US rapper Gibbs, accused of rape, bailed in France

Toulouse (France) (AFP) – A French court on Thursday ordered the release of American rapper Freddie Gibbs, accused of rape in Austria, on bail of 50,000 euros ($56,000), his lawyer said.

Gibbs, 34, whose real name is Fredrick Tipton, was arrested on June 2 shortly before a planned concert in the southwestern French city of Toulouse, one of a string of European tour dates.

He was the subject of a European arrest warrant for an alleged rape in Austria in 2015 and the court will rule on his extradition on June 23, said his lawyer Michael Malka.

“He categorically denies the allegations made against him by Austria and is even very surprised that Austria is taking this on a year later, just as he is on tour in Europe,” Malka said after a court appearance last week.

Gibbs cancelled shows in Marseille, Strasbourg and Portugal last week and was meant to be performing in Canada on Friday.

Born in the gritty, poverty-stricken city of Gary, Indiana, Gibbs has made no secret of his past selling crack, working as a pimp and robbing freight trains.

“I’ve gotten arrested for gun possession, drug possession,” he said in a 2012 interview with Vice.

“Never no rape, no assault or battery, I ain’t like that, I ain’t never assaulted no woman,” he added.

Gibbs was touring Europe promoting his new album “Shadow of a doubt”, after his 2014 record “Pinata” received critical acclaim.