Once a chart-topping artist, Young Thug was a famous name in the American hip-hop scene. And now he is getting ready to stand trial for racketeering.
Atlanta-based artist Young Thug AKA Jeffery Williams was arrested in May 2022 for forming a criminal street gang called YSL (Yong Slime Life) and using his music to promote it. He was charged with violating Georgia's anti-racketeering and gang laws.
The Grammy-winning artist was arrested along with 27 other alleged street gang members.
With the trial set to start on November 27, the prosecution is facing criticism for using rap lyrics as evidence in the court to prove the existence of the gang YSL, which many see as a violation of artistic expression and a racist move.
Who is Young Thug
Young Thug debuted in 2016 with his breakout hit "Stoner". Prior to that, he had been making a series of mixtapes since 2011. Following the huge success of his debut single, he collaborated with famous artists like Drake, Camilla Cabello, Travis Scott, and Nicki Minaj.
"Beloved for his experimentation in the booth, Young Thug pulled off avant-garde flows rife with voice cracks and squeals, made trippier by mind-bending rhymes and scrambled words," AFP said about the rapper.
A critic at the hip-hop magazine XXL dubbed the prolific artist a "rap weirdo," while Billboard applauded his vocal contortions. "He finds a new way to distress and warp his tone, to burrow resourcefully into rhythmic cracks and crevices," they said.
His involvement in making Childish Gambino's famous song "This is America," a song that discussed social issues, earned him a Grammy in 2019.
Young Thug was also known for trying to break stereotypical toxic masculinity tropes in hip-hop. On the cover of his 2016 self-titled mixtape "Jeffery", the rapper was seen wearing a purple dress. He was also part of a Calvin Klein campaign where he wore women's wear.
He also founded a record label called YSl or YoungStoner Life under Warner Music's 300 Entertainment.
Charges against Young Thug
In May 2022, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis started a 56-count indictment against Young Thug and 27 others.
Prosecutors claimed that Young Thug and two other people co-founded a violent criminal street gang in 2012 called Young Slime Life, or YSL, which they say is associated with the national Bloods gang. The indictment says Young Thug “made YSL a well-known name by referring to it in his songs and on social media.”
Young Thug was arrested along with 27 other people, including rappers Gunna and Yaki Gotti. All of them were charged with conspiring to violate Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO. The rapper is also accused of participation in criminal street gang activity, as well as drug and gun charges.
The rapper was also accused of giving the order to kill the leader of a rival gang back in 2015.
In August 2022, he was initially indicted for violating the RICO. Later, he was charged with more cases, all related to gang activities and firearms violations.
While Young Thug is still facing charges against him, some of the members who were arrested with him, including rapper Gunna took plea deals leaving Young Thug among the few people to still face charges and stand trial in the case.
Using rap lyrics as evidence
Earlier this month, the court allowed the prosecution to use rap lyrics from Young Thug's songs as evidence to prove him promoting his gang and other crimes by the artist.
The inclusion of the lyrics was seen as a violation of artistic speech and activists and artists have condemned this act as discriminatory.