Young Thug Arrested on Gang-Related Charges, Indicted for Racketeering Along With Labelmate Gunna

Photo Credit: Fulton County Sheriff's Office

Prosecutors Call YSL Record Imprint a 'Criminal Street Gang'

Young Thug, the dynamic, eccentric and eclectic Atlanta rapper known for pushing boundaries on and off the mic was arrested Monday night in Georgia and booked into Fulton County Jail on gang-related charges.

The 2019 Grammy Award winner for his work as a writer and background vocalist on Childish Gambino's "This Is America," which won Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap/Sung Performance and Best Music Video, was booked into jail on two separate counts, according to jail records.

The 30-year-old, born Jeffery Lamar Williams, is charged with conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and participation in street gang activity.

His RICO Act charge stems from an alleged offense in January 2013, and the gang activity charge is related to allegations from May 2018.

The arrest comes in the aftermath of a 56-count grand jury indictment naming 28 members and associates of William’s record label imprint YSL (Young Stoner Life) in which the prosecution reportedly identifies it as “a criminal street gang” that “claims affiliation with the national Bloods gang.”

.@wsbtv photojournalist & @MarkWinneWSB captured this exclusive image of authorities taking @youngthug into custody earlier this evening. pic.twitter.com/xkD1P17ajw

— Michael Seiden (@SeidenWSBTV) May 10, 2022

Reporters Michael Seiden and Mark Winne of local news station WSB-TV broke the news late Monday night and posted updates on Twitter as the situation developed. Seiden provided key details from the 88-page indictment which he was able to review.

.@youngthug is accused of renting 2014 Infiniti Q50 sedan from @Hertz , which was used in the commission of the murder of Donovan Thomas, Jr., a rival gang member, on 1-10-15, according to indictment.@wsbtv

— Michael Seiden (@SeidenWSBTV) May 10, 2022

Labelmate Gunna, a two-time Grammy nominee, was also named in the indictment. The 28-year-old rapper, whose real name is Sergio Kitchens, is facing one count of conspiracy to violate RICO according to reporting by The New York Times.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the indictment cites numerous gang-related incidents, spanning years, that include criminal actions by YSL operatives in coordination with the Bloods gang.

Perhaps the two most shocking allegations to be revealed so far are that Williams rented the car used in the 2015 drive-by shooting that killed 26-year-old Donovan Thomas and injured two others. Prosecutors also believe the shooters Christian Eppinger and Antonio Sumlin, who were detained earlier this year, sought Williams' permission to make a second attempt on rival rapper YFN Lucci’s life while he was in prison.

Williams' attorney Brian Steel said that his client was innocent.

“Mr. Williams committed no crime whatsoever and we will fight to my last drop of blood to clear him,” he told WSB-TV.

.@wsbtv photojournalist & @MarkWinneWSB captured this exclusive image of authorities taking @youngthug into custody earlier this evening. pic.twitter.com/xkD1P17ajw

— Michael Seiden (@SeidenWSBTV) May 10, 2022

Anonymous Donor Picks up Tab for Graduates of Texas HBCU

Photo courtesy of Wiley College

While current and former college students across the nation await word from President Biden's administration on what, if any, student loan relief will be provided by the government under the man who at the very least promised to forgive $10,000 per borrower while on the campaign trail — an anonymous donor eliminated the concern for a group of recent Texas graduates over the weekend.

During Wiley College's commencement ceremony Saturday, the school's president and CEO, Dr. Herman J. Felton Jr., announced that the graduates remaining balances owed to the historically Black school in East Texas had been cleared.

Congratulations 2022 Graduates, YOU ARE DEBT FREE!
Go Forth Inspired, glorious deeds to do. 🥹🙌🏾#wileygrad22 #wileycollege #hbcu #hbcugrad #hbcupride #goforthinspired pic.twitter.com/a0zHUDTFc4

— Wiley College (@WileyCollege) May 7, 2022

"You are debt-free. You do not owe the college a penny." Felton Jr. said as the crowd of over 100 students and their families cheered his proclamation.

He continued, "If you have a balance, you had a balance," Felton Jr. said. "You no longer have a balance."

According to a press release from the HBCU, the financial head-start for its grads was made possible by an anonymous donor. It cleared an estimated $300,000 worth of debt owed to the school, whose costs to attend are around $17,500 (tuition, fees, and room and board), by the class of 2022.

"The anonymous gift sets graduates on a continued path to success and allows Wiley College to strengthen its commitment to providing an affordable exceptional education," Felton Jr. said in the release.

He added, "Our commitment to our students goes beyond their time while they are enrolled. We are constantly communicating with donors to assist students in these ways so that they can begin their after-college experience with less debt. We are grateful for this anonymous donor who will assist the students in paying off their balances to Wiley College and help us achieve institutional goals of graduating our students with little to no debt."

R&B Singer, Jewell, Dead at 54

Jewell Caples, the R&B vocalist who earned the title "The First Lady of Death Row Records" for her work on some of the iconic rap label's biggest hits, is reportedly dead at 54.

Former labelmate Daz Dillinger broke the news on Instagram.

"IM SAD THIS REALLY HURT BUT JEWELLZ PASSED THIS MORNING," wrote the rapper alongside a picture of the singer.

He added, "WOW DEATHROW FOR LIFE. WE GONE MISS HER."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dazzel Dillinger (@dazdillinger)

Caples, who went by Jewell professionally, joined the label in 1992 and in subsequent years appeared on multiple platinum albums released by its roster of rap giants, including Dr. Dre's "The Chronic", Snoop Dogg's "Doggystyle," and Tupac's "All Eyez On Me."

She also found some success as a solo artist. Her cover of the Shirley Brown classic "Woman to Woman" reached No. 16 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs list in 1994.

In 2011, her self-published memoir, "My Blood My Sweat My Tears," caused controversy for encouraging rumors about Dr. Dre's sexuality — with many taking the author to be accusing the producer of being gay and her thoughts on who really murdered Tupac.

RIP Jewell ❤🕊

Her voice shined on hella classic records, including:

Let Me Ride
Who Am I? (What's My Name)
Dre Day
Foe tha Love of $
The Dream Team Is in the House
Thug Passion
Bitches Ain't Shit
I'd Rather F You pic.twitter.com/CEPkpUHUhq

— Ruben || Check the Rhyme (@checktherhyme1_) May 6, 2022

"Is he [gay]? [Laughs] Do we know for sure? Hmmm. I mean, there have been talks about back in the day with the tight, glitter pants, when he was wearing eyeliner and stuff like that," she told HipHopDX in a 2011 interview about the book. "I’m just [telling] some experiences that I went through when I was on Death Row that I’ve seen with my own eyes. So, that’s all I’ma say about it. It’s in the book. Get it. Read it. Understand it. Absorb it."