A London judge banned British grime star Stormzy from driving for nine months after he was caught using his phone while driving a Rolls-Royce in west London.
The incident occurred on March 7 last year in West Kensington, where an undercover police officer spotted the 31-year-old rapper. Stormzy, whose real name is Michael Ebenazer Owuo Junior, pleaded guilty to the offence via a letter.
District Judge Andrew Sweet, presiding at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court, imposed the driving ban and fined the rapper £2,010 ($2,498). The penalty came with six additional points added to Stormzy’s licence, bringing his total to 12—enough for disqualification under UK driving laws. Before this, the rapper already had six points for a prior speeding offence.
Judge Sweet criticised Stormzy’s driving record, describing it as “not good” and calling his actions “dangerous and irresponsible.” The rapper’s lawyer, Peter Csemiczky, stated that his client accepted responsibility and extended his apologies.
Stormzy is a prominent figure in the British grime scene, a genre that combines Jamaican dancehall with hip hop. Over the years, he has achieved massive success, with hits featured in TV commercials and a historic headline performance at the 2019 Glastonbury Festival, where he became the first black UK solo artist to lead the iconic event.
