US rapper Kodak Black, whose legal name is Bill Kapri, was taken into custody on Wednesday in Orange County, Florida, on a felony charge of trafficking MDMA (ecstasy). The 28‑year‑old entered a not‑guilty plea and requested a jury trial. His bond was set at $75,000, and he waived the requirement to appear in person at a future state‑court arraignment.
The arrest follows a November 2023 police encounter in Orlando. Officers responded to reports of gunfire and found a group of individuals gathered around several high‑end sport‑utility vehicles. According to the police report, an officer observed a white powdery residue on a $100 bill inside a Lamborghini SUV that also emitted a cannabis odor. The officer used this observation as probable cause to search the vehicle.
During the search, investigators discovered a pink bag containing a plastic pouch of MDMA, $37,000 in cash, and documents bearing Kapri’s name. The pink bag and a distinctive lighter matched a photograph that Kapri had posted on his Instagram account, linking him to the items. All individuals present, including Kapri, denied ownership of the bag. Kapri claimed the cash belonged to his business and requested its return.
Kapri’s legal team, represented by Ambrosia Healy and Kevin Young of Universal Music Group, did not respond to requests for comment.
This is not Kapri’s first encounter with law enforcement. In 2023, he was arrested in Plantation, Florida, after being found asleep at the wheel with a white substance around his mouth. Initial field tests indicated cocaine, but laboratory analysis later identified the powder as oxycodone, a medication he possessed with a prescription. The incident violated his probation from an unrelated case, resulting in a two‑month incarceration in Miami.
Earlier, in 2022, Kapri faced charges of oxycodone trafficking and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. He was released on bond with mandatory drug‑testing conditions. Court records show he was ordered into a 30‑day drug‑rehab program in 2023 after missing a test and subsequently testing positive for fentanyl.
In January 2021, former President Donald Trump commuted a three‑year federal sentence that Kapri was serving for falsifying documents used to purchase firearms; Kapri had completed roughly half of that term.
As a recording artist, Kodak Black has sold more than 30 million singles worldwide. His 2022 single “Super Gremlin” reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, underscoring his commercial success despite ongoing legal challenges.
Kapri’s current case remains pending. He is scheduled for a jury trial after his arraignment, and the felony charge of MDMA trafficking could result in significant penalties if he is convicted. The developments add to a pattern of repeated legal issues that have periodically disrupted his music career.
