The most talked about story in hip-hop this week is Young Thug's release from prison. On Halloween, Thug took a blind plea deal. Judge Paige Reese Whitaker sentenced him to 15 years of probation and ordered him to pay thousands of dollars in fines. Additionally, Whitaker banned him from entering the metro Atlanta area for the first 10 years of his probation. He can visit in special cases, though he must leave the area within two days. Fans are thrilled with the verdict. For them, it means that a hip-hop favorite gets to come home and resume a wildly successful and influential music career. However, Young Thug's lawyer, Brian Steel, is not as ecstatic. When asked about how Thug feels following his release, Steel alluded to his personal unhappiness with the outcome. However, he emphasized that Thug is happy to be coming home.
"As far as Jeffery is feeling now, he knows my feelings, which I am not going to reveal for attorney-client privilege. But, this is not the same as a not guilty verdict," Steel said outside of the courthouse. He went into details about the way Thug was treated while in custod. He specifically pointed to the poor conditions of his cell. "Nobody here wakes up every day on a concrete floor that they're calling his bed, at 4:15. He gets shackled at his feet, his waist, and his hands, comes to the Fulton County courthouse to be on concrete, eating out of a bag, and then coming to the courthouse to sit there with a leg chain every single day, and hear lie after lie. So for Jeffery to go home today, and not have another 90 days, 120 days of it [the trial], he is very happy."
Young Thug's Lawyer Speaks About Client's Release
Brian Steel has become a minor hero in the eyes of Young Thug fans. Georgia has famously difficult RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) laws to navigate. They have been used in other high-profile cases. Notably, the state of Georgia's case against former president Donald Trump concerning his plot to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Steel did not his client get a definitive "not guilty" verdict. But, his work ensured that Thug would not have to spend another day in prison. Thug spent over 900 days in custody after his arrest in May 2022.
Thug can now return to making music without many complications. Judge Whitaker ordered that he stay away from other YSL members and co-defendants at the trial. However, Thug specifically requested permission to continue working with Gunna, who Thug signed to his record label in 2017. The judge acquiesed. Additionally, he can travel for music-related reasons. Fans won't have to worry about Thug being unable to tour or collaborate with artists. All of that would not be possible without the legal guidance of Steel, a man who Thug owes a debt of gratitude.