We’ve received a handful of updates on Young Thug since his arrest earlier this year but they’ve all been relayed from those closest to him. On Sunday night, the rapper shared a statement directly to his fans on the Hot 97 Summer Jam stage. Thug expressed gratitude for the support on behalf of YSL in the pre-recorded message.
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“I just want to say thank you to all of my friends and my family for coming out and supporting us. You know, your support during this time means a lot to us,” he said.
Last week, 300 Ent.’s CEO Kevin Liles and Atlantic Records COO announced a petition called Rap Music On Trial: Protect Black Art that aims to end the use of artistic expression as evidence in court.
“You know, this isn’t just about me or YSL, I always use my music as a form of artistic expression, and now I see that Black artists and rappers don’t have that, you know, freedom,” he said. “Everybody please sign the ‘Protect Black Art’ petition and keep praying for us. I love you all.”
The prosecutors have presented lyrics from Young Thug and YSL in their 88-page RICO indictment including records like “Anybody” ft. Nicki Minaj, Thug & Gunna’s “Slatty,” and more.
Liles and Greenwald’s petition follows the success of the “Rap Music On Trial” bill in the New York Senate that restricts the “admissibility of evidence of a defendant’s creative or artistic expression in a criminal proceeding.”
We’ll continue to keep you posted on more