Angel Ortiz Diamond is learning that pimping really ain’t easy. The 31-year-old Los Angeles rapper, who goes by BenjiBoy Staccs, got arrested last week for felony pimping and pandering charges related to his alleged exploitation of an 18-year-old Orange County woman.
Investigators with the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force began monitoring Diamond’s activities after a relative of the woman tipped them off.
The Task Force brought attention to the fact that Diamond often glorified the world of pimping in his music. A simple YouTube search brings up the song “Pimp,” where Diamond rhymes: All I want to do is pimp / Mama knew I was a pimp / Daddy knew I was a pimp / All I want to do is pimp / Pimp, pimp, pimp, pimp.
Despite years of rapping, Diamond’s music videos only seem to have garnered a few hundred views each. In the past, OC prosecutors have put rap lyrics on trial. Joshua Moore, who went by the stage name Big J-Mo, got convicted of a 1998 Fullerton robbery he didn’t commit despite a lack of any physical evidence tying him to the crime.
Prosecutors leaned heavily on Moore’s gangsta rap rhymes to convince a jury that his art reflected a criminal life. The conviction didn’t stick; two years into a 12 year sentence, the Orange County District Attorney’s office had to admit his innocence when the Weekly drew attention to his case.
For Diamond, authorities contend that he used his social media platform to meet young women at clubs before further luring them into prostitution. The rapper has tens of thousands of followers on an Instagram account set to private.
Diamond pleaded not guilty to the charges and remains in custody at Orange County Jail where he was booked. Investigators are seeking additional victims who may have been exploited by him.
Gabriel San Román is from Anacrime. He’s a journalist, subversive historian and the tallest Mexican in OC. He also once stood falsely accused of writing articles on Turkish politics in exchange for free food from DönerG’s!