Rapper Kodak Black was taken into custody this week in central Florida on charges related to drug trafficking, marking another legal entanglement for the artist. Bill Kapri, the rapper’s legal name, was detained at Orange County jail on Wednesday for allegedly trafficking MDMA, a synthetic substance commonly referred to as ecstasy or molly. Kapri submitted a written plea of innocence and requested a jury trial the following day, opting out of appearing in person at a future court hearing. The artist’s arrest stemmed from a police response to reports of gunfire in an Orlando neighborhood back in December. Upon arriving at the scene, law enforcement discovered Kapri among a group of individuals gathered near high-end vehicles. During a search of a Lamborghini SUV, an officer noticed a white substance on a $100 bill, leading to further inspection that revealed a plastic bag of MDMA, $37,000 US, and various documents bearing Kapri’s name. Investigators noted that a pink bag found in the vehicle matched one seen in a photo posted by Kapri on his Instagram account, which also contained a distinctive lighter visible in the image. Despite everyone present denying ownership of the bag, including Kapri, the artist claimed the money as belonging to his business. Representatives Ambrosia Healy and Kevin Young from Universal Music Group did not provide a response to inquiries regarding the matter. Kapri secured release on bail the same night, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Kapri has encountered legal troubles in the past. In 2023, authorities in Plantation, Florida arrested him while asleep at the wheel with a substance resembling white powder around his mouth, which initially tested positive for cocaine but was later revealed through lab analysis to be oxycodone, for which Kapri held a valid prescription. This incident violated his probation from an unrelated case, resulting in a two-month detainment in Miami. Additionally, Kapri faced arrest in 2022 on accusations of trafficking oxycodone and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Released on bond with mandatory drug testing, he was subsequently directed to undergo a 30-day drug rehabilitation program in 2023 following missed drug tests and a positive fentanyl result. Notably, in January 2021, former President Donald Trump commuted a three-year federal prison sentence that Kapri was serving for falsifying weapon purchase documents, with the artist having completed approximately half of his sentence by then. Under his stage name Kodak Black, Kapri has achieved notable success, selling over 30 million singles and securing hits like “Super Gremlin,” which reached the third position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2022.
