MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The song, ‘Hit The Quan’, has become a hit and recently received national attention.
The song and dance, inspired by mainstream rapper Rich Homie Quan, were created by Memphis rapper I Heart Memphis.
“I love I Heart Memphis,” children at a local community center said.
The kids in Memphis loved the viral song creator, and many in the city stood behind him as thousands of people re-posted videos and hailed his praises.
But WREG discovered I Heart Memphis’ real name was Richard Colbert, and he was facing real trouble with the law.
Colbert was one of two men accused of gang raping a woman, who was under the influence, at a home on Long Meadow in Raleigh.
He was charged with aggravated rape.
WREG first reported the alleged rape in May.
On Tuesday, WREG spoke to the rapper who said he did not do it.
“No, I did not,” Colbert responded when asked if he raped the victim.
Colbert was out of town recording music on Tuesday but told WREG over the phone that the victim was lying.
However, Police in Memphis disagreed with that claim.
“I was at the wrong place, wrong time, and my name got caught up in something,” Colbert explained.
Colbert said he was planning to fight the charge and said he would not let it get in the way of his, now popular, music.
Community leaders said parents needed to be on alert.
“He’s being accused,” Dionysus Sisson, a coach with Memphis Athletic Ministries, said. “We don’t know if he’ll get found guilty yet, but at the same time we still have to look at the role model that we let these people portray in front of our children.”
Sisson said it was important for young people to separate the rapper from the man and decide for themselves what path they wanted to follow.
“The rape charge is real. The song and what he did is entertainment. I still see him as an entertainer,” Sisson told WREG.
Colbert, or I Heart Memphis, hoped his charges would be dropped.
Colbert and a second man charged in the case are expected in court on Wednesday.
Police are still looking for a third suspect, a female between 18 and 23-years-old.