Oakland rapper ChaiBenjii4 sentenced after plea deal in murder case
Popular Oakland rapper ChaiBenjii4 has been sentenced to prison time after beating his murder charge.
The local rapper (real name Michai Adams) accepted a plea deal that saw his homicide charges dismissed, but he was sent to prison for pleading no contest to a single count of illegal gun possession.
According to Mercury News, Chai was sentenced to two years behind bars, with credit for 420 days of time served in jail. As a result, he’s scheduled to be released this summer.
He was taken to North Kern State Prison in Delano, California, and has remained there since February 5th.
Chai was arrested last year after being charged with the murder of 50-year-old Lamar Payne. A shooting took place near an Oakland market, with Payne killed in the middle of gunfire between three people.
The shootout reportedly occurred near E Street and 105th Avenue at around 8pm, with two men shooting at someone who returned fire. A customer inside a nearby corner store ran outside with a gun, but never fired any bullets. Another man driving past suffered injuries after bullets struck his vehicle.
Prosecutors offered Chai a plea deal and murder dismissal in December 2025 after facing up to life in prison. Co-defendant Keyante Reed was released earlier that year.
ChaiBenjii4 has two previous felony convictions for evading police and assault with a deadly weapon, making it illegal for him to carry a firearm.
The rapper released his last album, Da Biggest SOG, in July 2025, with features from EBK Jaaybo, Lul Freezum, EBK Leebo, and ReeBenjii3k0.
His biggest song, ‘ZipZip’, has over a million views on YouTube. Other big songs include ‘LLSOS’ with 766,000 views and ‘Everybody Count’, which has 494,000 views.