The Masked Singer Contestants That Have Been Arrested

The following article mentions drugs, violence, and domestic abuse. 

"The Masked Singer" may have first sounded like a strange idea for a TV show but it turns out the reality singing competition show has actually become quite the hit. For those unfamiliar with the Fox series, this reality show is different from other popular singing competition TV shows in that the contestants are already celebrities but viewers don't know who they are because they are disguised in head-to-toe costumes.

The show is pretty much filled with stars since Nick Cannon hosts, and Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, Nicole Scherzinger, and Robin Thicke all serve as judges. While "The Masked Singer" originally premiered in January 2019, as of early 2022, it was already on its seventh season — presumably because of its popularity. Deadline even reported in Fall 2021 that the series had topped primetime ratings, while TV Series Finale noted in January 2022 that it was Fox's most-watched show.

With that said, it makes sense that celebrities who may need a boost to their careers would sign on to do the family-friendly show in order to have another opportunity to show off their talents in front of a large audience. Of course, when it comes to celebrities who decide to do reality TV, there are bound to be some who have made questionable decisions. In terms of "The Masked Singer," that includes some stars who have gotten caught breaking the law.

With a name like Johnny Rotten, it should come as no surprise that the former Sex Pistols singer has been arrested before. The Season 6 "The Masked Singer" contestant, whose real name is John Lydon, was thrown behind bars in Dublin, Ireland, way back in 1980 following a bar fight. However, Rotten later revealed to The Irish Times that he was pretty much set up, explaining, "I went to a pub and the barman wouldn't serve me. Words were exchanged and the police were called." He added, "I was arrested for attacking a policeman's fist with my face."

Because of his celebrity, Rotten felt that the police made him out to be an even bigger target, beating down his confidence. He even recalled in his memoir, "Anger Is an Energy," how they did that, writing how warders treated him upon arrival. He reflected that the time he spent in jail "was tough — really really tough and hard — and a punishing regime."

While Rotten was originally sentenced to three months of prison, per the Irish Mirror, once he was able to stand trial, he revealed in his book that the judge was able to differentiate discrepancies in the witnesses' statements — leading to his acquittal. He did, however, point out that he was still asked to donate £100 "to the poor box." The whole ordeal apparently did not make Rotten feel welcome in Ireland ever again.

Tyga was Dalmatian on Season 6 of "The Masked Singer," which turned out to be quite ironic since the "Taste" rapper was in the doghouse only one month after his appearance on the show. That's because Tyga, whose real name is Michael Stevenson, was arrested on felony domestic violence charges in October 2021, after his ex-girlfriend, Camaryn Swanson, accused him of assaulting her, per CBS News. Swanson had posted photos of her bruised face and black eye on Instagram, writing, "I've been emotionally, mentally and physically abused and I'm not hiding it anymore."

TMZ reported that on the night of the altercation, Swanson had showed up at Tyga's home at 3 a.m. and began acting hostile and shouting. Once police were called, Tyga apparently refused to speak with them but later turned himself in and posted his $50,000 bond. His rep, ​​Jack Ketsoyan, spoke out after his arrest, claiming, "The allegations ... are false and will be disproven." 

By February 2022, it was determined that Tyga wouldn't face any criminal charges after all, per ET, with the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office noting that he had to avoid any other run-ins with the law. "If not, prosecutors could end up filing misdemeanor charges," they added. It appears that Tyga and Swanson somehow ended up back on good terms too since not only did Radar report that Tyga liked one of Swanson's photos, but according to Urban Landz, the two also celebrated her birthday together in January 2022.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

"The Masked Singer" Season 5 contestant Wiz Khalifa has been arrested a few times over the years, but from the looks of his jail selfie, it doesn't seem like his run-ins with the law have been too serious. It appears that the rapper's first arrest happened while he was on tour back in 2010.  According to Billboard, Wiz had been performing at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina when officers smelled marijuana backstage and charged him with drug possession. 

A few years later, in 2014, the "Young, Wild & Free," singer was arrested for marijuana again but this time it was at El Paso Airport after security allegedly found some pot in his backpack, according to the El Paso Times. Wiz apparently used that jail stint as an opportunity to post his infamous jail selfie and to even promote a song, tweeting, "I wanna drop 28 Grams but they got me [locked] up" and that "they're tryna figure out how many grams I had. How Ironic." 

Wiz had another incident with police at an airport in Los Angeles in 2015, but that time wasn't for drugs, it was because he refused to get off his hoverboard, per The Daily Beast. The rapper tweeted a video of police detaining him for it, and later wrote in another tweet, "Haven't been slammed and cuffed in a while. That was fun." CNN later reported that no charges were actually filed in that case.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Although technically not a contestant on "The Masked Singer," Donnie Wahlberg had quite the serious arrest back in 1991. He portrayed character Cluedle-Doo across several episodes in Season 5.  According to the AP, the New Kids on the Block singer was accused of setting a fire at the historic Seelbach Hotel where the group was staying while on a tour stop in Louisville, Kentucky. The Fire Chief alleged that Wahlberg had poured flammable liquid onto a rug before setting it ablaze. Fortunately, no one was hurt and there wasn't much damage done, but Wahlberg's arson charge carried a 20 year prison sentence.

Wahlberg denied the accusations, saying, ″The report is that I ran down the hall pouring vodka all over the place trying to burn the place down ... There was no vodka, there was no matches ... I didn't even rub two sticks together." Witnesses claimed it all started after Wahlberg had accidentally sprayed a child in the face with a fire extinguisher then got into an argument with the boy's mother. While Wahlberg didn't address that, he did point out, "Why would I want to burn a hotel down? Where's that going to get me except in jail."

Wahlberg's charges were later dropped down to a misdemeanor of criminal mischief that would be dismissed with community service in the form of making public service announcement videos, per UPI. At his hearing he finally expressed remorse, saying, "I would like to apologize ... I definitely accept responsibility for my actions."

Actor Danny Trejo was another Season 5 contestant on "The Masked Singer" who was once accustomed to life in prison, having spent a lot of the 1950's and 1960s behind bars. According to the New York Post, most of Trejo's problems stemmed from his drug addiction, which began when he tried heroin at only age 12.  After spending time in juvenile detentions, Trejo was later sent to state prisons for things like drug possession, drug dealing, and even armed robbery.

Trejo recalled being on death row at age 21 in his memoir, "Trejo," writing, "I said, to myself, 'Danny, you're going to die here.'" Fortunately, Trejo got sober just two years later. He recalled how he turned to God by saying, "If you allow me to die with dignity ... [I will] do everything I can to help my fellow man." Miraculously, he got out.

From there, Trejo became a drug counselor before he stumbled into acting, something he already knew how to do because of his past. He explained, "I'd acted to survive my childhood. I'd acted like I wasn't scared when I was terrified." After successfully breaking into Hollywood, it seems like Trejo has only flourished. He genuinely loved his time on "The Masked Singer," too, telling EW, "I think that's one of the most fun times I've ever had."

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Taylor Dayne was another pop star who appeared on Season 4 of "The Masked Singer" who had a run-in with the law, with her arrest happening in 2008. People reports that the "Tell It to My Heart" singer had initially been charged with a DUI after getting pulled over in Beverly Hills, California. Despite failing a field sobriety test, Dayne was adamant that she didn't drive drunk. 

After a deal with prosecutors, her attorney, Scott Spindel revealed, "We proved to prosecutors that Taylor wasn't driving under the influence, and that alcohol wasn't a factor in this case." Her DUI charge was later dropped to Reckless Driving and she pleaded no contest in a deal with prosecutors that got her just a fine and probation.

Another Season 4 contestant, actor Mickey Rourke, was also arrested for a DUI, but a year before Dayne in 2007. According to Reuters, "The Wrestler" star had been weaving in and out of traffic on a vespa in Miami Beach when he was pulled over and failed a field sobriety test. Despite Rourke's claiming, "I'm not drunk, I didn't even drink that much," officers noted on the arrest report that he had "bloodshot, watery eyes, slurred speech and a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage." However Digital Spy reported those charges may have been dropped since the breathalyzer used during his arrest turned out to be faulty.

Rapper Bow Wow probably won't like that he's on this list since he claims his arrest wasn't valid, but the rapper, who appeared on "The Masked Singer" in Season 3, did get charged with battery in 2019. According to TMZ, Bow Wow had allegedly assaulted his then-girlfriend, "Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta" star Kiyomi Leslie Holden. Holden was also arrested in the incident, since, according to People, the police report stated that "Officers were unable to determine the primary aggressor of the altercation."

Bow Wow's lawyer, Joe Habachy, went on to claim that not only was Bow Wow "wrongfully arrested," but that he was the one "beaten by an out of control intoxicated female." Habachy then noted the rapper's injuries, adding that "Ms. Holden's mugshot ... speaks for itself, despite her allegation to police that she broke a fingernail." Surveillance video from the night of the altercation did, however, show Bow Wow angrily getting in Holden's face inside an elevator.

While Habachy was "confident that the charges against Bow Wow will be dismissed," it's unclear if the case has been resolved. Yet, in 2020, when asked about the arrest, the "My Baby" rapper told People, "We all make our mistakes and you learn from them and you get back on track." He even credited "The Masked Singer" for getting him there, saying, "It's just going to bring a whole new life into it ... and I've been working, and I've just been staying focused."

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

Rapper Lil Wayne is unfortunately all too familiar with being arrested, having served time behind bars multiple times during his music career. ABC News reported that the Season 3 "The Masked Singer" contestant even found himself in New York City's infamous Rikers Island prison for 8 months in 2007 because of drugs and weapons charges. That next year in 2008, Wayne was arrested for drugs and weapons' possession again in Arizona, but went on to only get probation.

However, it was Lil Wayne's 2019 arrest that could have landed him in the big house for a decade since federal authorities found a loaded gun on his private jet. Because Wayne was already a convicted felon, he was charged with illegally possessing a gun and ammunition, which carried a sentence of a maximum of 10 years in federal prison, per CNN. Luckily for Wayne though, he was able to get that pardoned by former President Donald Trump. He tweeted his appreciation for being spared jail time, writing, "I want to thank President Trump for recognizing that I have so much more to give to my family, my art, and my community."

Because of that pardon, Lil Wayne was also free to appear on "The Masked Singer," even if he initially suggested another rapper do the show instead. He told MTV, "I am a fan of the show ... Because of that ... I wanted to get Nicki [Minaj] on there." He added, "They came back and said 'they want you on there.'"

T-Pain may have won Season 1 of "The Masked Singer" but before being named the champion, the "Buy U a Drank" singer had his fair share of run-ins with the law. His first arrest was back in 2007 when T-Pain, whose real name is Faheem Najm, was charged with driving with a suspended license. His spokesperson downplayed the incident, explaining to TMZ that he was "given a few traffic tickets several years ago for minor infractions."

T-Pain's next incident with police happened that same year after he refused numerous requests to cut a concert short in Miami. A witness dished to Baller Status, "They were trying to shorten his show and that he wasn't going for it." They added, "During all that the whole backstage area was blanketed by 20-plus police trying to cut the sound off to stop the show." Once the music was stopped, T-Pain cursed at the officers, who then later pulled the singer out of the van that he tried to leave in. It's unclear if T-Pain faced charges for that incident though.

Things were much more clear when T-Pain was detained in 2018 for bringing a loaded gun to an Atlanta airport since he called the whole thing "an honest mistake," in a now-deleted Instagram post, per Fader. He even clarified, "NO CHARGES. NO ARRESTS. All my guns are legal, registered to me," proving by that point in his career he knew how to get ahead of gossip.

Antonio Brown's time on Season 1 of "The Masked Singer" was already shrouded in controversy in that when he appeared on the show in 2019, he was going through a very public fall out with his former NFL team, The Pittsburgh Steelers. Yet things seemed to only get messier for Brown after the show, since he was arrested in January 2020. Brown was accused of throwing rocks at a moving company truck then assaulting the driver over a payment dispute, according to TMZ.

The former NFL star faced some pretty serious charges of "burglary with assault or battery, burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and criminal mischief" per NBC Sports. Yet, according to NFL.com, Brown decided to accept a plea deal that would keep him out of prison with two years probation, agreeing to community service, an anger management program and a psychological/psychiatric evaluation with treatment if needed. His lawyer explained that he did so, "in consideration of his family and his football career."

As of 2022, Brown isn't active in the NFL, which perhaps gives him more time for reality TV stints like "The Masked Singer."