Foogiano has been arrested in Memphis.
According to inmate records obtained by XXL, the 1017 Records artist, born Kwame Brown, was arrested and booked at the Shelby County Jail in Memphis today (March 11). Foogiano has been charged with being a fugitive from justice without a warrant.
It's unclear why Foogiano, who's from Greensboro, Ga., was in Memphis, but it could be in connection to the memorial held for the brother of his 1017 Records label mate, Pooh Shiesty, who is from Memphis. Pooh's brother recently died from brain cancer, a rep for the rising rhymer confirmed to XXL.
Based on a report in the Athens-Banner Herald on Dec. 29, 2020, Foogiano was wanted in Georgia's Greenboro County after allegedly removing his court-ordered ankle monitor and disappearing for two weeks. Following his disappearance, it is presumed that a warrant was outstanding for the Gutta Baby rapper.
According to the local report, the 27-year-old rhymer was given an ankle monitor and ordered to stay in his home state of Georgia after being arrested for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in Barrow County, Ga. on Dec. 6, 2020. The arrest was a violation of his probation stemming from a prior burglary conviction.
Foogiano was released from Greene County Jail on Dec. 14, 2020, after appearing in Greene County Superior Court on a $50,000 cash bond after violating his probation. However, a Georgia Department of Community Service officer received notice the same day Foogiano was released that his monitor was being tampered with. The Herald-Journal reports that the ankle bracelet was found on the side of a highway in Barrow County, Ga. with straps that appeared to be "melted off."
Greene County is about an hour from Barrow County, where he was initially arrested. As for what prompted the Dec. 14, 2020 arrest, a Barrow County sheriff's deputy apparently stopped Foogiano's 2006 Chrysler 300 for a faulty brake light and too dark-tinted windows on his vehicle. A man from Greensboro, Ga. was driving the car while Foogiano was a passenger in the back seat. Law enforcement reportedly smelled marijuana and conducted a car search, in which they recovered a Glock 19 9mm pistol with an attached Viridian laser light near where the rapper was sitting. A large amount of money was found as well.
Once police determined that Foogiano is a convicted felon, he was questioned about the firearm and reportedly told the officer that "he said he is a famous rapper and must have a gun because rappers get shot."
Two other individuals were in the car: a woman from Mississippi and another Greensboro, Ga. man. They both were let go. The driver had a gun as well, but was not prohibited from carrying.
Foogiano, a rising Georgia rapper known for his hit single "Molly," released his project Gutta Baby, last year. Most recently, he appears on the track "I Know" with 42 Dugg and TG Kommas.
XXL has reached out to a rep for Foogiano for a comment.
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