Bill Kahan Kapri
(born Dieuson Octave; June 11, 1997), better known by his stage name Kodak Black,
is an American rapper. He gained initial recognition with his single "
No Flockin
"No Flockin" is the debut single by American rapper Kodak Black. The song, a rap freestyle over an instrumental of the same name produced by Vinnyx (VinnyxProd), eventually peaked at 95 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in January 2017. The song w ...
", released in 2014. His debut album, ''
Painting Pictures
''Painting Pictures'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Kodak Black. It was released on March 31, 2017, by Dollaz N Dealz Entertainment, Sniper Gang and Atlantic Records. Recording sessions took place from 2016 to 2017, at the Pink Hou ...
'' (2017), peaked at number three on the US
''Billboard'' 200 and included the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 top 10 single "
Tunnel Vision
Tunnel vision is the loss of peripheral vision with retention of central vision, resulting in a constricted circular tunnel-like field of vision.
Causes
Tunnel vision can be caused by:
Eyeglass users
Eyeglass users experience tunnel vision t ...
". Black's second album, ''
Dying to Live'' (2018), peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 and was supported by the single "
Zeze" (featuring
Travis Scott and
Offset), which peaked at number 2 on the Hot 100.
Kodak Black's career has been marked by periods of mainstream success, as well as public controversies and legal issues. His legal troubles began in middle school and spiked significantly throughout the late 2010s. In 2019, Black was arrested for weapons possession and was sentenced to almost four years in federal prison; his sentence was commuted by President
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
in 2021. While incarcerated, he released his third studio album, ''
Bill Israel'' (2020). His fourth studio album, ''
Back for Everything
''Back for Everything'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Kodak Black. It was released through Atlantic Records on February 25, 2022. The album features a sole guest appearance from Lil Durk, who appears on the fifteenth track, "Take ...
'' followed in 2022, and contains the hit single "
Super Gremlin
"Super Gremlin" is a song by American rapper Kodak Black, released on October 30, 2021, from the Sniper Gang label compilation ''Sniper Gang Presents Syko Bob & Snapkatt: Nightmare Babies'', a Halloween-themed project. It impacted US urban conte ...
" as a bonus track.
Early life
Kodak Black was born Dieuson Octave on June 11, 1997, in
Pompano Beach, Florida, the son of
Haitian immigrant Marcelene Octave. He later legally changed his name to Bill Kahan Kapri. Kodak Black was raised by his mother in Golden Acres, a
public housing project
Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is usually owned by a government authority, either central or local. Although the common goal of public housing is to provide affordable housing, the details, terminology, d ...
in Pompano Beach.
Kodak Black started rapping in elementary school and began to go to a local
trap house
''Trap House'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Gucci Mane. It was released on May 24, 2005, by Big Cat Records and Tommy Boy Records. Production was handled by Shawty Redd, Zaytoven, Nitti and The Heatmakerz. The album features ...
after school to record music. He spent his youth reading thesauruses and dictionaries to further his vocabulary. Kodak Black frequently participated in brawls and
breaking and entering
Burglary, also called breaking and entering and sometimes housebreaking, is the act of entering a building or other areas without permission, with the intention of committing a criminal offence. Usually that offence is theft, robbery or murder ...
with his friends.
He was expelled from school in the fifth grade for fighting and was arrested for auto theft while in middle school. About his upbringing, he said that he was given two options: "sell drugs with a gun on his hip or rap".
From the age of six, Kodak Black used the nickname "Black". He also used the nickname "Lil' Black". When he joined
Instagram he chose the username "Kodak Black", "...'cause you know
Kodak
The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...
, that's pictures and all that." This later became his stage name when he started to rap and a name favored by his fans.
Career
2009–2015: Beginnings and ''Project Baby''
In 2009, at age 12, Kodak Black joined a rap group called Brutal Youngnz, under the stage name J-Black.
He then joined a local rap group called The Kolyons.
In December 2013, Kodak Black released his first
mixtape, ''Project Baby'', followed in December 2014 with the mixtape ''Heart of the Projects'', and in December 2015 with the mixtape ''Institution''.
In October 2015, Canadian rapper
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
posted a video of himself dancing to one of Kodak Black's songs, "
Skrt", which helped him gain popularity despite objections from other rappers such as
Earl Sweatshirt
Thebe Neruda Kgositsile (born February 24, 1994), also known by his stage name Earl Sweatshirt, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Kgositsile was originally known by the moniker Sly Tendencies when he began rapping in 2008, ...
. That same month, he signed a deal with
Atlantic Records.
In May 2016, Kodak Black and rapper and label-mate
Lil Uzi Vert
Symere Bysil Woods ( ; born July 31, 1995), known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. They are characterized by their facial tattoos, facial piercings, eccentric hairstyles and androgynous fashion, ima ...
announced their intention to partner for a national tour called the "Parental Advisory Tour"; however, Kodak Black did not appear on the tour.
2016–2017: Breakout, ''Painting Pictures'', and ''Project Baby 2''
In May 2016, he was featured on
French Montana's single "
Lockjaw", from French Montana's 21st mixtape ''
MC4'', which reached a peak position of 23 on ''Billboard's''
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
chart. In August 2016, Kodak Black's single "Skrt" reached number 10 on ''Billboard's'' "Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles" chart.
In June 2016, he released his fourth mixtape, ''Lil B.I.G. Pac'', which became his first mixtape to chart on ''Billboard'', reaching number 49 on the "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums" chart and number 18 on the
Heatseakers Albums chart.
In June 2016, Kodak Black was named one of ''
XXL'' magazine's "2016 Freshman Class".
In August 2016, Kodak Black was criticized when a studio session video was released showing him ridiculing dark-skinned black women with lyrics which implied those women were less attractive than light-skinned black women, which is considered a type of
misogynoir
''Misogynoir'' is a term referring to misogyny directed towards black women where race and gender both play a role. The term was coined by black feminist writer Moya Bailey in 2010 to address misogyny directed toward black transgender and cisgen ...
—anti-Black hatred towards women.
In 2016, Kodak Black released the song "Can I" while he was in jail.
On February 17, 2017, Kodak Black released the single "
Tunnel Vision
Tunnel vision is the loss of peripheral vision with retention of central vision, resulting in a constricted circular tunnel-like field of vision.
Causes
Tunnel vision can be caused by:
Eyeglass users
Eyeglass users experience tunnel vision t ...
". The song debuted at number 27 and peaked at number 6, becoming Kodak Black's first top 10 hit on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number 17 on the
Canadian Hot 100.
On March 31, 2017, Kodak Black released his debut
studio album ''
Painting Pictures
''Painting Pictures'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Kodak Black. It was released on March 31, 2017, by Dollaz N Dealz Entertainment, Sniper Gang and Atlantic Records. Recording sessions took place from 2016 to 2017, at the Pink Hou ...
''. The album reached 3 on the
''Billboard'' 200 and sold 71,000 equivalent units first week, a record for Kodak Black. While discussing rappers and fellow 2016 XXL Freshmen,
Lil Uzi Vert
Symere Bysil Woods ( ; born July 31, 1995), known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. They are characterized by their facial tattoos, facial piercings, eccentric hairstyles and androgynous fashion, ima ...
and
Lil Yachty
Miles Parks McCollum (born August 23, 1997), known professionally as Lil Boat, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer. He first gained recognition on the internet in 2015 for his singles "One Night" and "Minnesota" (featuring ...
, Kodak Black created controversy when he insulted them whilst conducting a livestream on
Instagram.
Lil Uzi Vert
Symere Bysil Woods ( ; born July 31, 1995), known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. They are characterized by their facial tattoos, facial piercings, eccentric hairstyles and androgynous fashion, ima ...
replied stating that he was not bothered by the insult and that he still "fucked with" Kodak Black. He released the follow-up to ''Project Baby'', ''Project Baby 2'', on August 18, 2017. In November 2017, Kodak Black released a deluxe version of ''Project Baby 2'' titled ''Project Baby 2: All Grown Up''. The single from the deluxe version, "
Codeine Dreaming", peaked at number 52 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.
2018–2020: ''Heart Break Kodak'', ''Dying to Live'', and ''Bill Israel''
In January 2018, Kodak Black was arrested following a raid on his Florida home. Kodak Black later released the ''
Heart Break Kodak
''Heart Break Kodak'' is the seventh mixtape by American rapper Kodak Black. It was released on February 14, 2018, via Atlantic Records. The mixtape features guest appearances by Lil Wayne and Tory Lanez, meanwhile the production was handled by M ...
'' mixtape on Valentines Day.
On December 14, 2018, Kodak Black released his second album ''
Dying to Live''. The album was led by the successful single "
Zeze" which featured rappers
Travis Scott and
Offset, as well as "
If I'm Lyin, I'm Flyin", "Take One" and "
Calling My Spirit
"Calling My Spirit" is a song recorded by American rapper Kodak Black for his second studio album ''Dying to Live''. It was released on November 30, 2018, via Atlantic Records and WEA, with production by Southside and Jake One.
Background
T ...
". The album also featured rapper
Lil Pump
Gazzy Garcia (born August 17, 2000), better known professionally as Lil Pump, is an American rapper. He is one of the most prominent artists of the SoundCloud rap scene and is known for his minimalist music and hyperactive public persona.
Li ...
on "Gnarly", rapper
Juice WRLD
Jarad Anthony Higgins (December 2, 1998 – December 8, 2019), known professionally as Juice Wrld (pronounced "juice world"; stylized as Juice WRLD), was an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He was a leading figure in the emo rap and ...
on "MoshPit", and paid tribute to deceased rapper
XXXTentacion
Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (January 23, 1998 – June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion ga ...
. "Zeze" peaked at number 2 on the Hot 100, then "Calling My Spirit", also from the album, peaked at number 46. ''Dying to Live'' as a whole was on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart for 15 weeks, and peaked at number 1 for a week.
On October 25, 2019, Kodak Black released "Zombie" with
NLE Choppa
Bryson Lashun Potts (born November 1, 2002), known professionally as NLE Choppa (previously YNR Choppa), is an American rapper from Memphis, Tennessee. He rose to fame with his 2019 single " Shotta Flow", which was certified platinum by the RIA ...
and DB Omerta. On February 14, 2020, Kodak Black released "Because of You", followed by a music video for the song. Kodak Black then claimed that if the song was
certified platinum
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
by his birthday, then he would release an album. On May 12, 2020, he released the single "Vultures Cry 2", featuring WizDaWizard and Mike Smiff.
On November 11, 2020, Kodak returned with his third album, ''
Bill Israel'', while serving a prison sentence.
2020–present: Prison release, ''Haitian Boy Kodak'', and ''Back for Everything''
On January 23, 2021, he released the single, "Last Day In", in which he addresses his release from prison, thanks to his pardon from President Donald Trump: "Trump just freed me, but my favorite president is on the money/All they hatin' presidents has become evident to me". He released the single, "Every Balmain", on February 6, 2021, in which he discusses life post-prison.
On February 19, he was featured on
Lil Yachty
Miles Parks McCollum (born August 23, 1997), known professionally as Lil Boat, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer. He first gained recognition on the internet in 2015 for his singles "One Night" and "Minnesota" (featuring ...
's single, "Hit Bout It", which was released alongside a music video.
Kodak released a mixtape titled ''Haitian Boy Kodak'' on May 14, 2021. The project's cover art pays tribute to his Haitian pride. Kodak voiced frustration at the mixtape only moving 22, 000 units in its first week, claiming that listeners had turned their backs on
gangsta rap.
Kodak released his next project, ''Happy Birthday Kodak'', on June 11, 2021, his twenty-fourth birthday.
On November 1, 2021, Kodak released a music video for the song "
Super Gremlin
"Super Gremlin" is a song by American rapper Kodak Black, released on October 30, 2021, from the Sniper Gang label compilation ''Sniper Gang Presents Syko Bob & Snapkatt: Nightmare Babies'', a Halloween-themed project. It impacted US urban conte ...
", from Syko Bob and Snapkatt's Halloween-themed mixtape, ''Sniper Gang Presents Syko Bob & Snapkatt: Nightmare Babies'', an 11-track project, of which Kodak appears on eight tracks. "Super Gremlin" became a hit, peaking at number five on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song was also included on Kodak's fourth studio album ''
Back for Everything
''Back for Everything'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Kodak Black. It was released through Atlantic Records on February 25, 2022. The album features a sole guest appearance from Lil Durk, who appears on the fifteenth track, "Take ...
'', which released on February 25, 2022.
Musical style
Kodak Black's music is frequently about "previous and future criminal misdeeds", and he stated that he's been influenced by rappers
Boosie Badazz
Torence Ivy Hatch (born November 14, 1982), better known by his stage name Boosie BadAzz or simply Boosie (formerly Lil Boosie), is an American rapper. Hatch began rapping in the 1990s as a member of the hip hop collective Concentration Camp, ev ...
and
Chief Keef.
''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'' described his "manifestly youthful voice" and "mutinous sound", and stated "Kapri joins other young rappers who have rejected an old-school emphasis on lyrical variety, individualism, and personal catharsis".
In 2016, ''
The Fader
''The Fader'' (stylized as ''FADER'') is a magazine based in New York City that was launched in 1999 by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. It was the first print publication to be released on iTunes.
It is o ...
'' wrote that he "articulates the constant state of affliction that living in a poverty-stricken environment can mean. He makes emotionally intelligent observations in a manner reminiscent of teenage artists of the '90s, such as
Mobb Deep and
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...
, whose voices were valued as genuine illustrations of life in their corners of America."
Kodak Black has been frequently described as a
mumble rapper.
Personal life
In 2014, Kodak Black stated that he was working towards his high school diploma at
Blanche Ely High School
Blanche Ely High School is a high school located in Pompano Beach, Broward County, Florida. The school is named for Blanche Ely, former principal and social activist.
In addition to Pompano Beach, Ely serves a portion of Deerfield Beach and ...
in Pompano Beach.
During his incarceration, Kodak Black began to identify as a
Hebrew Israelite after a priest who conducts prison ministry studied scripture with him. He later filed to change his name to Bill Kahan Blanco, with Kahan supposedly being an alternative spelling of
kohen
Kohen ( he, , ''kōhēn'', , "priest", pl. , ''kōhănīm'', , "priests") is the Hebrew word for " priest", used in reference to the Aaronic priesthood, also called Aaronites or Aaronides. Levitical priests or ''kohanim'' are traditionally ...
, a term used in
Judaism
Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in t ...
to refer to priests who descend from the prophet
Aaron, the brother of
Moses. On May 2, 2018, he legally changed his name from "Dieuson Octave" to "Bill Kahan Kapri".
[
In June 2018, Kodak Black earned his ]GED
The General Educational Development (GED) tests are a group of four subject tests which, when passed, provide certification that the test taker has United States or Canadian high school-level academic skills. It is an alternative to the US high ...
while in prison.
On February 6, 2021, Kodak returned to social media with a new hairstyle and a slimmer figure. The same day, he posted a video to Twitter where he and his lawyer Bradford Cohen said that they had informed the FBI in Miami that Kodak would cover tuition costs for the two children of late FBI agent Laura Schwartzenberger and the child of late FBI agent Daniel Alfin, both of whom died on duty.
On February 12, 2022, Kodak Black was shot during a fight outside a Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
Italian restaurant where Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter ...
was hosting a Super Bowl-week party.
Philanthropy
On October 1, 2018, Kodak Black donated $10,000 to the Jack and Jill Children's center, which is a provider of early children's education. In November 2018, Kodak Black announced that he was building a school in Haiti.
On December 20, 2018, Kodak Black donated enough money to Paradise Childcare in Broward County, Florida, to provide gifts for 150 children in the area. In addition, he also donated $5,000 for the organization's annual Christmas party.
In late 2018, he donated $2,500 to South Carolina police officer Terrence Carraway, who was killed in a shootout on duty. On May 3, 2019, Kodak Black donated $12,500 to a girl named Paige Cook, the girl's goal was to give pencils and notebooks to give to all 7,600 students in the Cleburne Independent School District in Texas, a low-income district. In 2018, Paige raised enough money to buy over 40,000 pencils.
In the wake of the 2019 Colorado STEM shooting, Kodak Black's lawyer reached out the family of Kendrick Ray Castillo, who was shot and killed after lunging at the attacker, on May 11, and offered to pay for Castillo's funeral, and set aside an annual $10,000 scholarship for any student wishing to go to college for science or engineering. His lawyer stated that the family had not yet responded.
Kodak also allegedly donated $50,000 to Gekyume, the son of late rapper and collaborator XXXTentacion
Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (January 23, 1998 – June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion ga ...
. Kodak and XXXTentacion were friends up until his death in 2018.
Controversies
In January 2017, Kodak Black broadcast an Instagram Live video of himself in a Washington, D.C. hotel room with several other men, while a lone woman performed oral sex on them. Kodak Black's Instagram account hit a record high during the broadcast. The rapper later posted a message on Twitter about the incident reading "If I could change I swear I would .. I tried everything but I'm just so hood."
In June 2017, he wrote on Instagram about his preference for light-skinned women over those with dark skin. He also stated in an interview that actress Keke Palmer
Lauren Keyana "Keke" Palmer (born August 26, 1993) ( ) is an American actress, singer and television personality. Known for playing leading and character roles in comedy and drama productions, she has received a Primetime Emmy Award, five NAACP I ...
was "straight", but that he "don't really like Black girls like that". Some Twitter users responded negatively, provoking Kodak Black to delete both his Instagram and Twitter accounts. Kodak Black also stated that light-skinned women are easier to break down, black women are "too gutter", and that he does not like his own skin complexion.
In April 2019, he garnered controversy when he offered to "wait" to have sexual relations with Lauren London
Lauren Nicole London is an American actress. London is known for her roles in films and televisions shows including '' ATL'' (2006), ''This Christmas'' (2007), '' Madea’s Big Happy Family'' (2011), ''Baggage Claim'' (2013), '' The Game'' (20 ...
, the girlfriend of late rapper Nipsey Hussle
Airmiess Joseph Asghedom (August 15, 1985 – March 31, 2019), known professionally as Nipsey Hussle (often stylized as Nipsey Hu$$le), was an American rapper, entrepreneur, and activist. Emerging from the West Coast hip hop scene in the mid- ...
, who was shot and killed a few days beforehand. Kodak Black said he would "give her a whole year" if she "might need a whole year to be crying and shit for him." He received immediate backlash for these comments. Justin Credible, a DJ for the radio station Power 106
KPWR (105.9 FM) – branded as ''Power 106'' – is a commercial radio station in Los Angeles, California, broadcasting to the Greater Los Angeles area. KPWR is owned and operated by Meruelo Group and airs a Rhythmic Hot AC format. KPWR's studi ...
, announced that the station would be boycotting Kodak Black's music. Credible said, "We stand with the family of Nipsey Hussle and are appalled by the disrespectful and poor comments made by Kodak Black." Fellow rappers T.I. and The Game also responded, with T.I. saying, "You outta pocket nigga", in a video recorded for Kodak Black. On April 7, Kodak Black responded, saying, "If I disrespected you Lauren London in any shape or form, I am sorry. Even though I didn't." He issued a more in-depth apology in 2020 while serving a four-year prison sentence.
Legal issues
2015–2017
Kodak Black was placed into a youth detention center
In criminal justice systems, a youth detention center, known as a juvenile detention center (JDC),Stahl, Dean, Karen Kerchelich, and Ralph De Sola. ''Abbreviations Dictionary''. CRC Press, 20011202. Retrieved 23 August 2010. , . juvenile de ...
three times in one year, and then placed on probation.
In October 2015, he was arrested in Pompano Beach and charged with robbery, battery, false imprisonment of a child, and possession of cannabis
''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: '' Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternative ...
. He was later released.
In April 2016, Kodak Black was arrested in Hallandale Beach, Florida
Hallandale Beach (formerly known simply as Hallandale) is a city in southern Broward County, Florida, United States. The city is named after Luther Halland, the son of a Swedish worker for Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railroad. As of the 20 ...
and charged with possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, possession of marijuana, and fleeing from officers.
The following month of May 2016, he was arrested in Broward County, Florida
Broward County ( , ) is a county in the southeastern part of Florida, located in the Miami metropolitan area. It is Florida's second-most populous county after Miami-Dade County and the 17th-most populous in the United States, with over 1.94 m ...
and charged with armed robbery and false imprisonment. He was detained in custody.
In August 2016, he appeared in court in Fort Lauderdale
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
, Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
. Several executives from Atlantic Records attended the court; vice-president Michael Kushner commented "Black has a bright future as a recording artist". Kodak Black pleaded no contest
' is a legal term that comes from the Latin phrase for "I do not wish to contend". It is also referred to as a plea of no contest or no defense.
In criminal trials in certain United States jurisdictions, it is a plea where the defendant neith ...
to all charges and under a plea agreement was to be placed on house arrest for one year, have five years' probation, perform community service as required, and take anger management classes. He would also be permitted to tour internationally. Prior to his release from Broward Main Jail, police discovered two outstanding criminal warrants, the first from Florence, South Carolina alleging felony criminal sexual conduct, the second from St. Lucie County, Florida alleging two counts of misdemeanor marijuana possession. Kodak Black was not released from jail.
In September 2016, Kodak Black pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor drug charges and was sentenced to four months in jail. He was credited for time spent in custody awaiting trial and was required to serve 120 days. He was also suspended from driving for one year.
Kodak Black was released from jail in Florida, and was then transported to Florence, South Carolina to face charges of sexual assault. According to the victim, who reported the incident to her school nurse, she had attended a February 2016 performance by Kodak Black at "Treasure City" in Florence, after which she accompanied him to his hotel room where he is alleged to have told her he "couldn't help himself" as he tore off her clothes, bit her repeatedly, and raped her as she screamed for help. Kodak Black was released from custody in South Carolina on December 1, 2016, after posting a $100,000 bond, but returned to court on February 8, 2017. About Kodak Black, the '' Miami New Times'' asked "is he the product of larger societal problems, having been raised on a steady diet of misogynistic rap lyrics?" Within hours of release, he recorded and released "There He Go
"There He Go" is a song by American rapper Kodak Black
Bill Kahan Kapri (born Dieuson Octave; June 11, 1997), better known by his stage name Kodak Black, is an American rapper. He gained initial recognition with his single " No Flockin", r ...
", a single which mentions his recent release from jail:
Just hopped off the plane I just got out about a day ago
Everybody love me, when they see me they be like, "There he go!"
Got me a new lady, we 'bout to take a trip to Mexico
Crackers took my .40 so I'm 'bout to go buy a Draco
In February 2017, Kodak Black was arrested again for violation of his probation. He was held without bond and his musical tour was postponed.
In April 2017, Kodak Black was indicted
An indictment ( ) is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that use the concept of felonies, the most serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that do not use the felonies concept often use that of ...
by a grand jury in South Carolina, and was scheduled to go on trial in April 2019 in Florence, South Carolina on a charge of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. This was later postponed. Also in April 2017, he appeared in court in Florida, where his anger management counselor Ramona Sanchez spoke about him disrupting her class. Sanchez said he was constantly burping during her class, and when asked to leave, he refused. When Sanchez threatened to call 911, he grabbed her phone and her wrist. The counselor recommended that Kodak Black participate in individual therapy instead of group therapy.
On May 4, 2017, he was sentenced for violating his house arrest to 364 days in the Broward County Jail, with the possibility of an early release if he completes a life skills course. He was released on June 5, 2017. He will remain on house arrest for one year, and five years of probation.
2018–present
Kodak Black was arrested inside of his Pembroke Pines, Florida home in January 2018 on multiple charges stemming from an Instagram live-feed video showing him passing marijuana and a gun around a small child. He initially faced seven felony charges including child neglect, grand theft of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and marijuana possession. On February 22, 2018, three charges against Kodak Black were dropped and he pleaded not guilty to the remaining two. On April 17, he pleaded not guilty to the remaining charges, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of marijuana, and was sentenced to 364 days in prison with credit for time served. He was released on August 18, 2018.
While on tour in the Southeast, a South Carolinian Prosecutor announced that Kodak Black would be facing trial for first degree criminal sexual conduct for the alleged rape in February 2016. The prosecutor said that in the summer or early fall, Kodak Black would have to return to South Carolina and face trial for the charges. They stated he faces a maximum of 30 years in prison. 12 Circuit Solicitor Ed Clements stated "We are slowly but steadily moving toward a disposition." There was also reportedly a number of lesser, related charges. The office of the prosecutor stated the victim was not a minor at the time of the alleged rape.
As of April 5, 2019, a concert promoter filed a lawsuit against Kodak Black for failing to appear at his concerts. Nicholas Fitts—the promoter—claims that Kodak Black was contractually obliged to perform for him on March 3, 2017, in New York, but did not show up. Fitts then rescheduled it for April 2017, and Kodak Black failed to appear once more. Then on a third makeup date, Kodak Black once more failed to appear. Fitts stated that the incident caused him over $500,000 in losses and hurt his reputation. His lawsuit was suing for over $500,000.
While trying to re-enter the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
from Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
on April 17, 2019, Kodak Black was arrested by United States Customs and Border Protection after border authorities found marijuana and a Glock
Glock is a brand of polymer-Receiver (firearms), framed, Recoil operation#Short recoil operation, short recoil-operated, locked-breech semi-automatic pistols designed and produced by Austrian manufacturer Glock Ges.m.b.H., Glock Ges.m.b.H. The ...
in his car. He was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and unlawful possession of marijuana by authorities. Bail was set at either $40,000 or $20,000, he was released on the 18th. As a result of the arrest, a performance in Boston and a performance in Connecticut was cancelled.
Late on April 24, 2019, while on tour for his most recent album at the time, ''Dying to Live'', and while performing at a venue, officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, ...
and Metropolitan police entered and searched one of Kodak Black's tour buses parked at the venue. While Kodak Black was not in the vehicle at the time, the FBI found weapons in the vehicle and detained a few of Kodak Black's crew members. Allegedly, the FBI attempted to enter the club in which Kodak Black was performing, but was denied entry by the owner. TMZ
TMZ is a tabloid news website owned by Fox Corporation. It made its debut on November 8, 2005, originally as a collaboration between AOL and Telepictures, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. On September 13, 202 ...
stated it was "unclear" whether or not the bus was actually owned by Kodak Black. This came a week after his arrest at the U.S.-Canada border. It was stated Kodak Black himself did not get in trouble with law enforcement.
On May 11, 2019, while preparing to perform at Rolling Loud Miami, Kodak Black was arrested on firearm charges before he could perform. He was arrested by Miami PD and Federal Officers, and faced state and federal charges. This was nearly a month after he was arrested while entering the United States from Canada. Kodak Black was charged with two counts of making a false statement on a governmental form, this apparently stemmed from January 2019, where he lied on the form while attempting to purchase firearms. He filed to use his $600,000 home as collateral for his $500,000 bond for the indictments and was granted the bond, being released. He reportedly faced up to 10 years in prison on the charges, and pleaded not guilty on May 15. Federal prosecutors, however, attempted to revoke Kodak Black's bail, pointing to past violent crimes, such as a 2012 carjacking incident, and his possible connections to a shooting in March 2019. The arrest had the potential to cause his bond in the 2016 South Carolina rape case to be revoked. Federal prosecutors stated that he posed a danger to society due to his long history of criminal acts as well as his repeated violation of past probation rules. Kodak Black's lawyer stated that he voluntarily turned himself in upon hearing of a warrant, and that he was not a danger to society due to the crime being non-violent. It was reported by TMZ
TMZ is a tabloid news website owned by Fox Corporation. It made its debut on November 8, 2005, originally as a collaboration between AOL and Telepictures, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. On September 13, 202 ...
on November 13, 2019, that Kodak Black had taken a plea bargain and had been sentenced to 46 months in prison, a drastically shorter sentence than the 96 months that the courts had been considering as the rapper had been involved in a fight while incarcerated that involved injury to a prison guard.
On March 11, 2020, Kodak Black pleaded guilty to a firearms possession case he was charged with after being detained at the Canadian-American border with a Glock. With the sentencing set for March 24, the court considered between 2 and 7 years in prison, which would run concurrently with his 46-month sentencing for lying on federal paperwork.
In June 2020, Kodak Black was serving his federal sentence at United States Penitentiary, Big Sandy
The United States Penitentiary, Big Sandy (USP Big Sandy) is a high-security United States federal prison for male inmates in unincorporated Martin County, Kentucky, near the city of Inez. It is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a divi ...
, a high-security prison in Inez, Kentucky
Inez ( ) is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Martin County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 546 at the 2020 census.
Geography
Inez is located at (37.866431, -82.539058). According to the United States Census Burea ...
. In October 2020, Kodak Black was transferred to United States Penitentiary, Thomson
The United States Penitentiary, Thomson (USP Thomson), formerly Thomson Correctional Center, is a high-security federal prison located in Thomson, Illinois. It has an area of about and comprises 15 buildings. The facility is enclosed by a , 70 ...
.
On January 19, 2021, President Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
commuted Kodak Black's sentence for his 2020 conviction. Kodak Black still faced charges of criminal sexual assault in Florence, South Carolina, which prosecutors were looking to "aggressively" pursue. On April 28, 2021, Kodak took a plea deal
A plea bargain (also plea agreement or plea deal) is an agreement in criminal law proceedings, whereby the prosecutor provides a concession to the defendant in exchange for a plea of guilt or ''nolo contendere.'' This may mean that the defendant ...
in the alleged sexual assault case and pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of first degree assault and battery, and was sentenced to 18 months of probation.
Kodak failed a drug test in mid-2021, which was a violation of his supervised release terms. He was subsequently ordered by a judge to enter a rehabilitation center for 90 days. He successfully completed the 90 days in December of that year.
On January 1, 2022, he was arrested for trespassing in Pompano Beach, Florida.
On July 15, 2022, Kodak Black's vehicle was stopped by Florida Highway Patrol because the window tint appeared darker than the legal limit. Police detected a smell of marijuana and searched the vehicle, finding a bag with 31 oxycodone
Oxycodone, sold under various brand names such as Roxicodone and OxyContin (which is the extended release form), is a strong, semi-synthetic opioid used medically for treatment of moderate to severe pain. It is highly addictive and a commonly ...
tablets and almost $75,000 in cash. Kodak Black was charged with trafficking in oxycodone and possession of a controlled substance. His driver’s license and vehicle tag were also expired. On July 20, 2022, Kodak was placed on house arrest after his arrest was said to be a violation of his supervised release.
Discography
Studio albums
* ''Painting Pictures
''Painting Pictures'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Kodak Black. It was released on March 31, 2017, by Dollaz N Dealz Entertainment, Sniper Gang and Atlantic Records. Recording sessions took place from 2016 to 2017, at the Pink Hou ...
'' (2017)
* '' Dying to Live'' (2018)
* '' Bill Israel'' (2020)
* ''Back for Everything
''Back for Everything'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Kodak Black. It was released through Atlantic Records on February 25, 2022. The album features a sole guest appearance from Lil Durk, who appears on the fifteenth track, "Take ...
'' (2022)
* ''Kutthroat Bill: Vol. 1'' (2022)
Tours
Headlining
* Dying to Live Tour (2019)
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Black, Kodak
1997 births
Living people
21st-century American criminals
21st-century American male musicians
21st-century American rappers
African-American male rappers
American people convicted of drug offenses
American prisoners and detainees
American rappers of Haitian descent
Atlantic Records artists
Black Hebrew Israelite people
Blanche Ely High School alumni
Mumble rappers
Gangsta rappers
People convicted of making false statements
People from Pompano Beach, Florida
Prisoners and detainees of the United States federal government
Rappers from Florida
Recipients of American presidential pardons
Southern hip hop musicians
21st-century African-American musicians
American people convicted of assault
American hip hop singers
Songwriters from Florida