Soulja Boy Arrested in L.A. on Suspected Weapons Charge After Traffic Stop

Soulja Boy was arrested early Sunday morning (Aug. 3) in Los Angeles after police say they discovered a firearm during a traffic stop.

The 35-year-old “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” rapper, whose real name is DeAndre Cortez Way, was a passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over around 2:35 a.m. at Melrose Ave. and Genesee Ave., Billboard confirmed with the Los Angeles Police Department. Officers spotted a firearm in the vehicle and following an investigation, Soulja Boy was arrested and booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, authorities said.

It was unclear at press time what led to the traffic stop. Additional details about the firearm or whether others were involved remain unknown.

Billboard has reached out to Soulja Boy’s representatives for comment.

The rapper had been active on social media over the weekend, sharing multiple videos on his Instagram Story, including clips outside his SODMG store in L.A., inside a recording studio, and from his birthday celebration at Poppy nightclub.

This incident marks the latest in a series of legal troubles for Soulja Boy. Earlier this year, a Los Angeles court held him liable in a civil lawsuit brought by a former personal assistant who accused him of rape, awarding the woman $4 million in damages. In 2023, he was also ordered to pay ex-girlfriend Kayla Myers $471,900 in connection with an assault and kidnapping lawsuit filed in 2020.

In March 2019, Soulja Boy was arrested for violating probation related to a 2014 weapons conviction. The following month, he was sentenced to 240 days in jail and 265 hours of community service.