XXXTentacion suing woman he allegedly hit in video

TMZ reports the controversial rapper is suing the woman for fraud and defamation

Controversial US rapper XXXTentacion is reportedly suing the woman he appeared to hit in a troubling video that was posted online, accusing her and her family of trying to capitalise on his current legal situation.

Footage showed the Florida-born rapper, real name Jaseh Dwayne Onfroy, appeared to hit a woman - who was filming herself - in the back or side of the head.

His attorney Jaclyn Brody previously claimed he and the woman pictured were friends and he was "obviously acting in jest", adding that the footage was dated and he is now "a changed person".

However, the woman in question later posted a statement where she said she had not shared the footage previously because she was "terrified for my life".

TMZ now reports that Onfroy is suing the woman for fraud and defamation. He apparently claims to have reached out to her after the video was shared online, and received a call back from her grandparents who asked what he would do to "make everything good".

He claims they asked for $300,000 in exchange for her silence and also accused him of throwing a BB gun at the woman's face before the video was taken.

Prosecutors are said to be reviewing domestic violence charges against Onfroy since the footage resurfaced. He currently awaits trial after being charged in October 2016 with aggravated battery of a pregnant woman, domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment, and witness tampering.

In a separate case, he faces an additional 15 charges of harassing and tampering with a witness or victim.