Le rappeur Lomepal fait l’objet d’une enquête pour viol

The rap artist Lomepal, Antoine Valentinelli by his real name, is the subject of a preliminary investigation for rape, opened by the Paris judicial police. A complaint had been filed against him in 2020 for an incident that occurred in 2017 abroad.

The Paris prosecutor’s office, which confirmed to Le Monde the information from Le Parisien and the website Actu.fr, has entrusted the investigation to the 3rd district of the judicial police. “The investigation began in October 2020, upon receipt of the complaint,” said the public ministry. According to the two media outlets, the alleged incidents took place in New York, United States.

The rapper vehemently denied these accusations on Thursday, saying he is ready to “respond to justice.” “Did I force anyone to do anything? No. Were there any illegal activities? No. And I will never let that be said,” he wrote on Instagram, denouncing “lies.” “I have nothing to hide, and no reason to hide,” he added.

“Delirious and fabricated stories circulating in the music industry”

In his lengthy message on his Instagram account, Antoine Valentinelli explains that he “had many relationships” during the early years of his career. “Late-night encounters, where we make love without knowing each other, one-night stands. And for me, like for everyone else, there can be misunderstandings, different perceptions. There are in life as well as in everyone’s life,” he details.

“Then, there are delirious and fabricated stories circulating in the music industry. They say we pay women, that we make them sign confidentiality agreements, and so on. I’ve been hearing this for months. It’s all absurd and false. It simply never existed, and it keeps circulating endlessly, being picked up on social networks and press websites,” assures the rapper.

A climate of suspicion

The announcement of an investigation against him comes at a time of suspicion surrounding the thirty-year-old artist. On July 19, the editor-in-chief of the media outlet Joly Môme, Jenna Boulmedaïs, denounced on Instagram the “sad silence” surrounding the “illegal – even inhuman – acts of men who are far too comfortable.” “For two years now, I have been hearing testimonies from women in the music industry who have experienced Antoine Lomepal’s inappropriate and unwanted actions,” she stated, asserting that “the entire music industry is aware of it.”

Jenna Boulmedaïs received threats after this publication and has been the subject of a complaint from the French Music Federation, stated her lawyer Anthony Winkel.

Originally from the 13th arrondissement of Paris, Lomepal has established himself in recent years as one of the most popular rappers in the French music scene. His first album, Flip, released in 2017, sold 400,000 copies, and the follow-up, Jeannine, became a diamond record (500,000 sales). His third album, Mauvais Ordre, quickly rose to the top of the charts in September.

The rapper is currently continuing his summer festival tour. After performing at Vieilles Charrues, in Carhaix, and Francofolies, in La Rochelle, in July, he is expected to perform on Sunday, August 6, in Cannes, as part of the Plages électroniques program.