Rapper DaBaby blasts Charlotte police over marijuana citation

Grammy-nominated rapper DaBaby lashed out at police in Charlotte, N.C., after he was handcuffed and cited for possessing marijuana Monday night. 

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department issued the rapper, whose name is Jonathan Kirk, two citations for possession of less than a half-ounce of marijuana and resisting an officer, according to a Monday statement.  

The citations came hours after the rapper performed a concert in his home city of Charlotte and gave away toys to local children, The Associated Press reported.

Kirk took to social media to criticize the police department.  

“Every time I come here, every time,” Kirk said on his Instagram page, HuffPost reported. “They follow me, they pull us over for no reason, they search our cars, they do everything. They treat us like animals.”

The rapper tweeted Tuesday afternoon that “someone died last night while the police department wasting resources and officers to harass me in attempt to make a bad example out of me. When in reality, i’m the most positive example the city of Charlotte got. Especially for anybody in the streets of Charlotte and the KIDS.” 

“Black Excellence right here in our own city, & they hate it,” he added.

Someone died last night while the police department wasting resources and officers to harass me in attempt to make a bad example out of me. When in reality, i’m the most positive example the city of Charlotte got. Especially for anybody in the streets of Charlotte and the KIDS.

— DaBaby (@DaBabyDaBaby) December 24, 2019

Black Excellence right here in our own city, & they hate it. ‍♂️

— DaBaby (@DaBabyDaBaby) December 24, 2019

Police said officers working outside of Bojangles Arena, the concert venue where Kirk was performing, noticed the smell of marijuana in the van that brought the rapper to the show. They said they approached the vehicle and could see marijuana through the windows using their flashlights, according to the statement from the department.  

Officers waited until Kirk was leaving the concert at approximately 11 p.m. to take action, but he reportedly walked away and refused to speak to them.  

“Officers stated they detained Kirk in handcuffs and indicated they legally searched the vehicle,” the news release said.

“Officers stated they located marijuana in the vehicle and Kirk was transported to another location for the safety and security of Kirk and the officers,” the statement added.

Kirk told reporters that he believes officers searched his car unlawfully while he was onstage, the AP reported. The police department has launched an investigation to probe whether officers followed all stated department procedures.