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Rappers have always seemingly had a difficult relationship with the court and legal system. Several examples of an artist's excessive lifestyle are often the key factors behind why they were arrested.
YNW Melly and Young Thug are two of the biggest rappers in the game who have gone to trial battling serious allegations. Tory Lanez's incarceration for shooting Megan Thee Stallion is yet another incident that all fans know about. Along with that, there is also Tay-K, who is currently serving over a 50-year sentence for murder.
This article will cover a brief history of events, trials, convictions, and dates of release for some of the biggest artists, who are serving time in jail or prison.
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From YSL Trail to Tory Lanez and 8 other popular rappers serving time behind bars
Several rappers have been arrested for a number of charges, from armed robbery and murder to assault and drug-related charges, many have faced it all. Most fans believe that these situations could have been avoided by the stars refusing to live out an excessive hip-hop lifestyle. Unfortunately, however, sometimes the spotlight has been observed to hurt an artist's decision-making ability.
From RICO charges to murder, this list has 10 rappers who are currently serving time in jail.
1) Young Thug - YSL / RICO Charge
- Arrested on: May 9, 2022
- Charged with: multiple counts of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), armed robbery, alleged murder, illegal weapon charges, and more.
- Court Sentence: Trial in progress
Thugger was one of the 26 Young Stoner Life label members who were arrested in May 2022 on RICO charges in Atlanta.
Young Thug is accused of leading and running YSL as a gang instead of a record label. Court documents have stated that their indictment includes charges of armed robbery and the suspected involvement in the murder of Donovan Thomas Jr.
Thug is currently waiting for his trial to conclude, with the rapper facing eight individual counts of RICO Act violations on his record.
2) YNW Melly - Murder Charge
- Arrested on: Feb 13, 2019
- Charged with: First-Degree Murder.
- Court Sentence: Awaiting a retrial
YNW Melly is currently waiting behind bars for the Florida court to conduct a re-trial of his double murder case. The trial ended as a mistrial after the jury was unable to reach a verdict.
Melly is charged with the murder of his two friends and upcoming rappers, YNK Sakchaser and YNW Juvy. They were both killed in an alleged drive-by shooting on October 26, 2018.
3) Tory Lanez - Assualt Charge
- Arrested on: Dec 23, 2022
- Charged with: Assault with a Semiautomatic Firearm, Negligent Discharge of a Firearm, and concealing an unregistered weapon.
- Court Sentence: 10 years (max. 22)
- Release year: 2032
In 2020, Tory Lanez, Megan Thee Stallion, and Kelsey Nicole Harris were returning from a party when an argument broke out between Lanez and Megan. The argument escalated to the point where Meg was shot twice in the feet.
The trial ended with the jury ruling in favor of Megan, sentencing Lanez to a maximum of 22 years in prison.
4) Blueface - Violation Charge
- Arrested on: Jan 12, 2024
- Charged with: Probation Violation
- Court Sentence: 7 months
- Release year: 2024
Blueface is currently serving a seven-month sentence at the Men's Central Jail in LA. Reports have stated that the rapper turned himself into the police regarding a probation violation in January 2024.
The violation stems from a November 2021 assault charge when Blueface was arrested for supposedly attacking a bouncer at a lounge bar in San Fernando Valley, California. The rapper is scheduled to be released later in the year, around July 2024.
5) Pooh Shiesty - Conspiracy Charge
- Arrested on: June 8, 2021
- Charged with: Firearm Conspiracy
- Court Sentence: 5 Years
- Release year: 2026
Pooh Shiesty is currently in prison, serving out a five-year sentence after pleading guilty to two charges resulting from two incidents involving guns. The rapper was sentenced on accounts of firearm conspiracy stemming from the October 2020 and June 2021 incidents.
Both incidents recount Pooh illegally discharging a weapon, with the first one referring to the rapper's involvement in a shootout in a Miami apartment parking lot. The second incident refers to Shiesty's involvement in a similar case of firearm conspiracy at the King of Diamonds strip club in Miami.
6) Fetty Wap - Drug Trafficking Charge
- Arrested on: Aug. 8, 2022
- Charged with: Drug Trafficking
- Court Sentence: 6 Years
- Release year: 2028
Fetty Wap was originally arrested on October 29, 2021, before he was released on bond. The rapper was later taken back into custody on August 8, 2022, on counts of drug trafficking.
Fetty is convicted of being involved with a group of individuals who've been convicted of being drug distributors in charge of supplying over 100 kilos of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine, in New York City.
7) Casanova - Racketeering Charge
- Arrested on: Dec. 02, 2020
- Charged with: Racketeering & Narcotics
- Court Sentence: almost 16 Years
- Release year: 2028
Casanova was arrested for supposedly being involved in the distribution of narcotics, with specific charges being dropped against the rapper. These included accusations of distributing controlled substances and illegal possession of a firearm.
The rapper was allegedly one of 17 members of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation gang who were indicted under the RICO Act. Casanova was sentenced to 15.6 years in prison.
8) Kay Flock - Murder & RICO Charge
- Arrested on: Dec. 24, 2021
- Charged with: Murder & RICO
- Court Sentence: Awaiting a trial
Kay Flock was arrested after being accused of murdering Oscar Hernandez outside a New York barbershop in Harlem. Prosecutors alleged that during an argument, the rapper shot Oscar in the neck and back.
Kay was also arrested along with several other people on RICO counts. Authorities claimed that they were active members of the Sev Side/DOA Gang who were supposedly responsible for various violent crimes. These include 7 shooting incidents committed in the Bronx.
9) Lul G - Murder Charge
- Arrested on: Sept. 10, 2019
- Charged with: First Degree Murder
- Court Sentence: 21 Years.
- Release year: 2040
Lul G pleaded no contest during his trial over the shooting and death of his friend Rashied Flowers on July 24, 2019. Authorities claim that Lul G pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter for shooting Flowers in the abdomen during an argument. The argument ensued after the rapper lost control of himself while gambling.
10) Tay-K - Murder Charge
- Arrested on: Sept. 10, 2019
- Charged with: First Degree Murder
- Court Sentence: 55 Years.
- Release year: 2072
Taymor Travon McIntyre, better known as Tay-K, is a popular rapper from 2017 who is known for his viral song The Race. The song infamously dropped while the rapper was avoiding authorities.
The charge against him stems from a 2016 robbery in which he was involved and left 21-year-old Ethan Walker deceased. Travon was hit with multiple charges that include over three separate counts of aggravated robbery, assault, and murder.
