XXXTentacion, the controversial rapper who is facing an impending trial for several domestic violence charges, including aggravated battery of a pregnant woman, appears in a newly circulated video showing the artist hitting a woman.
The video, obtained by TMZ, shows XXXTentacion standing behind an unidentified woman and then appears to strike her on the head. TMZ also reports that the video, which is believed to not be recent based on the rapper’s hairstyle, is being reviewed by prosecutors in his domestic violence trial.
In a statement sent to Pitchfork, XXXTentacion’s lawyers write that they have located the woman in the video, and that she says the hit was a joke and not an assault. They add that XXXTentacion is a “changed man” who “has dedicated himself to spreading a positive message and has been participating in community outreach and charitable concerns, and, despite these attacks on him, he continues that positive approach and is staying true to his music.”
Despite the mounting charges against XXXTentacion, the rapper has thus far enjoyed a pretty successful career. His second album ?, which was distributed by Caroline, a division of Capitol Music Group, just went number one on the Billboard charts.