Young Thug & YSL RICO Trial Finally Gets Seated Jury: Report

BYGabriel Bras Nevares1463 Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Redfestdxb 2020
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - FEBRUARY 06: Young Thug performs during Day 1 of Redfestdxb 2020 on February 6, 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage/Getty Images)
This follows months and months of delays in the process, which means the trial is set to begin in late November.

Finally, after over a year of delays and court developments and fiascos since the initial arrest, the YSL RICO trial is moving underway for Young Thug and his codefendants, according to a Billboard report. Moreover, the Atlanta court overseeing this case finally sat its jury in it after finalizing candidates earlier this week. As such, this means that the court will at long last commence full proceedings on this situation on the scheduled date of November 27. While this case hasn't gotten any prettier or more promising to cover, at least this movement is some form of progress in this journey. For those unaware, prosecutors claim that the record label Young Stoner Life, led by Thugger, is actually a dangerous street gang in Atlanta known as Young Slime Life.

Furthermore, the jury selection process began in January of this year, about six months after authorities initially arrested Young Thug and other YSL affiliates. However, it proved incredibly difficult to find willing and able jurors in this trial. Many dropped out due to the heightened time-consuming commitments that a high-profile case like this represents. On the other hand, the court found many to exhibit too much bias, incompetent, or public revelations to participate.

Young Thug Performing In 2019

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 06: Young Thug performs on stage during Wireless Festival 2019 on July 06, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Lorne Thomson/Redferns/Getty Images)

In addition, this adds onto drug busts, more arrests, severances from the trial, and plea deals that the YSL RICO case involved. In fact, prosecutors led by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis initially indicted 27 individuals in this case. Now, only seven remain and face the brunt of the charges if convicted. According to Atlanta media outlets such as its local NBC partner, the jury that will evaluate these seven indicted affiliates consists of seven Black women, two white women, two Black men, and one white man.

Meanwhile, full conviction could result in a lifetime prison sentence for the Atlanta trap pioneer. An important aspect to determine in the case is whether the court can use lyrics in their arguments. A hearing will take place next week to settle this mater with a ruling before opening arguments commence on November 27. For more news and the latest updates on the Young Thug and YSL RICO trial, stay logged into HNHH.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
...