A former rapper and reality star cursed at police and used racist language against an officer after he was arrested last month, according to newly released body cam footage.
The video shows Raymond “Benzino” Scott screaming anti-Asian slurs against one of the arresting officers as he was taken to jail for allegedly missing a court date.
Officers with the Brookhaven Police Department arrested Scott outside of his home on June 22. The rapper, producer and former cast member on Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta has had multiple run-ins with law enforcement over the years.
Police noticed Scott’s car blocking traffic on Durden Road near Blackburn Park around 11 a.m. and decided to approach, according to a report obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Scott drove away and into a nearby apartment complex, but by then the officers had performed a search on his license plate and discovered there was a warrant for his arrest, police said.
» Read the full arrest report for Raymond ‘Benzino’ Scott
The officers were identified in the report as Travis Nguyen and Andrea Serrano.
The report said Scott became argumentative after an officer explained that the warrant was issued after he failed to appear in Brookhaven Municipal Court for a previous ticket for driving without proof of insurance.
“He kept saying it was harassment because of his race,” the report said.
The body cam footage was uploaded to YouTube by the account Real World Police and confirmed by Brookhaven police. The AJC decided not to post the video or provide a link because the language used is too graphic.
Scott began by telling officers he had stopped on Durden Road to drop off his son, and he said he had no knowledge of a prior ticket issued in the city.
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After he was put in handcuffs and placed in the back of a squad car, Scott dropped a stream of expletives and screamed racist slurs that have been used against Asian people. He alternated between insulting the officers, asking for more air-conditioning and threatening legal action.
“I didn’t do nothing, and I swear to God if that ticket ain’t valid” a lawsuit will be filed, Benzino yelled.
Nguyen’s body camera remained active as he drove Scott to the DeKalb County jail, recording his voice from the backseat.
According to DeKalb County jail records, Scott was booked around 1 p.m. and released about five hours later.
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A spokesman for the Brookhaven Police Department said he would not comment about the arrest, or Scott’s claim that he was the one who was racially targeted.
“We will not be issuing a statement on this incident,” Officer Carlos Nino said in an email. “The video speaks for itself.”
Scott pleaded guilty earlier this year to drug charges out of Cobb County and was sentenced to two years of probation, documents show.
Asked how the arrest in Brookhaven could impact his probation status, Cobb District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Kim Isaza said: “I believe the Department of Community Supervision is aware of his arrest and is reviewing the case.”
Efforts to reach Scott or a spokesperson were unsuccessful.
Scott appeared on Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta for the first three seasons of the popular VH1 show. Previously, in addition to his music career, he co-owned the culture magazine The Source and founded the publication Hip Hop Weekly in 2006.
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