Dancehall Selector Hotta Rice Charged In Florida Over Domestic Incident (Updated)

hotta-rice
Hotta Rice

Hotta Rice, a popular Dancehall selector and event promoter, was arrested on May 11 by the North Lauderdale cops following a domestic incident, in which his wife of nine years—who is currently three months pregnant—fired a gunshot at him, after he allegedly tried to strangle her.

Hotta Rice, whose real name is Harold Morgan, has been charged with aggravated battery, and with domestic battery by strangulation.  DancehallMag made checks with the Broward Sheriff’s Office, which confirmed the mugshot of the 37-year-old selector.

He was released on a $1,500 bond on May 13.

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According to a police report obtained by DancehallMag, Broward County cops responded to the domestic disturbance at 12:30am on Wednesday, May 11 and observed that Morgan and his wife were in a verbal dispute that had turned physical.

The complaint alleges that the dispute started in a vehicle, which Morgan wanted to depart with.  However, the victim did not want him to.

Morgan’s wife told cops that he began to choke her with one hand, while poking her head with the other hand.  “While doing so, Morgan was saying he would ‘murder’ her,” the complaint read.

According to the wife, she pulled out her registered black CZ 9mm handgun and fired one shot, which went out the driver’s side door and damaged a nearby vehicle.  Morgan then called 911, according to the report.

Morgan has denied putting his hands on his wife, according to the report.

However, a relative of Morgan’s wife told cops that she was on the phone with the victim during the incident, and confirmed that “she could hear a struggle that sounded like they were ‘wrestling’ and then the gunshot.”

Hotta Rice is the Queen of Dancehall Spice‘s “Official DJ”, according to his Instagram bio.

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Hotta Rice, Spice

The Kingston 13 native is also known for the slang ‘#10 fi di streets’ and for his Day Rave Thursday’s event.

“Day Rave Thursdays started as an early event by my brother, and seeing its potential, I got on board and we made it happen,” he told the Star in 2017. “At the moment, it is one of the biggest weekly parties and every major dancehall star you can think of is here on a Thursday night. We appreciate the love and support the industry has shown us over the past four years, and we can only get bigger at this point.”

“There are promoters in other Caribbean countries and the USA who have seen my work and have heard me play and are ready to book me for their next event. With God in the mix, everything is going to happen,” he had added.

Hotta Rice won the Selector of the Year award at Uptown Mondays in 2017.