Brooklyn rapper turned podcast notable, Math Hoffa was approached and handcuffed on South Beach on Saturday, December 26th for allegedly sipping on an alcoholic beverage in public.
While streaming live with three male battle rap fans – one who looks remarkably like another one of the culture’s leading sports analysts Showtime SP – (the nobody that knows bodies), thee officers in bulletproof vests aggressively restrained that 6’3 Kings County resident.
Math Hoffa, after conceding to one of the gentlemen that he believes New Jersey rapper Arsonal should be on the Mt. Rushmore of battle rap, asks as the police move in, “Who are they rolling up on?”
The African-American cop sizes up the SP doppelganger and inquires if he is “on live” before moving out of view and seizing the man. Math tries to dissuade the law enforcement rep, without knowing that he was also in target for what seems to be harassment.
Another officer, off-camera, asks if a drink belonged to the popular emcee and he denied it. Then yet another cop, totaling two, arrested him while the stream was airing live. You can hear them say, “You getting locked up,” as a stout little officer reaches for the phone to stop the filming. The live video is below.
According to the Miami Herald, public drinking in the streets of South Beach (or any part of the municipality) and excessive rabble-rousing is strictly prohibited.
Last year, in April 2019, the City Commission passed a number of restrictions that have heightened policing substantially in efforts to tame the sometimes reckless nightlife of young people. Also according to Miami, Florida – Code of Ordinances Chapter 4 – ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, “Consuming alcoholic beverages on the public streets, in vacant lots, or in places solely licensed to vend alcoholic beverages for consumption off the premises is unlawful and strictly prohibited.”
“Alcoholic beverages means beer, wine, liquor, and any other beverage as defined in and regulated by Title XXXIV of the Florida Statutes, as amended.”
“Every violation of the laws of the state relating to the sale of alcoholic beverages is hereby specifically made a violation of this chapter with the same force and effect as if the provisions of such laws were fully set forth herein.”
While so much of the world has experienced a huge upheaval in 2020, Hoffa (whose real name is Justin Edwards) has been growing his empire exponentially.
His podcast styled talk show, “My Expert Opinion,” is still blue hot, and with the onset of COVID-19, and his “Read Between the Lines” spinoff has also caught fire.
But the most massive come up is his mixed-industry one round battle series, “Legends Only.” With two classic battles featuring Method Man and Nicky Jams, he came in with an extremely styled offering that puts a big name commercial rapper against one from the community that made him a “legend.”
Before 5-0 snatched him up, he spoke about the “hate” he was receiving after dropping the news that he and DJ Vlad will be starting a battle league. No word regarding his release.