LIVERMORE — Prosecutors here have filed felony charges against a local rap artist who police say is known for promoting his street gang in his music.
Richard Ivy, known in the rap world as Curly LVM, was charged with street terrorism and gun possession, both felonies, as well as a misdemeanor count of having marijuana for sale. During a April 2 raid of Ivy’s home, police say they found 1.5 pounds of marijuana, which investigators calculated was enough to get the average user continuously high for 4,984 hours, or about 207 days.
Police say they’re familiar with Ivy — who turned 18 just last month — through his status as a local member of the Livermore Valley Mexicans gang, a subset of the Norteño gang, and as a rapper who makes “drill music,” a subgenre of rap that promotes gang life. In addition to monitoring his music, police say they’re aware of instances where Ivy drove through rival gang neighborhoods and threw up gang signs to “antagonize” people there.
On March 31, investigators authored a sealed search warrant to raid the Livermore home where Ivy lives with his mother, and to go through his vehicle, according to court records.
Some of Ivy’s music now seems prophetic. Last year, he released a song and music video called “Run It Up,” where he opined that “gang task always on my a– for some dumb s—,” referring to a police gang task force, and specifically taunts the Livermore police department, rapping, “f— LPD.”
Ivy was charged on April 4 and has since been released after posting $55,000 bail. His lawyer declined to comment on the charges. His next court date is on May 21, with a preliminary hearing set for June, records show.
During the April 2 raid, Livermore police say they recovered “gang indicia,” including a Huegla bird flag — a common symbol used by the Nuestra Familiar prison gang and the Norteños — and writing that referred to Ivy being a “sixth generation” gang member. Police say they used a sledge hammer to bust open a safe in Ivy’s room, where they found a loaded revolver.
The street terrorism charge, a standalone felony, generically alleges that Ivy “did unlawfully and actively participate in a criminal street gang” without specifying what he did. The mere fact that it was filed appears to be a deviation from the prior Alameda County District Attorney administration under recently-recalled DA Pamela Price, who generally opposed gang charges, arguing they were disproportionately applied to minorities and contributed to mass incarceration.
Ivy pleaded not guilty on April 23, court records show.