The number one news story in Hip Hop this week involves Young Thug and Gunna. The two YSL recording artists, and around two dozen other individuals, have been arrested in Fulton County, Georgia.
Young Thug (born Jeffery Lamar Williams) is facing multiple counts connected to a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) case. Gunna has been officially arrested on RICO charges as well.
According to the Fulton County jail records, authorities charged Gunna (born Sergio Giavanni Kitchens) with one count of Conspiracy to Violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office booked the “Drip Too Hard” rapper on May 11.
Gunna’s RICO charge is connected to an alleged incident that took place in January 2013. Some of Young Thug’s charges also date back to 2013 as well as 2018. However, the YSL boss is presently facing gang-related charges from 2022 as well.
Fulton County accused Young Thug of street gang affiliation, being involved in illegal drug distribution, and possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony. At the moment, Thugger has nine charges filed against him.
“As the District Attorney of Fulton County my number one focus is targeting gangs, and there’s a reason for that, they are committing conservatively 75% to 80% of all of the violent crime that we are seeing within our community and so they have to be rooted out of our community,” said Fulton County DA Fani Willis at a press conference.
Brian Steel, Young Thug’s attorney, vows to successfully defend his client. The lawyer stated, “I’ll tell you the response to any allegation; Mr. Williams committed no crime whatsoever, and we will fight to my last drop of blood to clear him.”
Gunna released his DS4Ever studio LP in January. The YSL Records-backed project debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart with 150,000 first-week units. Gunna also reached the peak of the Billboard 200 with 2020’s Wunna.