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While 2024 has been an entertaining year for music, with fans engaging with new releases and attending iconic festivals, some of the biggest artists in the industry made headlines after being arrested for mixed reasons.
From surprising lawsuits to controversial allegations, 2024 was proof that even the biggest superstars aren't immune to legal troubles. Whether it was viral mugshots or entertaining courtroom moments, the music world was reminded that celebrity status doesn't elevate an artist above the law.
10 popular artists who were arrested in 2024
From Lil Durk to Justin Timberlake, popular artists known for dominating Billboard's music charts, found themselves at the center of legal drama that captivated audiences on social media platforms.
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While this feature includes softer legal issues and civil lawsuits, a few arrests include serious criminal allegations which include murder, domestic violence, s*xual assault, driving while intoxicated, and more. Below is a list of 10 artists who were arrested this year.
1) Blueface
Rapper Blueface was arrested on January 12, 2024, for violating his probation from a 2021 assault charge. He was later sentenced to seven months at the Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles.
In August, while still serving time in jail, Blueface was sentenced to an additional four years in prison for violating another probation from a 2022 Los Angeles shooting case.
A little over two years ago, the artist was booked for allegedly attacking a bouncer at Skinny's Lounge, in California. According to HNHH, Blueface claimed he intends to be released in July 2025.
2) 6ix9ine
Tekashi 6ix9ine was arrested on October 29, 2024, after his probation officer complained the rapper failed drug tests and reportedly ignored rules regarding his travel restrictions.
The Brooklyn artist was served a 45-day jail sentence for violating release terms, that stem from his 2020 release from the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods Rico case, where he pleaded guilty to engaging in violence with the gang.
Judge Paul A. Engelmayer imposed his new sentence, which also includes 30 days of home incarceration and 30 days of curfew following his release on December 12, 2024.
3) Diddy
Bad Boy Records CEO Sean "Diddy" Combs was arrested on September 16, following several allegations and lawsuits accusing him of multiple criminal charges.
His arrest came several months after Homeland Security and federal agents raided his Miami and Los Angeles mansions as part of a reported s*x trafficking investigation.
In an unsealed 14-page indictment, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York revealed that the artist was charged with s*x trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Prosecutors also alleged that Sean Combs engaged in forced labor, kidnapping, bribery, arson, s*xual assault, and other crimes, all of which he has denied, with the music mogul entering a "not guilty plea" on September 17, 2024.
While the Bad Boy Records CEO has denied all charges and allegations, he was refused bail and will remain behind bars till he faces trial on May 5, 2025.
4) Lil Durk
Chicago rapper Lil Durk, born Durk Devontay Banks, was arrested on October 24, 2024, over a "murder-for-hire" charge in connection with a 2022 assassination attempt on rapper Quando Rondo, at a Los Angeles gas station.
While Quando Rondo survived the encounter, his cousin Saviay’a Robinson (a.k.a Lul Pab) was hit multiple times, succumbing to his injuries. According to court documents, prosecutors are accusing Durk Banks of allegedly placing a bounty on Quando as retaliation for the murder of his label's signee King Von in 2020.
Four years ago, King Von was shot and killed outside an Atlanta hookah bar, when Timothy "Lul Timm" Leeks opened fire on the OTF (Only The Family) artist following a physical encounter with Quando Rondo.
At the same time of his arrest, federal authorities arrested five other Chicago men, Kavon London Grant, Deandre Dontrell Wilson, Keith Jones, David Brian Lindsey, and Asa Houston, with alleged connections to Durk's record label and Quando Rondo's assassination attempt.
According to prosecutors, OTF supposedly funded their flights to Los Angeles in 2022. Lil Durk was reportedly arrested on his way to the airport, intending to board a private jet to Italy.
The All My Life artist is currently in federal custody, facing additional charges of carrying and using firearms including a machine gun, possession of firearms in a crime that resulted in death, and conspiracy.
On December 12, Durk Banks was denied bail, after his legal team proposed a $3.3 million bond package. The artist will remain behind bars until his trial, which is currently scheduled for January 7, 2025, as confirmed by the US Attorney’s Office.
5) Killer Mike
Less than an hour after his massive night at the 2024 Grammy Awards, Killer Mike was arrested on February 5 at the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles. An LAPD spokesperson confirmed the rapper was booked for "misdemeanor battery".
According to reports from the night, a supposed altercation between Killer Mike and a female security guard allegedly broke out because he and his entourage were denied entry into a specific area within the arena.
While it's unclear why he was denied access, the security guard was seemingly knocked to the ground sustaining injuries to her hand. A few hours after his arrest, Killer Mike was released from police custody without being charged.
"There was some confusion around which door my team and I should enter. We experienced an overzealous security guard," Killer Mike stated following his arrest.
6) Dougie B
On September 5, upcoming rapper Dougie B was arrested, along with four associates, and charged with two robberies. According to early reports, these five individuals were accused of robbing a man at gunpoint on August 27, 2024.
All men were arrested following a second robbery where they stole $500 from a man's digital wallet while holding him at knifepoint. Dougie B is currently being held without bail and could potentially be facing 25 years in prison if convicted.
7) Sean Kingston
Artist Sean Kingston, known for the commercial success of his widely acclaimed debut single Beautiful Girls, was arrested on May 23, 2024, alongside his mother, 61-year-old Janice Turner.
Both individuals were indicted in July, in South Florida, on federal charges of committing over $1 million worth of wire fraud. Prosecutors accuse Kingston and Turner of scheming to defraud victims by purchasing high-end luxury goods and vehicles with the use of fraudulent documents.
According to their indictment, both parties had allegedly claimed to have made wire transfers for the purchase of luxury items, seemingly keeping over $1 million worth of products despite not making any payments for them. The reported list of items stolen has been provided below:
- Close to $500,000 in jewelry
- Over $200,000 from Bank of America
- $160,000 from a Cadillac Escalade dealer
- Over $100,000 from First Republic Bank
- $86,000 from the maker of customized beds.
Both individuals were released from police custody after posting a combined total of $260,000 in bail. On August 29, Kingston and Turner appeared in federal court, in Fort Lauderdale, where a judge scheduled their trial to initiate on March 24, 2025.
"We look forward to addressing these [charges] in court and are confident of a successful resolution for Sean and his mother," Their Attorney Robert Rosenblatt shared.
8) Travis Scott
Rapper Travis Scott, known for his highly energetic live performances and chart-topping albums, was reportedly arrested twice this year, with both cases being dismissed shortly after being taken into custody.
The artist was first arrested on June 20 after Miami Beach Police responded to a marina call from the captain of a private vessel, who claimed Travis Scott was getting aggressive with him and his passengers.
Police officials claim the rapper was intoxicated and trespassing, arresting him for supposedly causing a disturbance at the bay. However, a few hours after being detained, the rapper was released from Miami-Dade County Jail, posting a $650 bond.
On August 30, all charges were dropped, with Travis' attorney, Bradford Cohen, releasing a statement to TMZ stating:
"After arguing the motion to dismiss and the state realizing that there was no path to maintaining the charge, they decided to drop the case in its entirety. Although not a serious charge, and one that should not have been filed, we are pleased with the result."
While his drunk and disorderly charge was being processed, he was arrested again on August 9, 2024, after reportedly getting into a physical altercation with his bodyguard at the George V luxury hotel, in Paris.
The rapper was booked on "violence against another person" but was subsequently released the following day without any charges. The city's prosecution reportedly dismissed the case due to a lack of evidence.
9) Justin Timberlake
On June 18, singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake was arrested in Sag Harbour, New York, after supposedly running a stop sign. Police officials booked the artist for driving while intoxicated, with court filings suggesting his eyes were "bloodshot and glassy".
Justin reportedly veered out of his lane and performed poorly on all sobriety tests. The artist appeared in court the same day and was later released from custody after pleading guilty to impaired driving.
The presiding judge sentenced Timberlake to a $500 fine and $260 surcharge, as well as 25 hours of community service at an NGO of his choice.
10) Morgan Wallen
Billboard chart-topping country singer Morgan Wallen was arrested on April 8, 2024, for reportedly throwing a chair from the roof of a chief's bar in Nashville, Tennessee.
The artist was arrested and charged with three counts of reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon and one count of disorderly conduct, with police officials claiming the chair landed a yard from where they were standing.
While it's unclear why Morgan decided to throw furniture from a six-story bar, witnesses alleged he was laughing after the incident. The country singer posted a $15,250 bond and was released from custody shortly after his arrest.
On December 12, Morgan Wallen pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment, rather than felony reckless endangerment. A Nashville judge sentenced the artist to spend seven days in a DUI education center, approving a suspended sentence of 11 months and 29 days.
The remainder of his sentence will reportedly be served under supervised probation, with the effective sentence amounting to two years. Shortly after his release, Morgan issued a statement on social media stating:
"I’ve touched base with Nashville law enforcement, my family, and the good people at Chief’s. I’m not proud of my behavior, and I accept responsibility. I have the utmost respect for the officers working every day to keep us all safe."
More recently, rapper Young Thug was finally released from jail on October 31, 2024, after pleading guilty to gang, drug, and gun-related charges, stemming from the YSL RICO Trial.
The rapper was arrested on May 9, 2022, and remained behind bars for the entirety of his criminal proceedings, which has been deemed the longest-running criminal trial in the state of Georgia.
