Who is Nino Paid? All about Maryland rapper who faces stealing charges and arrest in hometown

Tramlines 2025 - Source: Getty
Maryland Rapper Nino Paid Arrested - Source: Getty

Nino Paid, a rising rapper out of Maryland, was arrested this week in his hometown, and the news has left fans confused and talking. The 23-year-old, whose real name is Jacquan Andrews, was taken into custody in Prince George’s County. For someone who’s built a name off raw lyrics and real-life struggles, this development hits close to the themes he’s always rapped about.

Nino Paid’s been one of those names quietly making waves over the past two years. Tracks like Pain & Possibilities in 2023 got him noticed, and by 2024, he had dropped Can’t Go Bacc, followed by Love Me as I Am earlier this year. Both projects were praised for being honest, emotional, and rooted in survival. XXL even named him to their 2025 Freshman Class not long ago.


Nino Paid arrested in Maryland

The news broke online before any official word came out. On Thursday, July 24, a photo started making rounds on X and Instagram showing Nino Paid being taken into custody. No one really knew what was going on at first. Then on Friday, XXL stated through police records that he’d reportedly been arrested for two charges: unlawful taking of a motor vehicle and theft of property worth between $25,000 and $100,000.

He was released the same day on his own recognizance, and his court date has been set for September 26. As of now, neither his team nor the authorities have shared anything more.

Fans are split. Some are saying this doesn’t line up with how he’s been moving lately, while others are just waiting for the facts. What’s added fuel to the fire is that the U.S. Marshals were involved in a detail that’s left a lot of people wondering just how serious the case might be.

Nino Paid’s no stranger to legal trouble. He’s spoken in interviews and in his songs about spending time in juvenile detention for robbery and auto theft. But it’s that very past that gave his music its edge and helped him connect with listeners who’ve gone through the same.

Right now, things are in limbo. No one knows if this arrest is tied to something new or an old case that’s come back around. What’s clear is that this could either slow him down or become another chapter in the story he’s already been telling through his music.

Edited by Sohini Biswas