Richard Cowie, who is known as the iconic grime music star Wiley, has forfeited his Member of the British Empire award for "bringing the honours system into disrepute," according to a list published on the Cabinet Office website.
The Daily Mail reports that the musician is often referred to as the godfather of grime. He originally received the award in 2017 for services to music.
Cowie wrote "Big up the Queen" after the honour was published, as well as taking his celebration public on social media.
In July 2020, he published a long rant which included several anti-Semitic messages discussing the "power" of Jewish people, for which his Twitter account was suspended.
"Listen to me Jewish community, Israel is not your country I’m sorry… The Star of David that’s our ting … Some people have gotten too comfortable on lands that don’t belong to them," he wrote.
He later added: "There are 2 sets of people who nobody has really wanted to challenge, Jewish & KKK, but being in business for 20 years you start to undestand [sic] why … Red Necks Are the KKK and Jewish people are the Law...Work that out."
"If you work for a company owned by 2 Jewish men and you challenge the Jewish community in anyway of course you will get fired."
The singer's manager John Woolf commented at the time: ''To be very clear here. I do not support or condone what Wiley has said today online in any way shape or form. I am a proud Jewish man and I am deeply shocked and saddened but [sic] what he has chosen to say. I am speaking to key figures in my community in light of today's tweets. This behavior and hateful speech is not acceptable to me."
In 2021, Wiley claimed "Jews still see us as slaves," and later denied he is racist and apologized for "generalizing."
He has made another Twitter account, @WileyRecordings, which the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) claims is used to "spout racist hate towards Jews." Among other tweets, he posted an image of himself in hasidic garb and a video titled "the Jewish Faces that Control Hiphop and Mainstream Black Music," and wrote, "The more they block me the harder I go and when I get through the door I will stand there and look in their faces with the same look they don't wanna see….They are just angry they can't control me…" In 2021, Twitter announced that the account was "permanently suspended for violations of the Twitter rules on hateful conduct policy."
Wiley posted a screenshot from his suspended Twitter account on Instagram, writing, "No point shutting me down I got 20 burner accounts to use lol." He also posted videos mocking the CAA.
The CAA has since asked the Ivors Academy to rescind Wiley’s 2019 Ivors Inspiration Award and asked venues to cancel his shows. At length, the Honours Forfeiture Committee commenced an investigation into Wiley’s conduct, with a view to stripping Wiley of his honour.
Broadcaster and campaigner against antisemitism Jonathan Sacerdoti commented: "I am pleased they have now finally acted... How could it take four years? When someone brings the honours system into disrepute with anti-Jewish racism, action must be taken. But it must be taken quickly and visibly, and a delay of four years doesn’t inspire people with faith in the system. It would be good to know why anti-Semitism doesn’t immediately disqualify someone from keeping their honour."
Stephen Silverman, director of investigations for CAA, stated: "Antisemites like Wiley must understand that we will work tirelessly to hold them to account. For four years, we have worked to ensure that Wiley faces ruinous consequences for his unhinged antisemitic tirade, for which he has shown no remorse. Today’s decision is a vindication of that effort. We commend the Honours Forfeiture Committee for using its powers to make clear that anti-Jewish racists cannot be role models in our society and will be stripped of their honours. Receiving an honour is not a one-time thing: it carries an ongoing responsibility to set an example to others. Due to technical reasons, including legal action that we continue to pursue against Wiley, the forfeiture was delayed. We are grateful to the Honours Forfeiture Committee for its work on this matter."