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Rap Artist Out of Jail After LAPD Gun Stunt

It may not be working out exactly as planned — the going to jail part — but it seems a rap artist is getting what he sought when he posted video of a hand holding what appears to be a loaded revolver behind a police car — notoriety.

"Revive a rap career," said Steve Seiden, attorney for Alex Izquierdo, who uses the moniker Klever as a member of the 20-year-old rap crew known as Brownside.

"Street credibility" is what LAPD Chief Charlie Beck surmised was the goal.

Possessing a loaded gun in a vehicle can be prosecuted as a felony. But Seiden contends no crime was committed because the gun was not real.

"Looked real to us," said LAPD Commander Andrew Smith, acknowledging that investigators are relying on what they could see on the Instagram posting, because the actual device has not yet been found.

Izquierdo, 35, was freed early Thursday morning after posting bail of $200,000.

Undeterred by the repercussions of his pervious Instagram post, Izquierdo posted a new clip after his release, a video selfie showing him at the wheel on what appears to be the Harbor (110) Freeway.

His chosen soundtrack is the 1957 classic by Donnie Elbert, "Have I Sinned?" The camera pans off to show the DTLA skyline.

"Bumping them oldies and feeling good," states the text alongside the video, "#FRESHOUTOFJAIL" among the hashtags.

The Instagram page offered no direct comment on the gun video, but Seiden extended an apology to anyone in law enforcement who took offense.

Craig Lally did.

"We don't know what his real intention was," said Lally, a 35-year LAPD veteran who now serves as president of the officers' union, the Los Angeles Police Protective League.

"You got people like this that either want to make a name for themselves or create a narrative that makes it look like an anti-police type of situation," said Lally.

"F___ the Police" was posted with the controversial video of the hand on the apparent gun.

The posting "was a mistake," Izquierdo's older brother Gilbert, a founding member of Brownside, told NBC4 Wednesday night.

Beck said his department at first took the posting as a threat, and issued warnings to officers.

It was discussed at roll calls, and officers were told to be vigilant for a potential ambush attack from behind.

Saturday night in Van Nuys, when the rear window of a patrol car with two officers aware of the video was blown out, they concluded they had come under fire, according to their attorney. Later investigation determined the window was shattered by a bottle thrown by a man in the street. He was shot to death.

Use of force investigations invariably take several months or longer. But Beck said "anybody with empathy" would see how the mindset of the officers could be affected by awareness of concern over the video.

Tuesday, detectives investigating the video executed a warrant, and after interviews and investigation, concluded the posting was not intended as a threat, but instead to bolster a comeback.

A Brownside rap video posted last Friday on YouTube was entitled, "The Reintroduction." It depicts gang violence and killings, and ends with a gun firing at the viewer.

Seiden challenged LAPD's allegation that Izquierdo has a prior felony conviction for possessing a loaded gun in a vehicle. Seiden said the only gun possession prior found in his search of LA County court records was handled as a misdemeanor — less serious than a felony — and dates back to 1999.

Izquierdo did not follow the LAPD unit to the location seen in the video, but was already parked when the police car made a U-turn and parked in front of him, Seiden said Izquierdo told him.

Izquierdo is scheduled for arraignment on Oct. 29, assuming the LA County District Attorney makes a formal filing. LAPD said the case is still under investigation.

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