Stockton Rapper Bands MB Charged with 2019 Murder After ‘Claiming Bodies’ on Viral Podcast

Stockton, California, has been a nexus for escalating gang violence, a situation that came into sharp focus following a tragic mass shooting in the city. Now, a key figure in the local music scene, rapper Rainico Flores, known as Bands MB, has been charged with a 2019 murder, a development that follows a very public incident of “self-snitching” on the No Jumper podcast.

The arrest and subsequent murder charge were the culmination of a multi-year effort by law enforcement to crack down on the city’s organized gangs, which have flourished since the 1980s when groups like the Bloods and Crips relocated from Los Angeles.

The Downfall of Bands MB

Bands MB, affiliated with the Crips and the MB (Mud Brothers) Alliance, had quickly garnered millions of views since starting his rap career in May 2024 with songs like “The Flyest Crip” and “Headtap Music.” His stage name, BK Bands MB3Z, explicitly targeted rivals, with the “BK” standing for “Blood Killer.” He was also outspoken about his crew’s conflict with EBK JBO’s block.

The rapper’s boasts, however, would become evidence. During an interview on the popular No Jumper podcast, Bands MB showed off a trophy/tattoo on his face featuring three bullet holes. When prompted, he openly acknowledged the symbolism, which fans and investigators widely interpreted as “claiming three bodies,” or “three hats”—a reference to homicides.

Operation Boogeyman and the Delayed Charge

Bands MB was first caught in a massive police operation known as Operation Boogeyman, a major gang violence intervention conducted by the Stockton Police Department. The sweep netted over 70 suspects and aimed to dismantle warring factions like the EBK (Everybody Killer) gang.

Bands MB was arrested during this operation on charges including promoting a criminal street gang, illegal weapons possession, and traffic offenses. Crucially, at the time of the initial arrest, he was not charged with murder.

However, investigators reportedly continued to follow up on the information provided by the rapper’s public statements and music. Months later, in January 2025, police officially charged Rainico Flores in the fatal 2019 shooting of Elijah Johnson, aka Eli, a 22-year-old associated with the Westside Louis Park Bloods. The homicide occurred on Comstock Drive, an incident that other affiliated artists had even rapped about previously.

The outcome serves as a powerful message to those involved in gang violence: “flagrant self-snitching” on public platforms like rap songs and interviews will inevitably be used by law enforcement, leading to consequences that can take years to materialize. The case remains an active investigation.