Controversial South African rap group Die Antwoord have responded to allegations of hate crime. 2012 footage of the band hurling homophobic abuse at Andy Butler of Hercules and Love Affair recently emerged. As a result, the group were pulled from the lineup of two festivals.
The video in question was filmed by the band’s videographer at the time, Ben Crossman. It first emerged in July and has been removed and re-uploaded multiple times. The incident — which took place at Future Music Festival in Adelaide — shows frontman Ninja make a run at Butler, spit in his face, and mock him, “It’s nice to see you! I haven’t seen you for so long.”
Butler reacts by moving away from the group, who appear to be following him. Yolandi can be heard in the background yelling, “Run, fa**ot, run! Run for your life bitch.”
A physical confrontation ensued, after which the person operating the camera explains. “Here’s the story guys, he walked up to this young girl and he felt her bum and her tits — and she’s upset.” A story that is, allegedly, a complete fabrication. You can check out the footage for yourself below.
Watch: Die Antwoord altercation at Future Music Festival
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=212&v=iQ7sOlp7eVI
Amid the video coming to light, Die Antwoord were dropped from appearing at American festivals, Louder Than Life and Life Is Beautiful. Louder Than Life announced that the band would no longer be performing in a Facebook post last week, citing “unforeseen circumstances”.
Now, Die Antwoord has offered their take on the situation. The band claims that the video was “cleverly edited” and that cinematographer Ben Crossman had “beat up the guy [Andy Butler]”.
“This was just a fight with someone who fucked with us. Not a hate crime,” Ninja claims. “This fight had nothing to with the fact that this guy was gay. We don’t care about people’s sexual preference. Our DJ and best friend DJ HITEK is gay, and a lot of people in our crew are gay. But if a person (no matter what their sexual preference it) keeps harassing us over and over, then physically harasses ¥o-landi, there will obviously be repercussion.”
Ninja then accuses Crossman of being “on a rampage” smear campaign to tarnish the band’s image. He claims that Die Antwoord “fired him years ago for being mentally unstable, and malicious towards our family”.
Ninja continued to recount the incident that took place at Future. Claiming that Butler followed Yolandi into the girls bathroom and wouldn’t let her out.
“She then ran to me and (our cameraman) Ben and told us what just happened. This is why we all got up and ran after this guy (which Ben has not included in his edit). As I ran up to the guy from Hercules, he threw a drink at me and punched me so I hit him back, and he ran off.”
You can read the band’s full statement below.
