Rapper Kodak Black, legally known as Bill Kapri, was taken into custody this week on a drug trafficking offense in central Florida, marking another legal entanglement for the artist. Kapri was incarcerated in Orange County jail on Wednesday for a felony charge related to trafficking MDMA, a synthetic substance colloquially known as ecstasy or molly. The rapper submitted a written plea of innocence and requested a jury trial on Thursday, opting out of appearing in person at a forthcoming court hearing.
The arrest of Kapri stemmed from a police response to reports of gunfire in an Orlando neighborhood last December. Upon arrival, officers discovered a group of individuals congregating near high-end vehicles, including Kapri. During a search of a Lamborghini SUV, an officer observed a white substance on a $100 bill, coupled with a cannabis odor, leading to further exploration. Inside the vehicle, authorities located a pink bag containing a plastic package of MDMA, $37,000 in U.S. currency, and various documents bearing Kapri’s name, as detailed in the police report.
Investigators noted that the pink bag matched one depicted in a photo shared by Kapri on his Instagram account, also containing a distinctive lighter seen in the image. Despite everyone present denying ownership of the bag, including Kapri, the rapper claimed the money as belonging to his business and requested its return. Representatives Ambrosia Healy and Kevin Young from Universal Music Group did not provide a response to an email seeking comment.
Kapri was released on bail the following night, confirmed by a spokesperson from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Kapri has encountered legal challenges previously. In 2023, authorities in Plantation, Florida, detained Kapri after discovering him asleep behind the wheel with a powdery substance around his mouth. Though initial tests indicated cocaine presence, subsequent lab analyses revealed the substance as oxycodone, for which Kapri held a prescription. This incident violated his probation from an unrelated case, resulting in a two-month incarceration in Miami.
Further legal issues arose in 2022 when Kapri faced charges related to oxycodone trafficking and unlawful possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Following his release on bond, Kapri underwent regular drug testing as part of his release conditions. Court records indicate a 30-day stint in drug rehabilitation for Kapri in 2023 after he missed a drug test and subsequently tested positive for fentanyl. In January 2021, then-President Donald Trump commuted Kapri’s three-year federal prison sentence for falsifying documents used in firearms purchase, with Kapri having served approximately half of the term.
Under his moniker Kodak Black, Kapri has achieved notable commercial success, selling over 30 million singles. His track “Super Gremlin” notably peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2022.