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Jeffery Lamar Williams popularly known as Young Thug is being accused of racketeering with prosecutors accusing him of co-founding a street gang called YSL (Young Slime Life).
On Monday during the opening statement, Adriane Love, Deputy District Attorney of Fulton County said that Young Thug’s lyrics were relevant to the crimes allegedly committed and “bore a very eerie significance to real life.”
She proceeded to include part of the lyrics in her opening statement allegedly associating the rapper with murder. “We didn't chase any of the lyrics to solve any murders," Love said. "Law enforcement in Fulton County chased the murders and found the lyrics."
Some of the rap lyrics being cited in the YSL indictment are, “I never killed anybody but I got something to do with that body…I told them to shoot a hundred rounds…Ready for war like I’m Russia…I get all type of cash / I’m a general,” from hit song Anybody starring Nicki Minaj. Other songs included Take It to Trial, by Young Thug, Yak Gotti, and Gunna where they rapped about not being afraid of going to court. Bad Boy by Juice WRLD featuring Young Thug and Ski by Young Thug and Gunna.
The Atlanta rapper has been in jail since May 2022 and was charged with 27 other individuals associated with the YSL gang. The gang was linked to murder, carjacking, and robbery by the district attorney’s office.
“This indictment is significant because it targets 28 people who decided to become involved in a criminal street gang and really do havoc in our community," said District Attorney Fani Willis on May 10, 2022, in a press conference citing the indictment.
Using the lyrics as evidence sparked a lot of outrage and sparked a movement known as “"Protect Black Art."
When a motion was filed in December to stop prosecutors from using the lyrics, the motion was denied by Judge Ural Glanville allowing the 17 sets of lyrics in the indictment to be used as evidence.
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