Young Thug, a name that has become synonymous with the music industry’s rebellious spirit, recently found himself in the news yet again. This time, it wasn’t for a chart-topping hit or a controversial statement. No, it was for something far more mundane – a speeding ticket.
The Incident
In 2021, Young Thug, real name Jeffery Lamar Williams, was pulled over in his hometown of Atlanta for driving above the speed limit. What followed was a compelling exchange caught on body cam footage, revealing a unique side of the rapper’s persona.
The Plea
As the police officer approached the car, Thugger began pleading with him to let him off with a warning. “Can I please get a warning? I don’t think I can take the ticket,” he implored.
“Why can’t you take a ticket? There are people that make $20,000 a year that take a ticket,” the officer retorted.
The Explanation
Unfazed by the officer’s response, Thug continued to reason with him. In a surprisingly candid moment, he revealed that the issue was not about the money, but rather, he didn’t want another ticket since he had recently gotten his license back.
YSL and the RICO Trial
This incident occurred three months into YSL’s ongoing RICO trial. Young Stoner Life Records, or YSL, is Thug’s record label. The label has been battling legal challenges, adding another layer of complexity to Thug’s situation.
Conclusion
The incident, caught on body cam footage, provides a glimpse into the life of the enigmatic rapper. Despite his larger-than-life persona, this incident serves as a reminder that even superstars face mundane challenges like the rest of us.
This intriguing tale of Young Thug and the speeding ticket is yet another chapter in the rapper’s eventful life, ensuring his position as one of the most talked-about figures in music news today.
Image credit: Franklin Sheard Jr / Shutterstock.com
On September 9, Gunna, a well-known figure in the music industry, staged a memorable performance at Barclays Center, located in the heart of Brooklyn. This marked the rapper’s first appearance on stage following his release from jail in December of 2022. Notably, during the performance, the rapper, known for his hit “fukumean,” made a rallying cry for the release of Young Thug, visually reinforcing his message with bold “Free Jeffery” graphics.
The Legal Complications
Jeffery Lamar Williams, better known by his stage name, Young Thug, found himself entangled in a legal web along with several others, including Gunna. In May of 2022, they were indicted on 56 counts as part of a RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) case. Gunna faced charges of conspiracy to violate the RICO Act.
Gunna’s Release and Alford Plea
The legal proceedings took a turn when Gunna entered what is known as an Alford Plea, leading to his release. An Alford Plea is a unique plea wherein a defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges that the prosecution has enough evidence to secure a conviction. Gunna used this legal strategy to navigate his release.
In a statement provided to Complex, Gunna expressed, “I have chosen to end my own RICO case with an Alford plea and end my personal ordeal by publicly acknowledging my association with YSL.” He further elaborated on the nature of an Alford plea in his case, highlighting that it referred to the entry of a guilty plea to one charge, which was in his best interest, while simultaneously maintaining his innocence towards the same charge. Gunna also used his statement to affirm his continued association with YSL music and express his intentions to use his experience to educate the youth about the destructive path of “gangs” and violence.
Conclusion
While Gunna’s performance made headlines, his advocacy for Young Thug‘s release made a significant impact. It remains to be seen whether his legal strategies and public support will have any influence on Young Thug’s legal predicament. In the meantime, fans eagerly await Gunna’s next performance and future releases.
In a surprise announcement today (June 23), Young Thug unveils his latest album, BUSINESS IS BUSINESS. On top of those 15 tracks, the album features more than a dozen other features, such as Drake, 21 Savage, Future, Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert, and more. Additionally, Metro Boomin has been credited with the role of executive producer on the project.
“Parade on Cleveland,” the project’s opening song, contains a phone conversation between Drake and the artist responsible for the hit single “Best Friend,” with the latter in high spirits throughout the call. “There’s nothing I’m doing, man; I’m just pushing more Peter, and I’m pushing it much sweeter, much better than any other Peter pusher around, so do you hear me, this is what I’m saying to my Canadian counterpart, you can’t hear me.\
This album lands on the scene during Thugger’s ongoing legal battle – a battle that stems from a RICO charge that Thugger and a handful of other members of the group Young Stoner Life (YSL) have been charged with. There have been some members of this group, including longtime collaborator Gunna, who have since been released following plea deals they made. As of last Friday (16 June), Gunna, who is known for all the words he uses to describe his music, has released his newest project titled A Gift & a Curse, where he provides his perspective on these issues.
While Young Thug has been back in jail for more than a year, he has remained on the radar from a musical perspective despite his time in prison. In the years before Young Thug was introduced to the world of BUSINESS IS BUSINESS, he appeared on popular songs such as Calvin Harris “Potion,” Lil Baby “Never Hating,” Killer Mike “RUN,” G Herbo “Breathe Slow,” Quavo and Takeoff “Chocolate,” and Rae Sremmurd “Royal Flush.” Accordingly, in July 2022, the Atlanta star sent an audio message to HOT 97 during the festival of Summer Jam on.
“I would just like to take this opportunity to thank all my friends and family for coming out and supporting us on this day,” he said. YSL and I are not the only ones affected by this. Throughout my career, I have used music to express myself artistically, and I now realize that Black artists and rappers are not allowed to do so. Everyone is kindly requested to sign the petition in support of Protect Black Art and to continue to pray for us. All of you are dear to me.”
The best-selling album in the country is Young Thug’s Punk. MRC Data reports that Thugger’s second solo studio album lands at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart following a week-ending sales of 90,000 album equivalents. In Billboard’s assessment, this is Thug’s third No. 1 album. As part of his first week of release, So Much Fun and Slime Language 2 both reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, while simultaneously reaching the top music downloads.
102 million on-demand streams and 1,000 track equivalent albums have been accessed by Thug. In terms of album equivalent units, Punk won with 90,000 over Drake’s Certified Lover Boy, which slipped to No. 2 after earning 83,000.As of this writing, CLB has spent four nonconsecutive weeks at the top of the charts, the most that a hip hop album has spent on top this year.
Numbers don’t lie with Young Thug
In terms of music equivalent units, Mac Miller’s Faces mixtape debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart. Streaming services re-released Faces in October, which was originally released in 2014. In an odd twist of fate, Mac Miller and Drake are both featured on Young Thug’s “Punk” project. There are multiple contributions by Drake on his album and he showcases the talent on “Bubbly” with Travis Scott, and Mac makes appearances on “Day Before.” Thugger admitted last week that he spent time in the studio with Mac – in 2018 – the day before he overdosed on pills. Young Thug’s career is decorated with rewards and critical acclaim.
This month, Young Thug and his Young Stoner Life collective decided to release the second installment of their Slime Language series, featuring 23 tracks and many appearances from Travis Scott, Drake, Rowdy Rebel, Lil Uzi Vert, Coi Leray, Big Sean, Skepta, Future, Yung Bleu, Kid Cudi, Meek Mill, and loads more. Now, he is back with a deluxe edition of Slime Language 2 that has emerged with eight more tracks and collabs with none other than Don Toliver, DaBaby, NAV, and Jim Jones, among others. It is safe to state that the project is quite successful already, as it ended up at the top of the Billboard 200 as 113,000 album equivalent units were sold within the first week of its release.
In order to ensure that the momentum goes on, Thugger & Co. also released a brand new video from the project for Thug, Gunna, YTB Trench, and Lil Baby’s “Paid The Fine,” which was produced by Sean Momberger and Wheezy, which elaborates upon the hard work and dedication that went into attaining success.
The video was directed by DrewFilmedIt, and starts off with recent footage of Young Thug and Gunna paying off bonds for 30 low-level offenders at Fulton County Jail. The narrative goes on in the clip as families can b reuniting and celebrating together, which can be attributed to the Atlanta collaborators’ goodwill. The video also shows people like Bankroll Freddie.
Check out YSL and Lil Baby’s “Paid The Fine” video below.
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