Killer Mike shared his thoughts on the use of rap lyrics as evidence in criminal trials amid the ongoing RICO indictments involving YSL rappers Young Thug and Gunna.
The rapper and activist said Thug used a career in music to lift him out of life on the streets of Atlanta, where he grew up. The experience is one Killer Mike can relate to as he hails from the same city and can relate to his circumstances.
“[Young Thug] came out of a very desperate situation,” Killer Mike explained during an interview with ABC News. “The side of town he comes from — Cleveland Avenue, southeast Atlanta — has been wrought with poverty forever … he managed to escape the streets using rap lyrics, and he’s managed to help people change their lives.”
According to the Run The Jewels rapper, “These lyrics are no more than braggadocio rap lyrics. It is no more than Killer Mike saying I’m a killer on the mic.”
Furthermore, Killer Mike called for empathy for the rapper. “Young Thug — that’s a character that Jeffery Williams created … but Jeffery Williams is a father,” Killer Mike said. “He’s a human being that’s capable of love, care and compassion.”
Young Thug And Gunna Await Trial
Young Thug and Gunna are currently behind bars while awaiting a RICO trial next January. The pair were denied bail after being charged with racketeering, alongside more than two dozen other individuals, by authorities last month.
As reported by AllHipHop, Thugger’s nephew and YSL signee recently shared an update from the rapper. He spit a freestyle and admitted to having suicidal thoughts while locked up. Check out the clip below.
Last month, it was revealed prosecutors are using the rapper’s lyrics and social media interactions to paint him as a violent gang figure.
Earlier this month, Kevin Liles condemned the use of rap lyrics in criminal trials. He created the “Rap Music on Trial: Protect Black Art” petition on Change.org in support of Young Thug and Gunna.