Just when we thought Beanie Sigel's problems couldn't get any worse, the Broad Street Bully was arrested on Wednesday morning (August 29), just two weeks before he was scheduled to turn himself in to begin a two-year prison bid for failure to file taxes.
Philadelphia's Action News is reporting that the rapper, whose latest album This Timehit stores on Tuesday, was pulled over after troopers observed his tan Ford Fusion swerving while driving along the Interstate 95 at approximately 3:15 a.m.
Sigel (real name Dwight Grant) wasn't driving the vehicle, but after authorities searched him they reportedly found more than $4,000 in cash, a bottle of codeine syrup with the label scratched off and several prescription pills. Troopers also found a firearm in the center console of the vehicle. The former Roc-A-Fella rapper and the driver, who is being identified as Gerald Andrews, were both arrested and transported to Pennsylvania State Police barracks.
"Obviously we're very disappointed. However, Beanie has done nothing but display the utmost professionalism in all the initiatives related to promotion of his new release," said Chris Schwartz, CEO of Ruffhouse Records, the label where Beans released This Time, in a statement issued to MTV News. "Beanie has obviously been struggling with some personal issues, and we continue to support him now and throughout his impending incarceration."
Beans is scheduled to turn himself in on September 12 to begin a two-year sentence on tax charges. Last week on August 22, Sigel appeared on "RapFix Live" and hinted to host Sway Calloway that he may either delay or avoid his pending prison sentence. "You never know man. I acquired a group of friends in high places that's working on some things for me, so we'll see," he said.
Sig also went on to challenge the tax charges that he did indeed plead guilty too, saying that he believes taxes are illegal. "If I fix your roof and you wanna pay me in 20 pounds of bananas, do you think Uncle Sam wants 45 percent of my bananas?" he said. "But because you paying me $400,000 in currency he wants a part of that, but my mom don't got no brother named Sam, so I don't have no Uncle Sam."