A rapper formerly signed to Bad Boy Records is in a heap of trouble. Chopper, who starred in the MTV reality show craze Making the Band, has been arrested and charged with sex trafficking. The rapper was part of the six-member group, Da Band.
Chopper was a member of Da Band
The New Orleans native competed for his spot in the hip hop/R&B group and had to prove his skills in a battle rap competition alongside Freddy P, who also eventually made the group. As the youngest member of group, he was just 17-years-old when he was signed. Many times, Diddy and his group members considered him to be a menace and immature.
Due to ongoing issues, Diddy ultimately decided to dismantle the group after one gold album, Too Hot For TV. In 2019, Da Band announced that they’d be reuniting to celebrate the 15-year anniversary of the release of their album.
Chopper returned home after being fired from the group and was signed to Cash Money Records. He reintroduced himself under the moniker, “Young City.” Like other New Orleans residents, he lost his home in Hurricane Katrina. He was also shot in 2013, sparking something in the rapper to change his lifestyle. After the shooting, he vowed to focus on positive content versus the usual glorifying of street violence in his music.
He was recently arrested for sex trafficking
According to reports, Chopper didn’t stay out of trouble for long. TMZ reports that an investigation has revealed that the rapper is being labeled as a pimp of his organization. In legal documents obtained by the media outlet, an undercover vice detective in Nevada posing as a sex worker says Chopper direct messaged him on Instagram offering the detective to make money through prostitution.
After scanning Chopper’s Instagram account, the detective says they noticed several posts related to prostitution and pimping, leading them to continue to investigate a potential sex trafficking ring.
Chopper reportedly bragged to the detective via phone calls about him frequently traveling and having seven homes across the country, including one in Las Vegas. In one of the calls Chopper reportedly states that Vegas is no longer a safe place for his work due to officers cracking down on similar crimes. Chopper also allegedly told detectives he would make them part of his “stable,” became aggressive with them over the phone, and demanded they meet him in Charlotte, NC to begin the work.
The arrest comes after several former Bad Boy Records artists complained of not being properly paid by Diddy
Several former artists signed to Diddy have complained that the music executive does not properly compensate his artists. Diddy has a history of allegedly giving bad record contracts. Some fans have commented on social media that former artists have had to resort to crime to survive. “Diddy ain’t paying these people so they got to find other ways of income,” one Instagram user commented on The Shade Room’s report about Chopper.
Chopper’s former band member Babs Bunny says they should have gotten paid a lot more, especially because of the accompanying reality series they appeared on, Making the Band 2. Freddy P claims he received a $20,000 publishing check from Diddy’s mother’s company a few years back.
Rapper Ma$e has blasted Diddy as of late for his reported shady business practices. In an Instagram post, he wrote, per XXL Mag: “U still got my publishing from 24 years ago in which u gave me $20k. Which makes me never want to work w/ u as any artist wouldn’t after u know someone is robbing you & tarnishing your name when u don’t want to comply w/ his horrendous business model.”
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