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Lil Tjay posted bond on his disorderly conduct charge in connection to the non-deadly shooting of Offset outside the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida, and the Bronx native had some harsh words for the Migos rapper when leaving Broward County Jail custody while speaking to reporters on Tuesday (April 7).
NBC caught up with the “Calling My Phone” rapper on his way out of the Florida jail, where he called Offset a “rat” and threatened the Atlanta native.
Tjay recalled the scene of Monday’s (April 6) shooting. “The last thing I seen was Offset looking at me like this, ‘Yo, that n—a shot me. That n—a shot me.’ La la la. N—a is a rat. n—a is a rat. I don’t do no damn fighting,” he said, before being asked if he was the one to shoot Offset. “I didn’t do no damn fighting. Did I shoot Offset? That s–t is crazy.”
Tjay continued to taunt Set: “I’ll slap the s–t out of Offset. He would never play with me like that in his life.”
Reporters peppered Lil Tjay with questions regarding speculation that Offset owed him money. “Ask Offset,” he deferred.
Lil Tjay (born Tione Merritt) was arrested and booked late Monday on disorderly conduct charges at Broward County Jail with a $500 bond.
A spokesperson for the Seminole Police Department relayed to Billboard that one person had been charged “in connection with the incident that took place Monday night at a valet area outside of Seminole Hard Rock.”
The police later identified the individual charged was in fact Tjay and explained that “the incident began with an affray, or fight. Merritt was booked into the Broward County Jail late last night.”
However, Tjay’s lawyer, Dawn Florio, labeled the reports associating Tjay with the Offset shooting as “false rumors.”
“Lil Tjay has not been shot, nor has Lil Tjay been charged with any shooting,” she said. “Any reporting to the contrary is false. We encourage people to consult trusted news sources, and to verify the accuracy of any reporting, before reflexively sharing or repeating baseless rumors.”
The Seminole Police Department said that two individuals were detained and an investigation remains ongoing. Authorities never identified Tjay as a triggerman in the Offset shooting.
Offset (real name Kiari Cephus) was shot in the valet area outside the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, on Monday. He was hospitalized and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
“We can confirm Offset was shot and is currently at the hospital receiving medical care,” a rep for Offset told Billboard. “He is stable and being closely monitored.” Offset was photographed by TMZ in a hospital gown outside Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood while smoking.
On the music side, Lil Tjay is in album mode and is set to release his They Just Ain’t You album on May 1. He’s already released singles like “First Time, “Can’t Change” and “Letter to My Block.” Tjay has five previous entries on the Billboard 200.
Billboard has reached out to Lil Tjay and Offset’s reps for comment. Watch the video of Tjay leaving custody below.
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