Cuban rapper Ovi won’t face domestic battery charge. Miami prosecutors drop case

Prosecutors have dropped a domestic battery charge against the popular Cuban rapper known as Ovi.

Ovidio Crespo, 26, had been arrested in March, accused of slapping his girlfriend as she was holding their baby during an argument at their Doral apartment. According to an arrest report, Crespo admitted to the argument but denied hitting the woman.

According to a Miami-Dade State Attorney’s memo, the woman had initially been cooperative, but has since ignored emails and phone calls from prosecutors preparing for trial. Prosecutor Lauren Gutierrez wrote that the woman even hung up on her during one call.

Crespo, who boasts 2.3 million followers on Instagram, is known for his reggaetón and so-called Latin trap songs. He’s part of the Rancho Humilde label, which fuses traditional Mexican “corrido” music with hip-hop and other urban sounds. Ovi appeared on one track, “Feeling Good,” featuring rapper Snoop Dogg and fellow Rancho Humilde artists Natanael Cano and Snow Tha Product.

“Ovi always maintained his innocence and today justice prevailed by a complete exoneration of all charges,” said his defense lawyer, Michael Mirer.

This story was originally published July 21, 2022 at 10:33 AM.