young thug trial

Who Is YSL Woody? The Defiant Star Witness In Young Thug’s Trial

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In the high-stakes trial of rapper Young Thug, one name has repeatedly surfaced as a central figure in the courtroom drama: Kenneth Copeland, better known as YSL Woody. Copeland has become the focal point of a case that has captivated the state of Georgia and hip-hop at large. His testimony has been both erratic and unpredictable, creating further complications in an already convoluted trial. As a former associate of Young Thug, Woody’s cooperation—or lack thereof—could prove pivotal in the prosecution’s attempt to link the rapper to criminal activities.

Read More: Lil Woody’s Neighbor Appears To Leak His Location Amid YSL RICO Trial Testimony

A Troubled Past

YSL Woody, born Kenneth Copeland, has a checkered history that extends far beyond his involvement with Young Thug. His criminal record includes a 2018 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, stemming from an incident where he left an assault rifle on the bleachers of a recreational center in Atlanta. Despite the presence of children and other community members, Woody reportedly seemed unfazed, leaving the weapon unattended while he played basketball. This reckless behavior led to his arrest and subsequent federal prison sentence.

In 2021, Woody found himself in legal trouble again when a traffic stop revealed he was carrying a weapon, a serious offense for a convicted felon. Facing a potential decade-long sentence, Woody chose a different path: he became an informant. During a three-hour interrogation, he provided detectives with critical information on several crimes, both past and future, and even expressed willingness to help secure a confession from Young Thug, a detail that later leaked to social media.

The Role Of The Star Witness

Woody’s involvement in the Young Thug trial is far from straightforward. As the prosecution’s star witness, his testimony has been marked by erratic behavior. Earlier this year, on the stand, Woody has alternated between cooperation and defiance, often appearing disinterested or confused. His antics have included yawning, spinning in his chair, and frequently questioning the prosecutors with “whatchu mean?” This unpredictable behavior has led to repeated admonishments from Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Ural Glanville (who has since stepped down from the case), who had to remind Woody to stand when jurors enter and leave the courtroom.

Woody’s actions have not only frustrated the prosecution but have also led to tension with his legal representation. He abruptly fired his stand-in attorney during the trial, declaring, “She fired. I don’t want her.”

Read More: YSL Woody Mocks Judge When Asked If He Will Testify Against Young Thug

Despite his erratic testimony, Woody’s legal team has managed to secure case immunity for him, meaning his statements in court cannot be used against him concerning his previous 11 convictions. However, this immunity has not quelled Woody’s reluctance to testify. His attorney indicated that Woody intended to invoke his Fifth Amendment right, a decision that could lead to contempt of court charges if he refuses to testify despite the immunity granted.

The situation took a dramatic turn when it was revealed that Woody’s legal team might have disclosed an ex parte conversation—a private discussion between the judge and the prosecution—to Young Thug’s attorney. This revelation led to Judge Glanville ordering a hearing to determine whether Woody and his attorney should be held in contempt of court.

Recent Testimony

The YSL RICO trial has unfolded with a series of developments that have added layers of complexity to the case. Among the most surprising was YSL Woody’s confession that he had fabricated allegations against Young Thug. During his testimony on August 12, Woody recounted how he deliberately accused the rapper of crimes to divert law enforcement’s attention away from himself. “The police were constantly targeting me,” Woody stated. “So, to shift their focus, I started claiming, ‘Thug did this, Thug did that,’ despite knowing these were false accusations.” Woody’s admission introduces a significant wrinkle in the prosecution’s case.

Allegations Born From Pressure

Woody’s testimony also revealed that the persistent focus of law enforcement on Young Thug compelled him to continue his deceit. He described how investigators repeatedly mentioned Young Thug, leading him to falsely affirm their assumptions. “They were fixated on Thug, so I told them what they seemed to expect,” Woody confessed. “I said, ‘Yes, he committed this crime, he did that,’ because I believed they would never actually pursue him.” Furthermore, Woody claimed that the prosecution pressured him to testify in court, despite being aware of the inaccuracies in his prior statements. This assertion raises critical concerns about the prosecutorial conduct and the integrity of the evidence being presented against Young Thug.

The Aftermath

Though Young Thug and his co-defendants continue to fight their charges, Woody has seemingly leveraged his newfound viral fame into a career of sorts. He’s appeared on a number of media platforms, including the 20 V. 1 speed dating series. Most recently, he dropped a song titled “I Don’t Recall” following his viral court appearance. 

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YSL Woody Mocks Judge When Asked If He Will Testify Against Young Thug

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YSL Woody has become an unexpectedly huge part of the Young Thug case. The YSL affiliate has been treated like a star witness by the prosecution. The problem is, Woody, real name Kenneth Copeland, is not keen on cooperating. He’s gone back and forth on whether he’ll testify against his boss. His latest court showing, however, may be his most memorable. YSL Woody took the stand, and instead of being cooperative, he decided to mock the judge. Needless to say, the prosecution was not pleased.

YSL Woody was informed that he will be held in contempt if he does not testify against Young Thug. This information was relayed to him by Judge Whitaker, who is relatively new to the case. YSL Woody went on to ask questions of his own instead of answering Whitaker. When pressed to make a definitive decision, Woody decided to be flippant. He was asked again whether he planned to testify, and responded with: “Depends on how I wake up.” YSL Woody’s response caused headaches for seemingly everybody in court. Judge Whitaker told the prosecution that Woody will have to clarify whether he plans to testify before actually giving his testimony.

Read More: Lil Woody Flexes A Stack Of Cash As He Remains Unfazed During The Ongoing YSL Trial

YSL Woody Will Be Forced To Retestify Before The Court

Woody’s behind-the-scenes antics have complicated matters further. The YSL affiliate has reportedly fired two different attorneys that have been assigned to him. Judge Whitaker made note of this bizarre pattern, and maintained that Woody needed to clarify who is representing him at the moment. The YSL “star witness” has also spurred Judge Whitaker to look into his past. He has claimed, via social media, that he felt coerced into giving up information about YSL. The judge has subsequently decided to take the witness seriously. “I’m not sure about Mr. Copeland’s credibility on anything,” she asserted.

Judge Whitaker ultimately ruled that YSL Woody will haver to re-testify before the court. A transcript released to the public in July supported Woody’s claims that he was not fully aware of what he was doing during his initial court appearance. “You waited until Friday and did this,” he told his attorney at the time. “I done told you every day before Friday came that I was pleading the Fifth … Y’all done me wrong. Y’all just hold me in the jail, don’t let me get no PIN number, no nothing.” Woody is expected to take the stand again on Monday, August 12.

Read More: YSL Woody Reveals He’s A Big NBA YoungBoy Fan And Explains Why He’s Relatable

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Young Thug Receives Sympathetic Message From His Record Label Amid Lengthy Trial Process

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YSL Records is backing Young Thug during his ongoing trial. Thug founded the label in 2016 which plays host to Gunna and formerly Lil Baby. YSL’s existence became a point of contention during Thug’s ongoing racketeering trial. Prosecutors argued that YSL was actually a gang, and that Thug has been quietly building a crime ring in Atlanta. The indictment named Gunna as well, but he was quickly released. Thug’s trial started in November 2023. Improper relationships and general questions surrounding the circumstances of the case have marred the proceedings. As of July 25, 2024, Thug’s trial is officially the longest in Georgia history.

Several judges have recused themselves from what has become one of the most controversial cases in recent memory. Previous judge Ural Glanville was recused following an off-the-record meeting with a member of the defense. Judge Shukura L. Ingram came next. She didn’t last long in the role either, as she recused herself only a couple of days later. She explained that her deputy previously engaged in an inappropriate relationship with Young Thug’s co-defendant, Big Bhris. Ingram alleged that her deputy tried to sneak contraband into jail for him. She argued that those facts could impact the court’s impartiality. Judge Paige Reese Whittaker is now in charge of the proceedings. Amidst all the drama, YSL Records showed support for the head of their label.

YSL Calls For Young Thug’s Release

“United States Constitution, Sixth Amendment: “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial…” #FreeJeffery #BondNow #FreeOurArt #ProtectBlackArt,” YSL’s Instagram caption reads. Thug has been on trial for nearly nine months. With mounting questions about the reliability of those in charge, questions about the trial’s fairness arose as well.

Regardless, he and lawyer Brian Steele are likely to have felt relief from the change in judges to someone that hopefully has no prior engagement with anyone involved in the case. After Glanville’s recusal, Steele issued a statement about the case, emphasizing the fact that Thug is seeking a “speedy” and “fair” trial with an impartial judge. Those are sentiments echoed in the latest YSL post. Hopefully, this trial reaches a conclusion soon, with a result determined solely by the evidence presented and not other agendas.

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Young Thug’s Lawyer Delivers Strong Statement Following Judge Glanville’s Recusal

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If there has been one bright spot throughout the Young Thug/YSL RICO trial, it is the rapper’s lawyer, Brian Steele. Fans of the hitmaker have been extremely appreciative of the effort he has put into this messy situation. Obviously, it is his job to fight tooth and nail for his defendant, but Steele continues to be a shimmering sign of hope that Thugger will come out of this. Perhaps the biggest win for the lawyer and the Georgia MC so far is the recusal of Judge Ural Glanville. He has been presiding over this case since the beginning and he continued to make questionable and seemingly unfair decisions.

A lot of people following this case have been convinced that Glanville was pulling out all of the stops to get Young Thug locked up. If that was his goal, he lost that opportunity as of yesterday. Brian Steele filed a motion to recuse the troublesome judge. Countless times, the lawyer has stood firm on his position that Glanville had been leading and unfair. Even a former Georgia judicial chair expressed how chaotic it has been.

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Young Thug’s Lawyer Hopes They Get A Fair Trial With Judge Shukura

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by DJ Akademiks (@akademiks)

Thug and Steele’s successful motion got them a new overseer just hours after Glanville’s removal. Her name is Judge Shukura L. Ingram and so far, outsiders to this case are not all that optimistic about what the future holds. However, Steele and Thug are “grateful” for the change, according to a recent statement from the lawyer following yesterday’s shake-up. In it, he explains how he feels his client is innocent and that they have been wanting is a fair and speedy trial. Now that Glanville is gone, Steele feels more confident than ever before. “We look forward to proceeding with a trial judge who will fairly and faithfully follow the law.

What are your thoughts on this statement from Young Thug’s lawyer, Brian Steele, following the recusal of Judge Ural Glanville? Do you think this swap will lead to a speedier process, why or why not? Do you know anything about Judge Shukura L. Ingram? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Young Thug and his trial. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.

Read More: Bianca Censori Looked Completely Topless Thanks To Her Latest See-Through Outfit

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Young Thug’s Trial Already Assigned A New Judge Moments After Glanville’s Removal

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Just hours ago, Judge Ural Glanville was resigned of duties in what has been a rollercoaster of a YSL RICO trial. However, a new judge is already being appointed to the ongoing case surrounding Young Thug. According to an Instagram post from DJ Akademiks, overseeing everything will be Judge Shukura L. Ingram. Glanville was recused by Thugger’s lawyer, Brian Steele, and it seems that Rachel Krause, the Fulton County Superior Court judge, feels that a change was needed, too. Krause felt that it was necessary to preserve “the public’s confidence in the judicial system”. Overall, we do not know how much longer it will take before the trial kicks back into gear.

But this has the potential to be a step in the right direction for what has been labeled as a “dumpster fire” of a trial. The decision to remove Ural Glanville from this case was not totally because of the ex-parte meeting with Lil Woody. Rather, it was in relation to “his prior judgments to deny previously filed motions to recuse, in which he offered his own opinions as justifications, leaving his judgments open to critique”. That information comes from Uproxx.

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Fans Aren’t Too Keen On The New Judge For Young Thug’s Trial

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by DJ Akademiks (@akademiks)

Since the new judge has been announced, fans are not totally stoked about the selection of Shukura Ingram. Overall, with how things have gone so far, it is not too surprising that some are not holding their breath just yet. “Anybody dat ever been to court knows the last thing you want is a black female judge 🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️ just ask Meek!!”, one user claims. “She looks like she gon “I aint one of your lil friends” this trial”, another adds. At the end of the day, we will just have to wait and see what happens.

What are your thoughts on a new judge already taking over Ural Glanville’s spot in the Young Thug trial? Do you think this swap will lead to a speedier process, why or why not? Do you know anything about Judge Shukura L. Ingram? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Young Thug and his trial. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.

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Young Thug’s Kids Threaten To Wack Gunna In Scathing New Diss Song

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Young Thug and Gunna are not the friends they once were. It’s hard to imagine they ever will be. The former is still in the midst of a RICO charge, and the latter has walked. It’s widely assumed that Gunna snitched on Young Thug to avoid prison time. That said, the rapper has repeatedly stated that the “rat” claims are false. It hasn’t helped much. Kendrick Lamar cast Gunna in an unflattering light when he named him on “Euphoria.” Now, Young Thug’s kids are getting in the act. Admittedly, their reference to Gunna is a lot more aggressive.

Young Thug’s sons posted a snippet of an untitled diss song on Instagram. The duo can be seen dancing and showing off money stacks. It’s the bars, however, that definitely draw the most attention. The duo makes reference to multiple targets, but Gunna gets it the worst. “And Bentley a rat he keep leaving states,” one of the kids raps. “And Gunna get whacked if he don’t leave L.A.” It’s not clear whether Young Thug gave the thumbs up to these bars, but it shocked viewers enough to question his parenting in the comments. Some users claimed that Thugger will be disappointed by the diss. Others considered the legal ramifications. They worried the diss could be used against the rapper during the YSL trial.

Read More: Young Thug Posts Cryptic Tweet About Lil Baby Amidst YSL Trial

Young Thug’s Kids Urged Gunna To Leave Los Angeles

Young Thug has had some controversial takes on parenting in the past. He lobbied to have full custody of his 12 kids during a Twitter rant in 2015. He felt that he had the means to provide for all of them, unlike the women he had the kids with. “I got a mansion with 12 empty bedrooms waiting for them,” he wrote. “I refuse to come on Cleveland Ave. That’s called backtracking. Just wanna no [why] should a peasant with no job, or future, or apartment/house/condo have custody of a rich mans child.”

Young Thug doubled down on this line of thinking during a 2022 Instagram Live. He went as far as to claim that people who are broke shouldn’t procreate. “We need new rules. We need a new oath,” the rapper asserted. “If you dead broke, if you a broke-a*s n**ga, you should not be able to n*t. You’re bringing poor kids into this world, f*ck n**ga. You’re making n**gas rob, and kill and steal because you’re running around with no type of career, no nothing.”

Read More: YSL Woody Affiliate Reportedly Murdered In Atlanta Amid Young Thug RICO Trial

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YSL Woody Brushes Off Trolls Wishing He Was Dead After Alleged Affiliate Was Murdered

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YSL Woody has been a very controversial part of the Young Thug and YSL RICO trial recently thanks to his testimony in the court. Moreover, this situation became all the more complicated when one of Woody’s alleged affiliates was murdered in Atlanta, inspiring even more hate and trolling to come his way. However, he seems unbothered by it all, reposting a video of someone dancing amid a fake crowd and dollar bills with the caption “Me , Them: I can’t wait till he [skull emoji],” plus some crying-laughing emojis. Overall, it seems like no amount of online animosity can change Woody’s mood, but some court developments definitely might.

Sadly, this Internet practice also translated in the real world recently, as YSL Woody recently chastised fans for recording him in public. “Stop recording me when yall see me out don’t run up on me (for yall safety and mines) this internet is a joke im not a friendly person. And i don’t hesitate and for the police I ain’t hiding,” he wrote to his Instagram Story. Apparently, Woody’s fame already transcended past the courtroom, and he now has to deal with a higher public profile than ever.

Read More: Young Thug Trial Takes Bizarre Turn As Lil Woody Tells Prosecutor To Get Away From Him

YSL Woody Laughs At People Sending Him Death Threats

Meanwhile, other folks looking at this whole case like 1090 Jake are theorizing on why Young Thug might not have paid for YSL Woody’s lawyer. Of course, a big part of this argument on Jake’s behalf is that Thugger might not want to help someone who cooperated with law enforcement authorities. Another proposition, though, is that Thug is unable to assist Woody monetarily due to terms set out for codefendants and trial participants. In either case, many believe that this case progressed in quite the chaotic way, and that a significant overhaul is necessary.

Still, at least YSL Woody got some vacation time to distract himself from all this, even if this freedom is likely what prompted a lot of hate and in-person fan harassment. All in all, this is just one aspect of a very complex and messy trial so far, so we’ll see what’s in store for Young Thug and YSL. But for Woody, it seems like he’s basking in folks’ vitriol, and is happy to provoke their ire. Hopefully things stay civil.

Read More: Young Thug Trial: Lil Woody Confesses He Lied To Police In Intense Rant

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Lil Woody Urges Fans To Stop Recording Him In Public: “I’m Not A Friendly Person”

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Lil Woody has been a prominent figure as it pertains to the YSL Trial. Overall, Young Thug is currently wrapped up in a RICO case. There has been all sorts of chatter about judge Ural Glanville and the alleged tactics of the State. However, Thugger has yet to get a positive development in his case. Instead, his lawyer was arrested, and Glanville refused to recuse himself. Meanwhile, Woody has been forced to testify, and there have been some heated moments in the courtroom.

Recently, Woody got some time off from testifying. In fact, we reported a little while ago that he was having himself a good time by the pool. Now, however, he is expressing just how tired he is of people coming up to him on the street. In an Instagram story, Lil Woody told fans to stop running up to him and recording. He noted that this is for the good of their safety and his own. He also noted that he won’t hesitate if need be. We will let you interpret what that means for yourselves.

Read More: Young Thug Trial Takes Bizarre Turn As Lil Woody Tells Prosecutor To Get Away From Him

Stop Recording Lil Woody

In the internet age, some people do have a bizarre parasocial connection with certain figures. If you have a modicum of fame, people will have this weird entitlement towards you. Lil Woody is learning that the hard way right now, and he is making sure that this doesn’t continue, moving forward. Hopefully, the message was well-received.

Let us know what you think of these comments from Lil Woody, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that some people have been taking it too far when it comes to this trial? What do you think is going to happen next for Young Thug? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.

Read More: Young Thug Trial: Lil Woody Makes Good Use Of His Week Off With Some Poolside Relaxation

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Young Thug Posts Cryptic Tweet About Lil Baby Amidst YSL Trial

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There are a lot of moving parts in the YSL trial. Young Thug is the leader, and therefore the face, of the organization, but Lil Baby and Gunna have played pivotal roles. Lil Baby has continued to voice support for Thug. Gunna, on the other hand, has come under fire from the hip-hop world. Many believe Gunna snitched on his label boss to save himself, though he refutes these claims. This context is important, because Young Thug’s recent tweet doesn’t provide any. The rapper sent a message to Lil Baby, and fans are unsure as to what it could mean.

The tweet in question was posted on June 26. Young Thug wrote: “Whateva wham say goes,” which again, makes little sense in a vacuum. “Wham” is the nickname Thug has for Lil Baby, which implies the rapper is supporting whatever Lil Baby wants to do on the outside. Simple enough. Except for the fact that the message was shared shortly after footage of Gunna surfaced online. The footage in question sees Gunna declaring that he’s still part of YSL. “I’m still signed,” the rapper asserted. “Still providing, like we still been pushing. No paperwork has been changed… It’s still going.”

Read More: Young Thug Trial: Lil Woody Confesses He Lied To Police In Intense Rant

Young Thug And Lil Baby Have Remained Close Friends

Lil Baby and Gunna, who were once serial collaborators, have been on the outs since the YSL trial started. Lil Baby even threw subliminal disses at Gunna on the song “Family Freestyle” from 2023. “Some ni***s taking pleas at trial I know that slime ain’t happy,” Baby rapped. More disses came on “350,” which saw the rapper calling an unnamed target a “rat.” It doesn’t take much to arrive at the conclusion that Lil Baby is siding with Young Thug in the YSL cold war.

Lil Baby has been upfront about his stance on Thug. He told XXL that he barely talked to Gunna when the YSL case began, but stayed in touch with his label boss. “He’s not like one of my rap friends,” the rapper noted. “He’s one of my personal friends. We actually talk on the phone. Or if we in the same city, like one of them guys that I pull up on.” It’s unclear whether Young Thug’s tweet was meant to suggest that Lil Baby wanted Gunna off the label, or if he was merely co-signing Baby. Either way, all eyes will remain on YSL.

Read More: Young Thug Trial: Judge Refuses To Step Down After Ex-Parte Meeting Debacle

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Young Thug Trial: Lil Woody Makes Good Use Of His Week Off With Some Poolside Relaxation

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Overall, the Young Thug trial has proven to be one of the most complicated ongoing stories in hip-hop. There are reports that this trial could very well last all the way until 2027. Moreover, there have been numerous issues involving witnesses and their testimony. There has also been accusations of ex-parte meetings and witness intimidation from the side of the prosecution. Young Thug’s lawyer Brian Steel even attempted to have Judge Ural Glanville recused from the trial.

One of the key witnesses in the trial is Lil Woody. As we have reported over the past couple of weeks, the Woody situation has been a bit bizarre, to say the least. He fired his lawyer in the middle of his testimony. Furthermore, he was jailed after refusing to testify during one of the court dates. Not to mention, whenever he does testify, he ends up wasting the court’s time by stalling and asking repeated questions. This week, Lil Woody has some time to himself, and it appears as though he is making the most of it.

Read More: Young Thug Trial: Lil Woody Fires His Lawyer In The Middle Of Giving Testimony

The Young Thug Trial Continues

On his Instagram story, Lil Woody posted a photo of himself in the pool on a floaty. It was here where he delivered the caption: “Gotta enjoy it before they come and take it.” Lil Woody seems to understand that the Young Thug trial could very well become more difficult in the not-so-distant future. Only time will tell how things play out for all of the parties involved here.

Let us know your thoughts on the Young Thug trial, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that Thugger is going to be free following this trial? What has been your take on all of the bizarre twists and turns that the trial has taken? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.

Read More: Young Thug Trial: Judge Determined To Find Out Who Told Brian Steel About Controversial Ex Parte Meeting

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