On Saturday (6.11) in Queens, New York, Roddy Ricch was formally arrested on weapons charges.
Some 45 minutes after Ricch’s scheduled 6:30 p.m. set at the Governors Ball, with the rapper a no-show, organizers of the annual event tweeted, “Unfortunately Roddy Ricch is no longer performing today.” While festival officials did not go into detail about the last minute cancellation, rumors soon circulated that the rapper was arrested prior to his set.
According to the New York Daily News, the superstar rapper (born Rodrick Moore, Jr) and two associates were at nearby Flushing Meadows Corona Park when police searched their vehicle at a security checkpoint. At 6:20 p.m. police discovered a loaded firearm, additional ammo and a large capacity magazine, TMZ reported.
In a statement to Rolling Stone, a NYPD spokesperson confirmed that the arrest took place over the weekend, adding that charges were pending. By Sunday, Ricch, the driver Carlos Collins and bodyguard Michael Figueroa, were each charged with four counts, including criminal possession of a weapon, possession of a large capacity ammo feeding device and unlawful possession of that device.
“The reason we do this checkpoints is for expressly this purpose. We don’t want people introducing guns in this venue,” an NYPD official told New York Post Sunday.
Roddy Ricch is the latest rapper in recent years to get arrested en route to a New York music festival. In October 2021, Fetty Wap was apprehended at the Rolling Loud hip-hop fest at Citi Field on federal drug charges. During the 2019 iteration of Rolling Loud, also at Citi Field, five New York-based rappers — including the late Pop Smoke — were last-minute removals from the lineup after they were deemed “public safety concerns” by the NYPD. “The above listed performers have been associated with recent acts of violence citywide,” NYPD Assistant Chief Martin Morales warned. “The New York City Police Department believes if these individuals are allowed to perform, there will be a higher risk of violence.”
At press time Roddy Roch remains in custody at Queens Central Booking awaiting arraignment on the charges.
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Author: Saul Goode
Photo: Fhones OC