Rapper iHeartMemphis Arrested After Dramatic SWAT Standoff in Florida

Published 1 hour ago2 minute read
Precious Eseaye
Precious Eseaye
Rapper iHeartMemphis Arrested After Dramatic SWAT Standoff in Florida

Rapper iHeartMemphis, born Richard Maurice Colbert and formerly known as iLoveMemphis, was arrested in Plantation, Florida, on Tuesday, February 10, following a peculiar standoff with local law enforcement and SWAT team members. The incident culminated in his apprehension around 3:45 a.m. ET, after he had barricaded himself inside a home he was reportedly renting.

According to reports from NBC6, the artist, best known for his 2015 hit single “Hit the Quan,” livestreamed a portion of his interactions with authorities on Instagram while inside the residence. Law enforcement had initially attempted to detain Colbert on Monday but were unsuccessful, necessitating the call for a SWAT team. Jail records confirm that iHeartMemphis was booked on charges of written threats to kill and resisting an officer without violence.

During the standoff, captured partly by TMZ from his Instagram livestream, iHeartMemphis was seen insulting various members of law enforcement. A Tesla vehicle also appeared to have been crashed through the garage door of the home. Comments made by Colbert during the livestream included, “Get away from my house. I don’t need help, I need water. Not Coca-Cola, not f—ing AIDS and red meats. I’m God. Look at me walk across this f—ing grass. I’m fast like lightning, I will speed off on your cracker a–.” When questioned if he harbored thoughts of harming himself or others, the 32-year-old rapper vehemently denied it, stating, “No, what the f— I’m gonna do that for. No stupid [expletive]. I don’t want to hurt nobody or myself. I am not Kanye.”

Hank VanBaalen, president of the Homeowners Association, commented to NBC6, “There’s a rapper that was renting this house, and apparently he was having some kind of an episode.” He also mentioned receiving a call from a neighbor indicating police had returned to the property on Monday. iHeartMemphis’s breakout song, “Hit the Quan,” was inspired by Rich Homie Quan’s dance from his “Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh)” music video. The track achieved significant success, reaching No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, and subsequently led to a record deal with Barry Weiss/SONGS Music Publishing’s indie label, RECORDS, later in 2015. Billboard has reached out to the Plantation Police Department for further comment on the incident.

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