Soulja Boy Avoids Felony Charges: DA Drops Case Over Lack of Evidence

The Los Angeles DA's office has dropped its case against DeAndre Cortez Way — known to fans as Soulja Boy — after his August 3 arrest. Police had stopped a car and found a weapon inside.

"A case was declined due to insufficient evidence," said a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office in an email, according to Rolling Stone.

Officers spotted the weapon at 2:30 a.m. near Melrose Avenue. Way sat in the passenger seat. The 35-year-old spent 48 hours in custody before walking free on Tuesday afternoon.

The arrest occurred near Way's SODMG store, which opened its doors in January. It isn't his first time facing such charges. Soulja Boy's past hits include a 2014 conviction when officers found a loaded firearm in his vehicle. He was initially sentenced to probation. Then in 2019, he served an eight-month stint for violating the terms set by the probation for the previous weapons case.

"First day out," the rapper posted on his Instagram after his release, according to Billboard. His lawyer, Rickey Ivie, also commented to Billboard: "The DA dismissed the charges because the evidence was insufficient to establish that the gun was in Soulja Boy's possession, custody, or control. Based upon the reported evidence, it appears he should have never been arrested."

His 2007 hit "Crank That" shot straight to the top. The song ruled the Billboard Hot 100 chart for seven straight weeks, earning him a GRAMMY nomination. His legal issues have continued to mount since then.

He's faced several lawsuits for alleged domestic abuse and sexual assault in recent years. This spring, a court ordered him to pay $4 million to his former partner, Kayla Meyers, and an anonymous former personal assistant who claimed abuse and stalking.

His business ventures stretch beyond music to retail. This June, thieves struck his Melrose Avenue store, taking merchandise worth $10,000, including shirts, sweaters, and a game console.