Young Thug, one of the most influential and successful rappers in the United States, has been arrested on suspicion of gang involvement and a variety of other alleged offenses.
The indictment names twenty-seven other associates of his record company, Young Stoner Life (YSL, also known as Young Slime Life), which is described as a street gang. Murder and attempted murder, as well as robbery, witness intimidation, and drug selling, are among the charges leveled against members. Young Thug’s lawyer, Brian Steel, said in a TV interview that the rapper had “done no crime whatsoever” and that “we will fight to the last drop of blood to clear him.”
Young Thug, real name Jeffery Williams, was arrested in Atlanta and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday. “Participation in criminal street gang activity” is the charge against him.
He is also accused of threatening to kill a man at a shopping mall, renting a car that was used in the 2015 murder of Donovan Thomas Jr, and intending to distribute methamphetamine – but he has not been charged with these individual crimes, which are described as “overt acts” that furthered the larger criminal conspiracy.
With YSL, all 28 defendants are accused of breaking Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (Rico), which was established to aid in the prosecution of gangs and organized crime.
Gunna, real name Sergio Kitchens, is another well-known rapper named in the indictment. He is charged with one count of violating the Rico Act. He’s also topped the US album chart twice, the most recent time in January with DS4Ever.