Hip-hop star MC Hammer’s cousin and TV co-star Bigg Marv has been charged with raping a woman he met on social networking website Twitter.
The 33 year old, who appears alongside Hammer in several episodes of his U.S. reality show Hammertime, was taken into custody last month following accusations he sexually assaulted a 40-year-old female.
The pair allegedly struck up a flirty relationship via Twitter.com and exchanged a string of emails and phone calls, but the woman alleged Bigg Marv - real name Marvin Grant - attacked her after she declined his advances.
Grant appeared in a California court on Monday and was charged with the offence.
He did not enter a plea and asked to be assigned a lawyer by the court.
