Rapper Kodak Black was taken into custody this week on a drug trafficking charge in central Florida, marking his latest encounter with law enforcement. The rapper, known as Bill Kapri, was arrested and placed in Orange County jail on Wednesday for alleged trafficking of MDMA, a synthetic drug commonly known as ecstasy or molly. Kapri pled not guilty in writing and requested a jury trial on Thursday, opting out of attending a future court hearing in person.
The arrest stemmed from a police response in December to reports of gunfire in an Orlando neighborhood. Upon arrival, officers discovered a group congregated around high-end vehicles, including Kapri. During the investigation, a white substance was spotted on a $100 bill inside a Lamborghini SUV, emitting a cannabis odor. Subsequently, a search of the vehicle unveiled a pink bag containing MDMA, $37,000 US, and various documents bearing Kapri’s name, as detailed in the police report.
The distinctive pink bag found matched one featured in a photo posted by Kapri on his Instagram account, which also included a unique lighter visible in the image, according to investigators. Despite everyone present denying ownership of the bag, including Kapri, he asserted that the money belonged to his business and requested its return.
Representatives Ambrosia Healy and Kevin Young from Universal Music Group, who represent Kapri, did not respond to requests for comment. Kapri was released on bail Thursday evening, confirmed by a spokesperson from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Kapri has a history of legal troubles, including a 2023 incident in Plantation, Fla., where he was found asleep at the wheel with a white substance around his mouth. Although initial tests indicated cocaine, further lab analysis revealed it was oxycodone, a medication prescribed to Kapri. This arrest violated his probation from an unrelated case, resulting in a two-month confinement in Miami.
In 2022, Kapri was arrested on charges related to oxycodone trafficking and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Following release on bond, he was subjected to regular drug testing. Court records show that in 2023, Kapri was mandated to undergo a 30-day drug rehabilitation program after failing a drug test and subsequently testing positive for fentanyl.
President Donald Trump commuted Kapri’s three-year federal prison sentence in January 2021, which was related to falsifying documents to purchase firearms. Kapri, under his stage name Kodak Black, has achieved significant commercial success, selling over 30 million singles. His hit track “Super Gremlin” reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2022.