Rick Ross bungles 'date rape lyric' apology as furore grows

The American rapper Rick Ross has apologised for a recent song lyric in which he appeared to brag about rape. Amid a rising storm of protest, Ross has tried to reassure his corporate sponsors, saying that he would "never promote violence against women".

Ross's offending line appears in the song U.O.E.N.O., released in February by the Atlanta MC Rocko. "Put molly all in her champagne, she ain't even know it," Ross spat in his guest verse. "I took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain't even know it." Molly is a nickname for a form of MDMA, cited by the FBI as a date rape drug.

Listeners complained to several hip-hop radio stations and, in March, the women's rights group UltraViolet launched a campaign asking Reebok to drop Ross as a celebrity spokesman. More than 72,000 people have signed UltraViolet's petition and yesterday the group staged a protest at the Reebok's flagship store in Manhattan.

In a statement last week, Ross said he "respects women to the utmost".

"Things like date rape shouldn't be glorified," he commented, "[but]with that being said, I don't think taking rap lyrics as straight facts is ever the way to go … In reality some people do these things, and shouldn't it be brought to light so young women can protect themselves?!?!"

Speaking to New Orleans hip-hop radio station Q93.3, Ross said there had been a "misunderstanding" and "misinterpretation".

"The term 'rape' wasn't used," he said. "You know I would never use the term rape in my records … I just wanted to reach out to all the … sexy ladies, all the beautiful ladies that had been reaching out to me with the misunderstanding: we don't condone rape and I'm not with that."

For obvious reasons, Ross's critics weren't satisfied. "[Reebok] are paying a man who is literally bragging about raping us while absurdly insisting it can't possibly be rape if he doesn't use the word 'rape'," said UltraViolet's co-founder, Nita Chaudhary. The rapper Talib Kweli was also outspoken in his reproach. "Rick Ross condoned rape in that song and he shouldn't [have], and he should apologise, and the apology that he offered was unacceptable," Kweli said.

Yesterday, Ross tweeted: "I dont condone rape. Apologies for the #lyric interpreted as rape," and "Apologies to my many business partners, who would never promote violence against women. @ReebokClassics @ultraviolet". But the rapper hasn't responded to UltraViolet's follow-up: "We appreciate that you don't condone rape but what's upsetting is that you're rapping about it & don't know it," they tweeted. "Slipping a woman a drug and 'enjoying' her is rape."

Ross has released five studio LPs, four of which topped the US Billboard charts. His latest, 2012's God Forgives, I Don't, reached No 8 on the UK album charts.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKWlqLake5FpaGxnkaW%2FcHyUaKmim5tiv7C%2F0maZrqaXobK0ecCppqWnl656pa3TnmSrmaCa