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Claims of YFN Lucci passing away spread rapidly across social media platforms on Wednesday, September 18. This comes amid the rapper’s incarceration, as he serves his 10-year prison sentence for violating the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act. Since the rumors circulated online, his representatives have confirmed that he is alive and well.
The rumor was sparked by a blog post claiming the 33-year-old rapper, whose real name is Rayshawn Bennett, passed away. TMZ Hip Hop then exclusively reported that the rumors were completely false and were likely concocted to play with the emotions of those already mourning the loss of rapper Rich Homie Quan, YFN Lucci’s former labelmate.
As many were alarmed over the shocking news and shared it further, Bennett’s attorney, Drew Findling, confirmed that the rapper is alive and that the rumor spreading rapidly was simply a death hoax.
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YFN Lucci is still alive, death hoax busted
In an exclusive statement with TMZ, the rapper’s attorney Drew Findling—who represented him during his RICO trial in January that resulted in a 10-year prison sentence—assured fans that the rapper had not died and was still alive.
Meanwhile, rapper Ferrari Fred also took to Instagram to assure followers that Lucci was still alive and well. He wrote in the caption of his post:
“Stop Believing Everything Yall See Myboy Is Safe In Good Hands!! He One Of Them Ones #GOD Got His Hands On.”
Furthermore, established news outlets would have reported on the singer’s passing if he had died in reality. Hence, it is safe to say that the rapper is alive.
So, it appears that Lucci fell victim to internet death hoaxes. Numerous celebrities have also been falsely reported to be dead in the past, including Justin Bieber, Will Smith, Adam Sandler, Oprah Winfrey, and DJ Khaled, among others.
Why is YFN Lucci imprisoned? Details explored
Lucci was initially charged with murder, assault, and racketeering in 2021, as a part of a wife-range indictment aimed at the alleged Bloods street gang.
Law enforcement found that the musician, alongside other members, committed a wide range of crimes to protect the gang’s reputation and maintain control of a territory. The police also accused Lucci of being the driver in a 2020 drive-by shooting that left a man dead.
However, as part of a plea deal, prosecutors dropped 12 out of 13 counts against YFN Lucci, with him pleading guilty to only the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act. At that time, Drew Findling and the rapper's other attorneys, Marissa Goldberg and Gabe Banks, stated:
“After three years of pretrial litigation, more than two weeks of jury selection and three years of incarceration waiting for his jury trial, today, the prosecution finally relented and dismissed the murder and RICO charges against Rayshawn Bennett. As he has maintained for three years now, Mr. Bennett will NOT cooperate in any other case.”
As the rapper serves his sentence, the District Attorney of Fulton County has said that the state does not object to an early release for Bennett. YFN Lucci could be out as early as January 2025.
