Billstax (46, real name Shin Dong-yeol), a rapper known from Mnet's "Show Me the Money" who previously performed under the name Basco, has been indicted on charges of purchasing and smoking marijuana — his third drug-related indictment, following earlier cases in 2006 and 2018.
According to legal sources, the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office indicted Billstax on Friday on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act. He is accused of purchasing marijuana and marijuana-infused gummies from a drug dealer in his 30s, identified only as B, at a club near Hongdae in Seoul in November last year and smoking them.
He is also suspected of purchasing and smoking marijuana from a separate dealer in August this year, according to sources. The case has been assigned to the 12th Criminal Division of Suwon District Court.
The charges against Billstax emerged during an investigation into B. B was indicted in custody last July on charges of growing marijuana and producing marijuana gummies at his home from August 2024 through June this year.
A government joint investigative task force on drug crimes uncovered evidence that Billstax and one other buyer had purchased and used marijuana while pursuing additional charges against B. Investigators searched Billstax's home in August and found substances believed to be marijuana and liquid marijuana; a preliminary drug test also returned a positive result for marijuana, according to sources.
Billstax's agency, Skkeoleo Gang Business, issued an official statement Wednesday, saying Billstax "was recently indicted on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act." The agency said he "has faithfully cooperated with police and prosecutors' investigations" and that he "takes seriously and deeply regrets the fact that he has repeated the same mistake."
However, the agency said "some recent reports contain information that does not reflect the facts," adding that "some content unrelated to the artist has been reported as part of the charges." It asked for "careful reporting so that unverified information does not spread further," without specifying which claims it considered inaccurate.
The agency added that it "deeply feels the weight of having failed to fulfill its responsibility to look after the artist."
Billstax was first indicted without detention in 2006 on charges of smoking marijuana. In 2018, he was indicted on charges of smoking marijuana and using ecstasy and cocaine from 2015 onward, and was sentenced to one year and six months in prison, suspended for two years.
Since then, Billstax has publicly advocated for the legalization of marijuana. In 2019, he drew criticism after posting on SNS text message exchanges with the detective who had investigated him, including the detective's name and precinct.
When he released his fifth studio album "DETOX" in 2020, he said, "By my own standards, marijuana is not a drug, and I found it frustrating that society labels it as one without any reflection." He added, "I hope that medical marijuana, which is already legal, will be further deregulated as soon as possible so that everyone can benefit from it. I also want to see recreational use legalized."
In South Korea, a 2018 revision to the Narcotics Control Act permitted limited use of medical marijuana. Recreational marijuana remains illegal.
Billstax debuted in 2004 with his first studio album "The Genesis" under the name Basco. He gained wider recognition after appearing on "Show Me the Money 3" in 2014 and changed his stage name to Billstax in 2016.
dbsdn1110@heraldcorp.com
