Grime pioneer Wiley stripped of MBE

Rapper and producer posted antisemitic comments to social media in 2020 and 2021, and was later charged with assault and burglary

Grime music pioneer Wiley has been stripped of his MBE on the grounds of “bringing the honours system into disrepute”. A notice posted to the Cabinet Office website announced the change.

In 2020 Wiley – AKA Richard Cowie, 45 – caused hurt and outrage with an antisemitic rant posted to social media, in which he stated: “There are 2 sets of people who nobody has really wanted to challenge #Jewish & #KKK … Red Necks Are the KKK and Jewish people are the Law.” He also wrote: “Israel is ours … The Star of David that’s our ting.” He later apologised for “generalising and going outside of the people who I was talking to within the workspace and workplace I work in,” following a dispute with his Jewish manager, but didn’t retract the comments and denied being racist.