While serving time for RICO charges, Young Thug is dropping a new album titled Business Is Business from his jail cell. Here’s the latest.
Atlanta rapper Young Thug remains behind bars as he awaits his trial, which has already been postponed several times. The latest delay puts the hearing happening on July 12, after law enforcement seized the lawyer’s laptop. Defense attorney Eric Johnson allegedly allowed the rapper to contact other YSL members not in custody.
Young Thug and Gunna were arrested alongside 26 other YSL affiliates on allegations that ‘Young Slime Life’ is a criminal street gang. That 88-page grand-jury indictment says alleges 182 instances of criminal conspiracy, with cited lyrics, social media posts, and clothing and accessories cited as evidence. Young Thug and Gunna have both been denied bond multiple times and it has brought up questions over artists being tried for the content of their lyrics.
“You know, this isn’t just about me or YSL,” Young Thug told Hot 97’s Summer Jam in a pre-recorded message on June 12. “I always use my music as a form of artistic expression, and I see now that Black artists and rappers don’t have that freedom. Everybody please sign the Protect Black Art petition and keep praying for us. I love you all.”
The Petition to Protect Black Art was co-written by 300 Entertainment Co-Founder Kevin Liles, who helped get the YSL label up and running. Atlantic Records COO Julie Greenwald also co-signed the document which asks federal and state legislators to adopt bills to limit the use of rap lyrics as admissible evidence in the court of law.
The indictment alleges that Young Thug is the founder of the street gang formed in 2012, with “affiliation with the national Bloods gang.” Young Thug founded the imprint Young Stoner Life in 2016 with 300 Entertainment. The YSL Records roster is called the ‘Slime Family,’ counting rappers Lil Duke, Yak Gotti, and Unfook also named in the indictment.
