US rapper Soulja Boy has been released from custody after prosecutors declined to press charges over a recent arrest involving alleged firearm possession. The 35-year-old artist, whose real name is DeAndre Cortez Way, was taken into custody early Sunday morning when Los Angeles police stopped a vehicle he was traveling in for an alleged traffic violation in the Melrose area.
During the stop, officers discovered a firearm inside the vehicle. As Way is a convicted felon, he was arrested on suspicion of unlawful possession of a firearm. However, after spending two nights in custody, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to Billboard and Rolling Stone that the case had been dropped due to “insufficient evidence.”
Shortly after his release on Tuesday, Soulja Boy took to social media, posting a simple black background with the words “First day out” boldly emblazoned across it. The phrase is commonly used in hip-hop culture to mark a return to freedom following incarceration.
Soulja Boy rose to fame in 2007 with his breakout hit Crank That (Soulja Boy), which spent seven weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Song. The track became a viral sensation thanks to its associated dance, helping to pioneer a new wave of internet-driven music promotion.
Despite his musical success, Soulja Boy has had a tumultuous relationship with the law. In 2014, he was sentenced to probation after being found in possession of a loaded firearm in public. He was later arrested for violating the terms of that probation and served nearly eight months in jail.
Earlier this year, a civil court ordered him to pay $4.25 million to a woman who accused him of sexual battery, assault, and gender-based violence. Soulja Boy denied the allegations, claiming their relationship was consensual, but the jury ruled against him.
With the firearm charges now dropped, the rapper has not commented further on the case, leaving fans speculating on his next move whether it be music or a continued effort to stay out of legal trouble.
