hometown, despite spending some time in the United States before returning to Ireland where he concentrated on his music career. He had previously considered a career as a professional footballer but did not continue down this path.
His debut EP which was called Rejovich was released in 2013 and topped iTunes ahead of releases by big names like Kayne West and the track “1992” got over a million views on YouTube.
His debut single in 2015 which was “All around the World” had a video featuring Johnny Depp’s daughter Lily Rose Depp that was played 500,000 times in the first week alone.
In a review in the Irish Independent, the Dubliner was described as “one of the most exciting rappers Ireland has ever produced”.
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