Early Sunday morning, authorities in Los Angeles took rapper and producer Soulja Boy into custody following a traffic stop that led to the discovery of an alleged firearm violation. Law enforcement sources indicate that the artist, legally named DeAndre Cortez Way, was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over in the Melrose district around 2:35 AM.
Reports suggest that Way, a convicted felon, was found in possession of a weapon, leading to his arrest on suspicion of illegal firearm possession. The 35-year-old musician gained fame with his 2007 chart-topping single Crank That (Soulja Boy), which also popularized a viral dance trend.
This incident follows a separate legal matter earlier this year, where a civil court ordered the rapper to pay $4.25 million in damages after a jury ruled against him in a sexual assault lawsuit. The plaintiff, a former assistant, accused him of repeated abuse and unlawful confinement, allegations he denied, claiming their relationship was consensual.
No official statement has been released by Way’s representatives regarding the recent arrest.
