Hip Hop stood is collectively exhaling after Rapper Young Thug was finally freed following the conclusion of his lengthy RICO trial. On Thursday, October 31, Fulton County Judge Paige Reese Whitaker delivered the final sentence in the high-profile case involving the Atlanta-based artist and the YSL label.
Not for nothing but the prosecution aggressively sought a 45-year sentence for Thug, aiming for 25 years in custody and an additional 20 on probation. Instead, the judge sentenced him to five years in prison, which was commuted to time served. The remainder of his 40-year sentence will be served as probation, with a conditional “backloaded” 20-year period.
“The total sentence is 40 years, to serve the first 5 years in prison but commuted to the time you’ve already served,” Judge Whitaker announced.
ICYMI, during the guilty plea and sentencing proceedings, Young Thug, whose legal name is Jeffrey Williams, was given the opportunity to address the court. Flanked by his attorney, Brian Steel, Thug expressed remorse, spoke about taking accountability, and urged the court to believe in his desire to change.
“I take full responsibility for my crimes, for my charges. I want to say sorry to my family, my mom…I am a smart guy, I am a good guy, and I really got a good heart, you know. I find myself in a lot of stuff because I was just nice or cool,” Williams said. “I hope that you allow me to go home today and trust in me to do the right thing…I promise you I won’t ever be in this type of situation again.”
As you can imagine, with news of his release quickly spreading online, many of Thug’s peers in the hip-hop community took to social media to celebrate his freedom. The response from fans and fellow artists reflected the impact of his release and the support he has within the music world.
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