Young Thug was arrested today in Atlanta on charges of participation in street gang activity and conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, online jail records show. The rapper’s arrest is the result of a larger grand jury indictment that names 28 members and associates of his label and imprint YSL (Young Slime Life/Young Stoner Life/Young Slatt Life), The New York Times reports and court documents confirm.
Among the names listed in the 56-count indictment is Gunna, who was also charged with conspiring to violate RICO. Yak Gotti, PeeWee Roscoe, and Thug’s brother Unfoonk were also indicted. The indictment defines YSL as a “criminal street gang” founded in 2012 with an affiliation with the Bloods.
While all 28 defendants were charged with conspiracy to violate RICO, Thug and Gunna’s fellow defendants face additional charges including armed robbery, aggravated assault, drugs and weapons charges. Yak Gotti and four others were charged with murder for the January 2015 death of Donovan Thomas, Jr., who is described by prosecutors as “a rival gang member.” Thug is also accused of renting a car that was later used “in the commission of” that murder.
There’s a long section of the indictment titled “acts in furtherance of the conspiracy,” which includes cites incidents between 2013 and 2022. Some are examples of crimes committed, including PeeWee Roscoe’s 2015 felony offense of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon—the time he reportedly shot at Lil Wayne’s bus. Roscoe’s conviction was overturned in 2018.
Many of the acts listed under that heading are YSL-related songs, videos, social media posts, and lyrics that are deemed “an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy.” Examples include the Young Thug and Juice WRLD collaboration “Bad Boy” (including quoted passages from Juice WRLD and not Thug). Here’s an excerpt that cites “Just How It Is,” the opening track from So Much Fun, as an example:
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