Rappers Who Had Their Chains Snatched Over the Years

Toward the end of his legendary “Knuck If U Buck” freestyle, Lil Wayne playfully shoots down the notion of anyone snatching the chain off his neck. “I’ll be damned, mama, they know who I am, mama,” he raps in the verse. “I’m still your little boy, but to them, I’m the man, mama.”

There’s a reason why those seemingly straightforward lyrics featuring a mock conversation between Weezy and his mom are still quoted to this day. In the rap world, being “The Man” means the streets respect a rapper enough that he (or she) can wear their chain anywhere with little to no consequences arriving at their doorstep.

In mid-November of 2021, Lil Tjay was captured on camera appearing to be in a brawl on the streets of London following a show. Rumors spread that the fight was caused by someone attempting to take the Bronx rapper’s jewelry. Not wanting that speculation attached to his name, he quickly hopped on Instagram to set the record straight. “If a nigga really tried to take my chain, it would have been a lot of those right there,” he said in the video clip while police cruisers coincidentally rode by. “I ain’t gon’ lie.”

In this world, few things are as symbolically deflating as getting a chain snatched. A rapper can be a mix of Frank Lucas, Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff and Optimus Prime, but their growing legend can be demystified instantly by the casually merciless hands of opportunistic goons.

After all, no matter how many cars or social media followers a rapper has, they’re still just as vulnerable to a bullet as the next man, and someone stealing a rapper’s chain rings in a sobering reality for both them and their legions of fans alike.

In 2017, Fetty Wap found his belongings in the clutches of anonymous chain-snatchers. The thing is, the alleged chain-snatcher was more brazen than he was unidentifiable, and his extremely bold choice to post a photo of himself onto Instagram wearing Fetty’s chain led to his prompt arrest.

Unfortunately, these chain-snatchings aren’t really all that rare, and there are probably even more than we know about in the rap game. With that said, XXL takes a look at several rappers who have gotten their chains snatched over the years. From Fetty to Tyga, Quavo and more, you can learn the stories behind these robberies by peeping our gallery below.