Credit: Spotify

Earlier this week, it was reported that Troy Ave was involved in a shootout related to the robbery of his friend. However, it’s now claimed that the Brooklyn rapper staged the incident for Instagram clout.

Home security footage showed Ave and celebrity chef, Geoff Cole, stepping out of a car. They’re then approached by a masked man who charges towards Cole, prompting Ave to seemingly fire bullets at the man as he runs off.

Ave looked to fire at least two rounds after the man dropped an apparent weapon. Cole posted the video on his Instagram page, explaining that the incident occurred after Chef Fest in San Diego in June.

“I came home after Celebrating the success of a sold out Chef Fest with Love & support from all over the West Coast! And a hater from the SAME CITY tried 2 take it all away!” he wrote. “This the 2nd time but it WON’T be a 3rd! s/o 2 my BROTHER Ave for Holding it Down in a situation where most woulda RAN or FOLDED.

“I’ll never let the hate stop Me from showing LOVE! Ima keep giving artists OPPORTUNITIES & PLATFORMS, Ima Keep Gettin MONEY. And the ONLY thing im doing different now, is taking this SHOW ON THE ROAD.”

But according to TMZ, the whole thing was staged for social media. Sources with direct contact with the pair claim that the incident was fake, with Ave not firing any rounds and Cole not in danger of being robbed. Police officers in San Diego County also said they received no reports of a shooting or robbery of any kind.

The post is still on Cole’s profile, with over 45,000 likes, but they have yet to comment on claims that it was all staged. Ave became a trending topic in the US, so the alleged hoax went exactly to plan.