The sister of a woman killed in the Brixton Academy crowd crush has attacked Afrobeat star Asake for his “sorry excuse of a tribute” at a new London show.
Rachael Ikumelo criticised the artist for failing to contact the family prior to his return to London less than nine months after two people were killed and several injured at his concert in Brixton in December 2022.
Ms Ikumelo’s sister, Rebecca, 33, died inside the academy when fans outside the venue tried to force their way in as Asake came on stage. Security office Gaby Hutchinson, 23, was also killed.
The venue has remained closed at the request of the Met police ever since, amid allegations of longstanding issues including staff taking payments to allow ticketless fans in.
“What a sorry excuse of a “tribute” from @asakemusik,” she wrote on Twitter. “My sister lost her life at your show and you haven’t spoken to a single member of my family since. But you can hold another concert in London less than 9 months later and play her videos as a “tribute”?
When an Asake fan challenged her, saying that the Nigerian singer had contacted the family she made clear that she was upset that there had been no further contact since the immediate aftermath of the deaths.
Videos from the night showed dancers walking on stage dressed in white and carrying white flowers while footage of the chaos and the crime scene were shown, with the voice of a spoken-word poet from London reading a three-minute tribute.
“A Brixton night took place we cannot forget, I know some feel loss and some regret some came out that night and ain’t returned. We need to hold this moment, you need to hold this moment.” Screens at the 20,000-capacity O2 Arena showed footage of Asake on stage on the night cut away to news footage and video of the show on December 15 being ended.
"Up at 02:30 thinking Gaby Hutchinson could be me," the poem read. "Rest well and be free, rest in peace Rebecca, our sister, a mum of two and we all have mums too."
The video included social images of the two victims, with a video of Rebecca smiling. It ended with an appeal for justice.
Images of the pair were put up on screens around the arena with a message that read “rest well”, before the concert got underway.
Asake, who came on stage at this latest show 90 minutes late, released a statement after Rebecca died saying he was “devastated” and adding: “My sincerest condolences to her loved ones at this time. Let us please keep her family in our prayers. I have spoken to them and will continue to do so.”
Reviews of the event this week said that police officers outside asked fans if they had been in Brixton and witnessed the crush.
The Met Police and Lambeth Council continue to investigate what happened on the night and a final decision on whether the venue’s management will have their licence permanently take away is expected soon.