He's a rapper named Gunz, and police say he had a gun in his backpack.
Rapper Cory Gunz - born Peter Pankey Jr. - was arrested in the Bronx Saturday when cops found he was carrying an unregistered Taurus .9mm handgun, police said.
He was arraigned in Bronx Criminal Court Sunday night on charges of criminal possession of a loaded firearm.
His father, rapper Peter Gunz, posted the $30,000 bail.
"This was a big mistake on my part," Gunz told The Daily News early Monday morning after getting out of jail. "I didn't have any intentions of harming anyone or committing a criminal activity. So many young people look up to me and I need to fight though this."
The 24-year-old Young Money talent was nabbed around 2:30 p.m. at the corner of Westchester Ave. and Ward Ave. in Soundview, according to cops.
The rapper, who still lives on the Vyse Ave. block in Crotona Park East where he grew up with his grandparents, gained mainstream popularity after his guest spot on Lil Wayne's catchy "6 Foot 7 Foot" track released in 2010.
Wayne, who founded Young Money Entertainment, spent eight months in Rikers Island in 2010 after pleading guilty to gun charges.
If convicted, Gunz - a father of two young girls - faces a mandatory minimum sentence of three and 1/2 years.
"It's been really hard, really stressful," Gunz said. "When the smoke finally clears people will understand what was going on."
Cory's life was chronicled in the 2011 reality show "Son of a Gun" produced by actor Nick Cannon.
Cannon tweeted Sunday: "great dude, just a little bad luck. @CoryGunz is holding strong and will be out shortly. Family is here if and when anything is needed."
Peter Gunz is also a Bronx emcee who rode his way to rap stardom with Lord Tariq in 1998 with the hit "Déjà Vu."
"He just got out of a cab and police ran up on him and they were in plainclothes," Peter Gunz said. "He didn't know they were cops - he thought he was getting robbed."
Police searched his knapsack and found the loaded weapon, his father said.
"I was pretty sad seeing my son in handcuffs and sitting in a cell," Peter Gunz said. "Never in a million years would I think that he would have a gun," he said.
Cory Gunz and his dad recently started a campaign called "Gunz Against Guns" where they speak at schools across the Bronx to steer kids away from the deadly weapons, Peter Gunz said.
"It's heartbreaking," Peter Gunz said. "Now I know how my father felt when I had the exact situation."
Peter was referring to a gun possession arrest he faced - also when he was 24 years old. "It's like deja vu all over again and now I got a taste of the same medicine that I gave my dad when he was sitting in the court."
Lmao! Ask me why I knew that before everybody else? He got bagged right around the corner from me! Told you they got Super Cops Out Here! They Got Capes On! Lol!
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