Soulja Boy arrested near his Melrose clothing shop on suspicion of felony weapons possession
Los Angeles police arrested the 35-year-old rap star, known for 'Crank That (Soulja Boy)' and 'Kiss Me Thru the Phone,' early Sunday morning on suspicion of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, a police spokesperson confirmed to The Times. Soulja Boy — real name DeAndre Cortez Way — was arrested Sunday at around 2:50 a.m. near the intersection of Genesee Avenue and Melrose Avenue after police conducted a traffic stop. The rapper was arrested about five blocks west of his Melrose clothing store, SODMG Brand.
While investigating the vehicle, police identified Way as one of the passengers. Later that morning at around 6 a.m., the police booked the rapper into the jail at LAPD's Wilshire Division, according to the sheriff department's inmate database.
Additional information on what prompted the traffic stop and who else was in the vehicle was not immediately available, police said. A representative for Soulja Boy did not immediately respond Monday to The Times' request for comment.
A Chicago native and Grammy nominee, Soulja Boy rose to prominence in the early aughts, but in recent years has faced legal repercussions for his treatment of women in his inner circle.
In April 2023, a Santa Monica jury sided with his ex-girlfriend, who sued him in 2020 for assault, kidnapping and invasion of privacy, among other counts. Two years after that verdict, Soulja Boy was found liable for sexually assaulting and physically and emotionally abusing a former assistant.
In April, a Santa Monica jury found Soulja Boy to be liable after a three-week trial and decided he must pay the woman more than $4 million in compensatory damages. The rapper's lead defense attorney disagreed with the decision.
'We maintain that the evidence does not support the verdict. It is unfortunate that aspersions and misperceptions of a culture were allowed to influence the trial,' attorney Rickey Ivie said in April. 'Mr. Way fully intends to pursue his post-trial remedies and to fight for a just result in this case.'
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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