#Derrick May Accused of Sexual Misconduct by Multiple Women, Files Defamation Lawsuit

DJ/producer Derrick May has been accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women in new reports from Ellie Flynn for DJ Mag and Annabel Ross for Resident Advisor. The allegations date back as far as 20 years and include alleged incidents in the United States, Europe, and New Zealand. As DJ Mag notes, some of the women’s stories were made public earlier this year by Michael James, a journalist and former friend of May’s who has a long-running grievance with the producer over the classic 1987 track “Strings of Life.” The women say their personal information and details from their allegations were previously shared online, by James and others, against their will.

When reached by Pitchfork, Derrick May’s attorney Kyle J. Dupuy shared the following statement from May:

As a Black man working in a white-dominated and openly biased industry, am I expected to have learned the painful lesson that there is no such thing as truth, fairness, or due process? 

When will the long, storied history of weaponizing the sexuality of African American men end?

Must I collaborate under duress with my own victimization at the hands of an openly hostile press that amplifies the so-called fears of privileged, anonymous women in an internet-mediated lynching?

I have no interest in legitimizing these distortions.

Women are the conduit of life, and as such, are to be protected, and not exploited. I live by those words.

In addition, Derrick May previously addressed Michael James in a September 16 statement from Dupuy. In the statement, Dupuy denied that May “drugged and/or raped several women” and rejected those claims “patently false, libelous, and calculated.”

Online records also show that May and Dupuy have filed a lawsuit against Michael James in the Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan. Dupuy told Pitchfork that the lawsuit is for defamation of character and invasion of privacy—false light. Dupuy also said his client “is seeking compensatory and injunctive relief,” and that a judge approved a temporary restraining order against James to prohibit him from posting “defamatory material” online.

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If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, we encourage you to reach out for support:

RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
http://www.rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)

Crisis Text Line
http://www.facebook.com/crisistextline (chat support)
SMS: Text “HERE” to 741-741