Yung Filly Takes the Stand: 'The Vibes Were Good,' Rapper Tells Rape Trial
The British rapper, real name Andrés Barrientos, denied raping a fan in a hotel room as his trial continued in Australia
By Roxanne "Flashbulb" Starr
The courtroom in Australia went quiet as Yung Filly leaned into the microphone and gave his account of the night in question: "The vibes were good."
The British rapper and social media personality, whose real name is Andrés Barrientos, took the witness stand this week in his own defense, according to the BBC. He is on trial accused of raping a fan in a hotel room, a charge he denies.
According to the BBC's reporting, Barrientos described the encounter as consensual and told the court there was nothing in the woman's demeanor that night to suggest otherwise. The BBC has not published the woman's testimony in the excerpt available to us, and we don't have further detail on the prosecution's case beyond the fact that she accuses him of rape.
Barrientos built a following as a YouTube personality before moving into music under the name Yung Filly, becoming one of the more recognizable young British entertainers to cross over between comedy content and the UK rap scene. The trial, taking place in Australia, has drawn attention on both sides of the world given his profile.
We're working with a single wire account of courtroom proceedings here, and a trial like this can turn on testimony still to come. We'll follow it through verdict — a case this serious deserves nothing less than getting it right, not getting it first.
If I can't source it, you won't read it here.
— Compiled from reporting by the BBC.
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