Young Thug was arrested in May 2022 on charges of operating a street gang and conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, as well as the later charges of possession of a firearm, possession of a machine gun and three counts of violating Georgia’s controlled substances act. 18 months later, the rapper’s trial began in Fulton County, Georgia on November 27.
Thug, whose real name is Jeffrey Lamar Williams, has pled not guilty to all eight counts.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis will be leading the prosecution team against Williams. Willis has described the rapper as being in a “position of leadership” within Young Slime Life (YSL), which she alleges isn’t a music label but rather a street gang.
The trial is expected to span months and will likely be highly controversial throughout, especially given the prosecution received permission from the judge to use Williams’ rap lyrics as evidence against him, a hotly contested issue within the hip-hop community.
Stay tuned for more updates on the ongoing trial.
