Detroit electronic music group HiTech pulled out of a show after an open letter was circulated in the local creative community accusing one of its members of abuse, including an alleged incident of sexual assault.
Hours before showtime, HiTech — which was set to perform at a Red Bull-sponsored “B2B” DJ event at the Majestic Theater Friday evening — announced on social media that it was replaced on the lineup by local DJ and producer Fullbodydurag.
“Detroit we won’t be able to make it tonight but our brother fullbodydurag is stepping in to hold us down,” the group wrote on Instagram.
In an email, organizers said, “HiTech have confirmed they will unfortunately not be able to perform.”
Metro Times reached out to HiTech, its publicist, and the event producers for comment.
According to the “Open Letter For Truth, Safety, and Accountability” dated Tuesday, July 8, an anonymous email was shared with members of the Detroit music community in June accusing HiTech member King Milo (née Shawn Thompson) of abuse, including “assault in the third degree, unlawful imprisonment, and harassment” in New York.
According to the letter, the claims were backed up by a handwritten NYPD statement before the misdemeanor charges were ultimately dropped when the alleged victim retracted them.
The letter also referenced an alleged separate 2022 sexual assault incident and private message screenshots that purportedly show Thompson acknowledge the behavior.
Metro Times could not verify the claims.
According to the letter, the allegations date to 2020 and began to circulate on social media in 2024. In January 2025, a member of the community allegedly reached out to Thompson “to offer an invitation into a facilitated restorative justice process,” a practice that aims for reconciliation through a dialogue between victims, offenders, and the community.
Thompson turned down the offer, according to the letter.
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The letter writers say they are not trying to “cancel” Thompson or HiTech but rather demand accountability.
“By publishing this letter, we are asking the readers to, first and foremost, believe the survivors,” the letter states. “A large part in our decision to share this information is in active resistance to the continued normalization of gender-based violence. While harm in community spaces is inevitable, we also know that silence, avoidance, and neutrality are choices. We can instead choose instead to be active bystanders, to speak up, and to commit to building processes of repair that allow everyone involved to transform without relying on punishment or cancelling.”
The letter calls for a boycott of HiTech until Thompson publicly acknowledges the incidents, for HiTech to allow others to come forward with allegations without fear of retaliation, and for HiTech to donate funds to organizations dedicated to sexual assault survivors, among other demands.
As of Friday afternoon, dozens of members of the community had signed on to the letter.
In 2023, HiTech spoke out against Detroit DJ and producer Omar S after he allegedly assaulted singer Supercoolwicked at downtown wine bar Paramita Sound. Omar S released HiTech’s self-titled debut on his label FXHE.
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“Aye look. Beating up on women is not what we stand on!” HiTech wrote on social media at the time, adding, “We make our music so women can have a safe space to dance, party and release their inhibitions, Safe being the KEY WORD.”
The group performs a made-in-Detroit style of music called ghettotech, known for its raunchy lyrics and scrappy beats. In May, HiTech performed a raucous set as part of Detroit’s Movement music festival.
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This article appears in Jul 9-22, 2025.