Details on Digga D’s Status
Digga D pleaded guilty to smuggling and selling cannabis last week, but prosecutors did not accept the basis of his pleas.
Rapper Digga D pleaded guilty to drug charges last week on Tuesday, May 28. The 23-year-old made headlines back in February when his arrest was livestreamed on Instagram. Here’s what we know about his case.
Digga D is the stage name for Rhys Herbert, a rising star in the drill subgenre of rap music from the Notting Hill neighborhood of London, England. He was arrested in the early morning hours of Feb. 21, and he just happened to be broadcasting on Instagram Live at the time. Herbert was detained in His Majesty’s Prison Wormwood Scrubs, which is located in West London. According to a report by the BBC, Herbert pleaded guilty via video chat from the prison.
Herbert was charged with selling cannabis, importing the drug illegally, and smuggling. The charges stemmed from an incident on July 11, 2023, but Herbert also pleaded guilty to supplying cannabis between Oct. 26, 2022 and Feb. 21, 2024. He was arrested during a raid on a property in Lincoln, but it’s still unclear what that location was or how it was being used.
Although Herbert pleaded guilty, prosecutors did not accept the basis of his pleas. Judge Simon Hirst opted to adjourn the case, scheduling a hearing for July 8. There, the court will decide if this case needs a trial of issue or not. The U.K. still has strict laws against cannabis and marijuana, with no allowances for medical or recreational use.
The case has derailed Herbert’s career as one of the pre-eminent drill artists in the U.K., and his hopes of breaking out into international success. Drill emerged as a subgenre in Chicago in the last decade or so, but has since become prominent in hip-hop throughout the world. Digga D is considered one of the first to do it in the U.K. – and is still considered one of the best as well. He first began releasing music online in 2016 when he was 16 years old, and rose to mainstream success in 2017.
The most immediate impact of his arrest is that Digga D will no longer perform at the 2024 Parklife music festival. He was scheduled to play on the main stage on Saturday, June 8 alongside major acts including Doja Cat. So far Herbert’s representatives have not made any official statements on the situation, but the official Parklife Instagram account announced the cancellation. Herbert’s Instagram account was suspended after livestreaming his arrest.
Herbert is due back in court on July 8, and is still being held in prison. It’s unclear what comes next for the rapper’s career. His music is available now on most major streaming services.
