Soulja Boy is out of custody after California prosecutors decided not to press charges related to his recent arrest.
On August 5, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office told Rolling Stone that the case was dropped due to “insufficient evidence.” The rapper was released the same day before 2 p.m. local time.
He had been arrested in the early hours of August 3 after LAPD officers found a firearm in a vehicle he was riding in. The car was pulled over around 2:30 a.m. for having tinted windows. According to the charge evaluation sheet, the weapon was found in the back seat near Soulja Boy, but both he and the driver denied ownership.
With this legal cloud lifted, Soulja Boy now has to face another serious matter: a $4.25 million judgment from a sexual battery lawsuit filed by his former personal assistant. The court also ordered him to pay an extra $250,000 in punitive damages.
After the verdict, Soulja Boy released a statement expressing his frustration. “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 went on to criticize the justice system, saying, “The truth was overshadowed by the involvement of individuals such as the jury who are not present during the events in question, and I feel that the system allows external influences to shape the outcome.”
Despite the legal drama, Soulja Boy has still been hitting the stage. Just last month, he and Bow Wow performed together at SeaWorld, running through hits like “Crank That (Soulja Boy),” “Pretty Boy Swag,” and “Donk.”
