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The year 2016 was a big one for Lil Uzi Vert, as it was then that they started to break through and find some popularity for the first time. On the other hand, it was also a year in which they got into serious trouble with the law in dramatic circumstances.

It was Lil Uzi’s third mixtape that first brought them so much attention in 2016. The tape, Lil Uzi Vert vs the World, was really successful, entering the Billboard 200 album chart at number 37. It stayed in the top 200 for just over a year, securing 55 weeks in total and eventually being certified as double platinum. For someone who’d never charted before, this was a great result.

Lil Uzi sought to secure their place in the public’s mind with a joint tour alongside Kodak Black, which kicked off in May 2016. They were soon beginning to appear in prominent hip-hop media, while a fourth mixtape, The Perfect LUV Tape, was released at the end of July, on their 22nd birthday. Clearly there was a desire to make hay while the sun was shining.

The Perfect LUV Tape did fairly well, too, but Lil Uzi and their team were eager to release more music before the year was out. A collaborative mixtape with Gucci Mane, 1017 vs the World, dropped in November, with a solo studio album, Lil Uzi’s first, being announced days later.

This album, Luv Is Rage 2, was ultimately subject to delays, meaning it didn’t get released until the summer of 2017. But while that album had to wait until the following year, it could hardly be said that Lil Uzi Vert hadn’t been prolific throughout 2016. A lot of music had been released.

But while they were building a successful career for themselves, problems in their private life threatened to derail things. At the end of the year, in December, Lil Uzi and a friend of theirs were arrested and charged in Atlanta. Their alleged crime? Reckless driving on a dirtbike.

The pair had allegedly been observed by police officers mounting sidewalks on their bikes, criss-crossing lanes of traffic without signalling as appropriate, and driving up a street in the wrong direction. On top of everything else, they weren’t wearing helmets and didn’t have their lights on.

A chase ensued, with the cops trying to put an end to the pair’s dangerous joyride. This reportedly led Lil Uzi to slip off their bike at one stage, before they then tried to flee on foot. They didn’t make it very far, and they, and their friend, were duly captured.

Nearly a year after this wild incident, the case was eventually resolved. While Lil Uzi had faced jail time as a result of the multitude of charges against them, only one led to any real consequences. They received 80 hours of community service, while they also had to pay a fine of $1,000. Given that this crucial early period of their career, avoiding jail time could be considered a big win.