Young Thug’s recent RICO arrest means he was unable to make his scheduled appearance at Hot 97’s Summer Jam 2022 on Sunday (June 12), but the Atlanta rapper’s presence could still be felt inside MetLife Stadium.
Before the night’s main act, Fivio Foreign, hit the stage, Hot 97 broadcast a video inside the stadium featuring the likes of DJ Khaled, Polo G and G Herbo showing their support for Thugga and Gunna (who is also currently in jail on a RICO charge), as well as artistic expression in rap music.
The clip ended with a pre-recorded voice message from Young Thug addressing his fans from behind bars. “I just want to say thank you to all of my friends and my family for coming out and supporting us,” he said. “You know, your support during this time means a lot to us, ya know.”
Thug then encouraged his fans to support Rap Music on Trial: Protect Black Art, a petition launched by music executives Kevin Liles and Julie Greenwald last week calling for lawmakers to prevent rap lyrics from being used in court to convict artists of alleged crimes.
“You know, this isn’t just about me or YSL, I always use my music as a form of artistic expression, and now I see that Black artists and rappers don’t have that, you know, freedom,” he continued. “Everybody please sign the ‘Protect Black Art’ petition and keep praying for us. I love you all.”
The New York Senate passed the “Rap Music on Trial” bill just last month, limiting the “admissibility of evidence of a defendant’s creative or artistic expression in a criminal proceeding.” However, as Thug and Gunna’s RICO case (which was filed in Fulton County, Georgia) goes to show, the problem is still prevalent elsewhere in the U.S.
Young Thug and Gunna were arrested in May as part of a sweeping, 56-count RICO indictment against their Young Slime Life (YSL) collective, which prosecutors have accused of being a “criminal street gang” behind a series of violent crimes, including murder.
Thug faces one count of conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and one count of participation in criminal street gang activity, in addition to seven felonies stemming from drugs and weapons seized by police at his home.
Gunna, meanwhile, faces one count of conspiracy to violate the RICO Act. Lyrics and social media posts from both rappers have been used against them as purported evidence of promoting YSL’s gang activities.
Lil Baby Says He's Spoken To Young Thug: 'He's In Great Spirits'
Young Thug and Gunna are likely to remain in jail for the foreseeable future after being denied bond earlier in June. Thug was declared a “flight risk” and “danger to the community” by Judge Ural Glanville, while a Fulton County judge raised concerns of Gunna potentially being involved in witness tampering.
A trial for both rappers has been set for January 9, 2023.
Nope. We don’t condone that behavior. Society is better off without this no talent
I’m amazed they can even understand a full sentence of thugs lyrics lol ?
Y’all dumb…thuggers lyrics is nice…and his flow and cadence too
Make yourself at home in that jail cell slime.
Art, much like GOAT, is used way too loosely. I’m personally tired of the retardation and misrepresentation within Hip Hop and how those attributes have manifested themselves in reality.
The message he sent was, don’t commit a bunch of crimes, rap about them, wear dresses, then end up in prison for over a decade. It won’t work out well for you.
Powerful message, you just had to read between the lines.
That ain’t Rap he’s doing that drill shit.dont label that as Rap them drill rappers are fucked up marching they ass straight to jail or the Grave them dirty white mother fuckers are just waiting
bye bye!
Mann,I’ve never seen so much hatred and joy towards seeing someone go to jail andnot even being convicted as I do in this comment section. From the fake names y’all go by on here-2-the weak ass comments, you katts are watered down frauds,broads,and wet noodle hard-smfh
Is that your real name up there? Just curious, since you are obviously too stupid to see the irony in your comment.
Pdot36&1 – posts fake name, leaves weak ass comment about posting fake names and leaving weak ass comments
Oh.
Do you know what it means to lose someone and for them to suffer a coma?? Besides ALL that these men are RAPIST as well that hurt women and children . AY you down with that??Bcuz we’re NOT! We also know what’s really going on like really going on, so PLEASE STFU!!!!And stop dick riding please respectfully.
I’M NOT SIGNING SHIT. THESE BOZOS PUT THEMSELVES IN THE POSITION THEY ARE IN NOW. WORST PART ABOUT ALL OF THIS IS LYOR IS PRETENDING TO BE INVESTED IN BLACK ART BC 2 OF THE BIGGEST ARTISTS ON HIS LABEL GOT GOT. I DON’T THINK SO.
No dumb ass that was lil wayne
Glad we removed this slime out of society. He won’t be shooting at anyone’s mother ever again. Terrible music, just straight garbage.
Man they crying now that they been caught for being too gotdamn cocky! That’s what you get when ur a millionaire and bringing down your community with that weak ass lifestyle??♂️
Same thing I was thinking. Ain’t this the same person that said they didn’t care about how black were being treated by police bc he was “getting money”?
I said the same thing and now he wants support when Mike Brown was gunned down in the street like an animal he was worried about diamonds and money he don’t care about cops and whatever they got going on God got a way to Humble you and show u what’s really important in life which is Life not trying to be funny but I will sign a petition Mike Brown
I mean, I get it. Not all lyrics are actual events, however, a lot of them are. So guys, be careful what you put on wax. Better yet, stop hurting your community then selling it on wax.
#YSL FOR LIFE, you got support from Zimbabwe… YOUNG THUG & GUNNA
#PROTECT BLACK ART?
This has nothing to do with freedom of speech or ‘restricting the holier than thou black man’ it’s all about a dummy snitching on himself through their lyrics and being held accountable in court if the lyrics match the crime. Fuck is wrong with that? This same fucking black face making a good thing seem like a bad thing just by adding ‘black’ in there for sympathy.
Fuck you
“I’m a mason, I beat all my charges”. What he said.
I don’t want nobody to go to jail lessons can be learned other than in cages but I hope this light shows I people that change has to happen I ain’t supporting nobody but I do listen to his music and other rappers as well I hope for the best