Soulja Boy, cleared of felony weapons charge, finds his release worth singing about
The 35-year-old 'Crank That (Soulja Boy)' hitmaker hinted at his release from police custody on Tuesday, sharing an Instagram story that sees him happily singing the words 'first day out.' In the video, the rapper (real name DeAndre Cortez Way) sways in the passenger seat of a car, flashing his bulky chain and gold watch as he repeats, 'first day out the can,' over a beat. Earlier on Tuesday he also posted the words 'first day out' to his story.
Los Angeles police arrested the Grammy-nominated musician near his clothing store in Melrose early Sunday on suspicion of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. He was booked later that day into the jail at the LAPD's Wilshire Division.
Now, he is free. The Los Angeles County district attorney's office on Tuesday decided to drop its case against Way, The Times confirmed Wednesday. 'The case was declined due to insufficient evidence,' a spokesperson for the D.A.'s office said.
Police confirmed to The Times earlier this week that officers arrested Way at around 2:50 a.m. Sunday after identifying him as a passenger in a vehicle they pulled over for a traffic stop. Police at the time did not provide additional information about what prompted the stop and who else was in the vehicle. On Wednesday, The Times reviewed a case document that provides more information.
According to the document, officers stopped a Tesla 'due to its tinted windows and discovered a firearm in the rear seat near a suspect.' Both the suspect and the driver denied they owned the firearm, the document said.
The dropped charges provide some respite for the 'Kiss Me Thru the Phone' rapper, who has faced legal repercussions in recent years for his treatment of women in his inner circle. Most recently, a Santa Monica jury in April sided with a woman who formerly served as an assistant for the rapper. The jury found him liable for sexually assaulting and physically and emotionally abusing the woman and decided he must pay her more than $4 million in compensatory damages.
Way'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.'
Next month, Soulja Boy will embark on the Coulda Fest Tour, sharing the stage with rappers BigXthaPlug and Young M.A, comedian Druski and podcaster Caleb Pressley, among other guests. The tour will come to the Kia Forum in Inglewood in December.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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