Rapper Boosie Badazz was minding his own business as a passenger in a luxury Cadillac SUV driven by 19-year-old DeShun Lawrence when the vehicle was pulled over by Fairburn police officers in Georgia on Tuesday (July 12).
Officers on the scene claimed the vehicle was stopped because of dark window tints and the temporary tags were not visible due to a glare obstructing the view. A fed-up Boosie knew the protocol and quickly jumped out the vehicle from the backseat with his hands ready to be handcuffed. Both him and Lawrence were handcuffed as an officer searched the vehicle after allegedly smelling marijuana.
From there, Boosie had a verbal meltdown in which he proclaimed that he was “tired” of the “targeted” harassment. Eventually, he was released from the handcuffs and officers cited Lawrence for possession of a small amount of marijuana and the obstructed license plate.
A few days later and one state away, Kodak Black was stopped by Fort Lauderdale police in South Florida for allegedly driving a Dodge Durango with illegal window tint and expired tags.
Similar to Boosie’s stop, police claimed that they smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle giving cause for a search. The officers suspected drug trafficking after they alleged that the prescription drug oxycodone and a large sum of money was discovered in the vehicle. Kodak Black was arrested and booked for possession of a controlled substance.
Two similar cases with two different outcomes that both serve as a learning moment for hip hop.
First things first, hip hop is being watched, from Los Angeles to Atlanta. It’s been going on since the days of Biggie and Tupac, but the illusion of societal progress has convinced some that those days are long gone. Now that rappers are aware what time it is, there’s no excuse for riding dirty.
Number two, this isn’t Boosie’s first rodeo and being that he’s an O.G. who’s been around to see how things play out for rappers who move recklessly, it’s refreshing to see that he was smart enough to have a driver. That one responsible move as a public persona saved him a lot of the liability. The same move could be applied to hiring legal armed security. Jits and O.G.s should take note.
Third, every single law regarding a vehicle should be abided by, especially if it’s a luxury or exotic car. It’s a sad world we live in and unfortunately, people of color and young people are often targeted and harassed when they’re driving these type of vehicles. So…play chess, not checkers.
License plates, state tags, driver’s licenses, vehicle registration, and insurance should all be up-to-date and in the vehicle every time it’s driven. And that tinted window reasoning is Kryptonite for rappers. It wouldn’t hurt to ride with the windows at state-approved tint darkness percentages and get visors like those soccer mothers with toddlers in the backseat if not being seen is essential.
Lastly, if marijuana is legal in some states, ideally it should be legal in all U.S. states. But, that’s not the case. Why not do what the nerds do and if you need something to dull the realities of life so desperately, leave the marijuana at home and bring along the legal CBD products instead based on laws in that state. Or switch moves entirely and bring one of those Steve Havey cigars as a flex.
Some rappers are right to be overwhelmed by the constant agitation of driving while Black and Brown (or rich) and sometimes, corrupted police officers will go out of their way to inconvenience them. With that said, no real Black person from the hood will be offended or look at these rappers as squares if they make the adult decision to move smarter.
Besides, fans want to be able to hear that next hot single or viral interview coming from these entertainers as they continue to elevate and we can’t do that if they’re constantly tied up in courtrooms and prisons.
If no one’s protecting the hip hop community, let’s start protecting ourselves. First step, using both sides of our brains and a little commonsense.
