Raheem DeVaughn Arrested for Occupy Wall St. Protest

Such big-name artists as Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco have thrown their support behind Occupy Wall Street -- the much-publicized movement aimed at combating corporate greed -- but Raheem DeVaughn has taken his dedication a step further.

On Sunday (Oct. 16), the Grammy-nominated neo-soul crooner was arrested on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court and held overnight by Washington, D.C., police, MTV's RapFix reports.

DeVaughn -- who was recognized in May for his charitable work and given a key to the city by Washington, D.C., mayor Vincent C. Gray -- was hauled in alongside activist Dr. Cornel West and a group of 17 other protestors. Speaking with RapFix, the singer explained the circumstances of his arrest.

"Once you step foot on the Supreme Court steps, you lose your first amendment rights," he said. "I don't see how as an American citizen you can't go to the Supreme Court steps and speak your mind or speak your piece peacefully. We were given some warnings, three to be exact, then they proceeded to take us off to jail."

DeVaughn called his jail stint a "learning experience" and compared the prison system to "modern day slavery." Despite his brush with incarceration, he says he plans to become even more active in the Occupy Wall Street movement.

"I've been creating a soundtrack for a movement and I plan to get down to Freedom Plaza and hit up Wall Street when I'm in New York," he said. "I want get out there and touch the people. This is what I talk about in my music."

The crooner's last project, his third studio album, 'The Love & War MasterPeace,' was released in March 2010. The effort spawned the Ludacris-assisted single 'Bulletproof.'