It's been a fucked-up week in the hardcore world, as two of its most exciting young bands, Zulu and Gel, have suddenly and dramatically broken up because of abuse allegations against members. Last night, Gel announced that they're done, thanks to the "heinous acts" of guitarist Anthony Webster, which his bandmates described in some detail. Before that, Zulu said that the band was "on pause" and that they will no longer work with bandleader and founder Anaiah Muhammad because of accusations made by the singer and songwriter Simpson. Muhammad denied those accusations at the time, and now he's posted a much longer and more detailed statement on Instagram.
After Simpson made her allegations, Anaiah Muhammad put out a statement denying the accusations and citing his faith as a Muslim: "I am fully prepared to defend myself against these claims and will cooperate with any necessary process to clear my name." Yesterday, Muhammad followed that statement with a much longer account of his time with Simpson. The statement spans over 18 slides, including many screenshots of texts and one muddy audio recording.
In his account, Muhammad describes Simpson as an internet friend who became a roommate in March 2024. He says that the two of them, along with a third roommate, would hang out together and sometimes engage "in play fighting in a big-kids type of vibe," insisting that it "was never harmful." Muhammad also says that he was deeply depressed after getting out of a romantic relationship and that Simpson, while comforting him, asked to see the suicide note that he wrote during a moment of suicidal ideation. He says that their "closeness led to consensual intimacy on a couple occasions" but that they reached a mutual understanding that they were not in a romantic relationship. He says that their relationship, as friends and roommates, gradually became increasingly strained, especially after he reconciled with his ex.
In Muhammad's account, Simpson initiated a confrontation with his partner while he was away on tour. Muhammad further claims that Simpson accused him of giving her chlamydia as he was returning from tour and that he denied it, saying that he'd been tested. He says that he got himself tested again, and he posted a scan of what appears to be a negative test in his Instagram statement. He says that their conversations became increasingly fraught and that Simpson at one point threatened to have a group of men beat Muhammad's partner up. (That's the muddy audio clip.) Muhammad claims that this led to an argument that didn't include any physical action or threats but that Simpson then called the police and accused Muhammad of physical assault. He denies her claim that he and his friends or bandmates stalked or threatened her, and he says he hasn't been in contact with her since summer 2024.
As for former Zulu drummer Don Brown, who implied that Muhammad's abuse of Simpson led to his departure from Zulu, Muhammad writes that he explained the situation to Brown and that Brown "expressed no opinion or empathy on the matter. It became increasingly difficult to work together and about three months later we parted ways due to a lack of resolve." At the end of the statement, Muhammad apologizes for "immature" behavior in his dating life and writes, "The past few years I have dedicated to working on my mental health." He invites anyone who he's hurt to have a conversation with him, offering to use his imam as "a neutral mediator." He does not address Zulu going on hiatus or his other bandmates refusing to work with him. You can read the full statement here.
Before the hiatus, Zulu were scheduled to join Refused on their farewell tour of North America, which begins tonight. They've been replaced by Deaf Club and Slaughterhouse.
