Unknown T: rapper is cleared over New Year stabbing

Image source, Getty Images

Unknown T, real name Daniel Lena, has been cleared of murder at the Old Bailey in London.

The drill artist, 20, was charged with murder after Steven Narvaez-Jara died in the early hours of New Year's Day 2018.

Steven - a 20-year-old engineering student from Belvedere on the border of Kent and London - was stabbed at a party in Islington, London.

Unknown T's career took off in 2018 when he performed alongside Drake at the O2 after the fatal stabbing.

A contract with Universal Music and an appearance at Wireless festival followed.

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Unknown T's most well-known track is 成人快手rton B

His song, 成人快手rton B, also came out that year and broke into the mainstream official pop charts.

But his career was put on hold in July 2019 when he was charged with murder and taken into police custody.

Among the appearances that were cancelled was a spot at 成人快手 1Xtra's Ibiza 2019 event.

In January, the rapper went on trial at the Old Bailey along with Ramani Boreland and Mohammed Musse, both aged 21.

All three defendants lived close to one another in Hackney and had planned to go to the party together, the court heard.

Another man, 18-year-old Israel Ogunsola, was also accused of involvement in the killing but died before the case came to trial.

Giving evidence, Unknown T said he was "shocked and traumatised" by the violence but denied being one of the attackers.

A jury deliberated for more than 18 hours to find him not guilty of murder and violent disorder.

His co-accused - Ramani Boreland was found guilty of manslaughter by a majority of the jury and violent disorder, and Mohammed Musse was convicted of violent disorder.

Follow Newsbeat on , , and .

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.