Rappers With Big Criminal Records

Rap is one of the most prominent musical genres around, and as Encyclopedia Britannica notes, the 1980s saw the birth of gangsta rap. The genre's popularity heralded the arrival of a new style of MC's, who often rapped about criminal activities. Though the line between reality and boastful dramatization in the lyrics could get pretty blurred, many of the rappers were well-acquainted with the world they were rapping about. Over the years, real-life crimes and tragedies involving well-known rappers have been known to happen — the murders of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. are perhaps the most famous of them all. At the other end of the tragedy spectrum, some of the most successful rappers have become massively rich. Still, even the ones who have made it to the very top have sometimes butted heads with the law, often more than once. 

The term "rap sheet," per Illinois Legal Aid, stands for an individual's "Record of Arrests and Prosecutions." However, for some rap artists, it might as well be an allusion to their profession. Let's take a look at rappers who have bigger criminal records than you might have realized. 

As the BBC tells us, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson was shot nine times in 2000 — just three years before the release of his smash hit debut album, the aptly named "Get Rich Or Die Tryin'." The rapper hasn't always been on the receiving end of crimes, though. Per Biography, he was a drug dealer before he became a well-known rapper. He worked in this capacity from age 12 to age 19, when an undercover cop busted him in the act of selling. According to The Smoking Gun, young Jackson's second arrest in 1994 came mere weeks later, when the police turned up at his door with a search warrant and discovered a starter gun and a stash of drugs. He faced up to nine years in prison, which was ultimately turned into a seven-month stint at a youth boot camp. 

Even after becoming famous, 50 Cent hasn't always followed the straight and narrow path. According to MTV News, in 2002, he was arrested in New York after a search of an illegally-parked SUV led to the discovery of two loaded guns. (Although this doesn't appear to have gone anywhere.) However, things were more serious after a 2004 incident, in which he allegedly attempted to attack a member of the crowd who'd hit him with a bottle, and ended up injuring three women (via MTV News). He cut a plea deal with two years of probationary period, which required him to stay drug-free and attend anger management counseling, among other conditions.

These days, Snoop Dogg is basically hip-hop's coolest cool uncle, thanks to his laid-back style and things like his long-running friendship with Martha Stewart. However, for much of his life, he's clashed with the law more or less consistently. Per The Age, the rapper — whose real name is Cordozar Calvin Broadus Junior — used to sell drugs and run with the infamous Crips gang, which led him to all sorts of trouble. In 1990, he was convicted of possessing and selling cocaine. From 1993 to 1996, he fought a gang-related murder charge, of which he was eventually acquitted (per the Los Angeles Times). Over the following decade, he was arrested numerous times, usually for possession of illegal substances or firearms. In 2007, he pleaded guilty to possession of a dangerous weapon and was sentenced to three years of probation, according to NY Daily News.

Interestingly, some of Snoop's strangest shady activities are self-admitted. In a 2013 interview with Rolling Stone, he casually stated that in 2003, he acted as a procurer for sex workers, just to see what that life was all about. For the record, though, he claimed that he never took any money from the women working with him. "It was never about the money; it was about the fascination of being a pimp ... As a kid I dreamed of being a pimp, I dreamed of having cars and clothes and b****** to match. I said, 'F*** it –- I'm finna do it.'"

Robert "Vanilla Ice" Van Winkle might not be the most obvious inclusion on a list of rappers with legitimate legal troubles ... unless you count his copyright infringement legal battle over "Ice Ice Baby," and its similarities with the Queen and David Bowie tune, "Under Pressure" (via The Washington Post). However, he's actually been in trouble with the law a surprising number of times. 

Per The Sun, Ice was arrested in 1988 for illegal drag racing. However, this was far from his most serious charge. According to the Daily News, in 1991 he was sentenced to two years of probation and a $1,782 fine — among other conditions — due to a gun charge involving a "parking lot confrontation" with a homeless person. In 2001, 2008, and 2011, he was arrested for assaulting his wife (per Kiss Richmond). The latter two cases led to nothing, but he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in the 2001 case, which led to another probation and court-mandated therapy. 

In 2015, per NBC, Ice was renovating a house, and allegedly broke into the neighboring house and stole a number of items. He was arrested and jailed, but maintained that the whole thing was "a misunderstanding." He ultimately accepted a plea deal for 100 hours of community service.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

As this article shows, many rappers have butted heads with the law, but one rap duo actually created a criminal gang — albeit unwillingly. Horrorcore hip-hoppers Insane Clown Posse have their own FBI file, and as Rolling Stone reminds us, the bureau has gone as far as classifying the duo's loyal army of fans — known as the Juggalos — as a criminal gang. Insane Clown Posse actually went to court to overturn this, but since the designation was informal, they lost.  

Even without the distinction of being the figureheads of a federally designated gang, the duo of Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J have had their share of legal troubles. In 1989, the latter spent three months in jail for "death threats, robbery, and violating probation" (via The Guardian), and in 1997, he was arrested for aggravated battery after allegedly beating up a member of the audience with a microphone (via MTV News). In 1998, Rolling Stone reported that the pair was in hot water for disorderly conduct, which they admitted to for the grand fine of $200 per rapper. In 2002, Violent J scored himself another 12-month probation for assaulting a radio DJ (via MTV News). 

There's also a less violent avenue that has landed Insane Clown Posse in numerous legal troubles. Per The Detroit News, the IRS has been on their case over unpaid taxes more than once, at one point even noting that Shaggy 2 Dope might be imprisoned if he fails to comply.   

A look at Jeezy's Billboard history reveals he's had many hits under both his current moniker and his old one, Young Jeezy. He's worked with some of the biggest names in the game, from Drake to Jay-Z. However, his lengthy arrest record is somewhat less flattering. 

The rapper's first documented arrest came in 2006, when he was charged for an illegal concealed weapon in the aftermath of a shootout (per Associated Press). The charges were dropped a few months later, due to lack of evidence. Per MTV News, Jeezy's next arrest came in 2008, when he was handed multiple driving-themed charges, ranging from reckless driving to driving under the influence. In 2010, he was briefly arrested for undisclosed reasons before a concert in the Bahamas (via HiphopDX). In late 2012, an alleged fight with his son got pretty violent, according to CNN. After reportedly beating up his son and threatening to shoot him, Jeezy was arrested and charged with "battery, terroristic threats, and false imprisonment," though the case doesn't appear to have gone anywhere. 

The most recent entry in Jeezy's apparent biannual trend of getting arrested came in 2014, when he and members of his entourage were arrested after a search of his tour bus turned up an assault rifle of uncertain origin, per Rolling Stone. However, the authorities later discovered that the rifle was registered to Jeezy's head of security, who wasn't in the bus because he had recently been injured in a shooting against Suge Knight.