Hot Since 82 “lucky to be alive” following attempted attack in Brazil, cancels festival appearances
The DJ described feeling “broken inside” after his crew vehicle was pursued by individuals with “balaclavas and AK47s”
Hot Since 82 has cancelled a number of festival appearances in Brazil following an attempted attack in Rio de Janeiro this weekend.
In a video shared to Instagram on Sunday (5th May), the British DJ and producer explained that he was “lucky to be alive” after his vehicle was targeted by alleged gang members with guns. Hot Since 82 and his team were leaving a show in the Brazilian city at around 5am, when roughly 10 minutes into his ride, they realised they were being “followed and pursued”.
“We were on a busy motorway, pitch black, the car in front had braked for us to stop and then the people hung out of the car windows with balaclavas and AK47s,” the artist – real name Daley Padley – shared in the video.
He went on to praise the “heroic manoeuvres” of his driver, who responded quickly to the situation. “Our driver has put the car in reverse and we’ve been flying down a busy motorway the wrong way, weaving in and out of cars. If the AK47s didn’t get us then we are really lucky we didn’t have a really bad car crash because we are weaving in and out of oncoming traffic going 60, 70mph.”
The Leeds-born DJ went on to speculate that he and his crew were “set up”, with someone informing the gang of their movements. “They knew exactly where we were, what car and where we would be at what time,” he said, “... it makes you lose faith in humanity knowing that somebody has told these shooters where we were going to be.”
He said that he is not sure he will ever return to the country after the experience, and had made plans to leave immediately to get back to his family. “I don’t know if I will ever come back to Brazil now. I sympathise with the people of Brazil who have to live their daily life like this in fear. Going to a club to DJ should be about happiness and bringing joy to people’s lives, not leaving a club and wondering if I am going to get home safe.”
“I’ve had such a wicked time here in Rio as well,” he continued. “...But I have children at home, my wife’s about to deliver our next baby in six weeks time, I can’t risk being put in another position like this. It’s not worth it.”
In light of the events, Hot Since 82 cancelled his weekend appearances at Warung Festival in Santa Catarina and Time Warp Brasil, saying “I apologise, but safety first.”
Watch Hot Since 82’s Instagram post below.
