Rappers the Feds Were Really Watching
2 Chainz wrote a song about it, but these MCs lived it.
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Rappers Who Were Really Watched By the Feds - This summer is looking to have its first hip hop anthem in the new 2 Chainz banger "Feds Watching," produced by Pharrell. Touching on the theme of a rapper being peeped by federal law enforcement, the track falls right in line with the life of several MCs who've been watched, arrested or simply chastised by the feds. Click on for rappers who've had federal troubles. (Photos from left: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images, John Ricard / BET, John Ricard / BET)
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Ja Rule - In 2005, the Feds were looking to charge rapper Ja Rule and two of his bodyguards with, among other things, conspiracy to commit murder. This after two men were shot following a party at a Manhattan night club, and the car Ja was in was seen leaving the crime scene immediately after the shots were fired. (Photo: REUTERS/Marc A. Hermann/Pool)
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Young Jeezy - If Young Jeezy isn't currently the "Snowman" he was surely about to be charged with being one in 2008 when cops busted two guys working for the drug gang Black Mafia Family for dealing cocaine. Jeezy was implicated in the case when one of the suspects tagged the rapper as one of the gang's drug distributors. (photo: John Ricard / BET).
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T.I. - T.I. was in the Feds' sites in 2007 after allegedly purchasing unregistered machine guns and silencers just hours before he was to perform at the BET Hip Hop Awards. (Photo: Courtesy of The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department)
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Lil Boosie - While serving a 10-year bid at Angola State Prison, Lil Boosie was indicted along with two associates on federal charges of attempting to smuggle codeine into the prison. (Photo: East Baton Rouge Sherrif's Department)
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N.W.A - If anyone took N.W.A seriously when they put out the anti-cops anthem "F--- tha Police," it was the F.B.I. The agency sent a letter to Los Angeles-based Priority Records, which distributed N.W.A.'s music, saying that the group's music encourage violence and disrespect against law enforcement. (Photo: Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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Ra Diggs - Ra Diggs, a Brooklyn rapper in a group with Uncle Murda and Waka Flock Flame, was arrested and charged in a federal indictment for dealing drugs in 2010. (Photo: VANGOD ENTERTAINMENT)
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Mac Dre - The late rapper Mac Dre may be in hip hop heaven, but the label he founded, Thizz Entertainment, was still in the feds's bulls-eye when its CEO and several rap artists were busted for dealing ecstacy in 2011. (Photo: Courtesy Thizz Records)
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Swizz Beatz - When the feds shut down (and pressed charges against) the music file sharing company Megaupload, law enforcement had no problem saying they were really after Swizz, who was listed as the company's CEO. (photo: John Ricard / BET).
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DJ Drama - DJ Drama was arrested and charged with (music) piracy after the RIAA and a SWAT team raided his studio and confiscated more than 50,000 CDs, recording equipment, and his car. (Photo: John Ricard / BET)