Teenage drill rapper Unknown T has been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with murder.
The 19-year-old rising star spoke in the dock at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Thursday only to confirm his age, address and real name, Daniel Lena.
Lena, of Homerton, east London, is charged with violent disorder and the murder of 20-year-old Steven Narvaez-Jara in 2018.
Mr Narvaez-Jara, of Belvedere in Kent, was stabbed in the early hours of the morning on New Year’s Day at a party in Islington, north London.
Two 20-year-old men from Homerton, Raman Boreland and Mohammed Musse, appeared in court alongside drill star Lena.
Boreland is also charged with the murder of Mr Narvaez-Jara.
Musse is accused of violent disorder, a charge he shares with the other defendants.
All three men will appear at the Old Bailey at a later date. Musse has been granted bail, which was not granted to Boreland and Lena.
Under the name Unknown T, Lena has had success with popular drill track track Homerton B, which reached which reached number 48 in the UK charts.
A rising star of the drill scene, he has collaborated with artists including rapper AJ Tracey, musical collective WSTRN and dance music group Crazy Cousinz, and appeared on stage with world-famous rapper Drake at London’s 20,000-capacity O2 Arena.
Drill music is a type of hip hop characterised by its distinctive so-called trap-style beat and ominous sounds. It often includes references to real-life events, including stabbings.