LOS ANGELES (BN24) — Rapper Soulja Boy was arrested early Saturday in Los Angeles after police discovered a firearm during a traffic stop, marking the latest legal trouble for the entertainer this year.
The 34-year-old rapper, whose legal name is DeAndre Cortez Way, was taken into custody around 2:30 a.m. following a traffic stop along Melrose Avenue, according to NBC Los Angeles. Authorities said Soulja Boy was a passenger in the vehicle and was booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Details surrounding what prompted the stop or the identity of the driver have not been publicly released.
The arrest adds to a growing list of legal challenges for the rapper in 2025. In April, a Los Angeles jury ordered Soulja Boy to pay $4.25 million in damages to a woman who accused him of sexual battery and assault stemming from incidents that allegedly occurred in 2021, when she worked as his personal assistant. An additional $250,000 in punitive damages was also awarded to the plaintiff, bringing the total judgment to $4.5 million.
Following the verdict, Soulja Boy issued a public statement criticizing the outcome and questioning the fairness of the trial. “Today, I stand before you, deeply disappointed in the verdict delivered in my case,” he said. “I firmly believe that the decision made in court was not based on facts or substantial evidence but rather on factors that were outside of my control.”
He further claimed that the trial was biased, citing what he described as an “unequal playing field” because the plaintiff was permitted to remain anonymous under the name “Jane Doe,” while he faced “public scrutiny.”
“The truth was overshadowed by the involvement of individuals such as the jury who are not present during the events in question,” he added, saying he would appeal the decision and continue to fight for what he called the truth.
As of Sunday, no formal charges had been filed in the latest arrest, and the Los Angeles Police Department has not disclosed whether additional arrests were made during the stop.
