Melle Mel, the hip-hop pioneer who was a member of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five who performed at this year’s Grammys, was arrested in Los Angeles on Monday, Rolling Stone reports and Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department records confirm. He was charged with felony domestic violence and released after posting a $50,000 bond. A court date is set for July 17.

Jori Jordon, the woman accusing Melle Mel of striking her in the eye unprovoked, detailed her allegations in a public Facebook video viewed by Pitchfork. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Melle Mel said he and Jordon were together on the night of the arrest at his hotel after attending a 2023 BET Awards afterparty. 

The rapper claims Jordon refused to leave when asked. He said he attempted to remove her from his room, at which point she allegedly grabbed her eye and asked him to accompany her to the hospital. He said that after he refused, he encouraged her to call the police, and Jordon then told the police he assaulted her.

“It’s very simple,” Melle Mel told Rolling Stone. “She said I punched her in the eye. She also said she had eye surgery a month ago. Had I punched her in the eye, especially with rings on, she would have had a cut eye. It would have been way worse. Something did happen to her eye, but I did not punch her. With me tussling with her and trying to get her away from me to get her out of the room, something happened.”

If you or someone you know have been affected by domestic abuse, we encourage you to reach out:

The National Domestic Violence Hotline
http://thehotline.org
1-800-799-SAFE (7233)