Young Thug trial live: Defence insists YSL lyrics are 'art' not evidence
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The hotly-anticipated trial of the rapper Young Thug is underway in a courtroom in Atlanta, Georgia, following almost a year of delays.
In May 2022, Young Thug, real name Jeffery Williams, was arrested and charged in a sprawling RICO indictment along with 27 other defendants.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis – who is using the same law to prosecute Donald Trump in his Georgia election interference case – accused the suspects of being part of a criminal street gang named YSL.
According to prosecutors, the gang is responsible for a series of violent crimes, including murders, shootings, carjackings and racketeering.
Young Thug has denied the accusations and insisted that YSL is simply Young Thug’s record label – Young Slime Life.
After several defendants took plea deals or had their cases severed, the Grammy Award-winning rapper and five others are finally on trial.
The trial got off to a rocky start on Monday with a late juror delaying the trial start by an hour and a half followed by the defence filing a motion for a mistrial; the bid was denied. After two days of opening statements, the prosecution is expected to present evidence on Wednesday.
Lyrics in court
The use of lyrics in the courtroom has been a point of contention leading up to the trial. Ms Love mentioned some lyrics right off the bat in an effort to demonstrate to jurors that some of the group’s lyrics are related to crimes that they are accused of committing.
“We didn’t chase any of the lyrics to solve any murders. Law enforcement in Fulton County chased the murders and found the lyrics,” Ms Love clarified. “The lyrics [defendants] chose to speak...bore a very eerie significance to real life.”
By contrast, Mr Steel called the lyrics “art” and part of the rapper’s “freedom of speech.”
Kelly Rissman29 November 2023 09:00
How long has Young Thug been behind bars?
Young Thug has been in prison since his arrest in May 2022.
Earlier this month, a jury was finally selected after almost one year – with over 2,000 people having been summoned to possibly serve.
Now, opening statements in the trial are set to begin on 27 November.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the trial could end up being the longest in Georgia’s history.
Kelly Rissman29 November 2023 07:00
ICYMI: Who is Young Thug?
Born in 1991 as Jeffrey Lamar Williams, Young Thug is an Atlanta-born rapper. He also goes by the name Slime.
After starting his career at the age of 19, he signed with Gucci Mane’s record label, and went on to become one of the most influential artists on the contemporary hip-hop and trap music scene.
His first two albums “So Much Fun”, in 2019, and “Punk”, in 2021, debuted at the top of the Billboard 200, as did his 2021 joint compilation album with Gunna, “Slime Language 2”.
Young Thug has also featured in multiple collaborations that have earned him several number one hits.
These include guest spots on Camila Cabello’s Havana in 2018, Travis Scott and MIA’s Franchise in 2020 and Drake and Future’s Way 2 Sexy in 2021, all of which topped the Billboard Hot 100.
He also co-wrote the hit song This Is America with Childish Gambino, real name Donald Glover, which became the first hip-hop track to win Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards in 2019.
Kelly Rissman29 November 2023 06:00
The origin of YSL, according to the defence
The defence argued that “YSL” stemmed from the “YSL” logo on Yves Saint Laurent pants, cutting into the prosecution’s argument that YSL is a criminal enterprise that stands for “Young Slime Life.”
Kelly Rissman29 November 2023 05:00
ICYMI: What are the charges against YSL members?
The YSL members named in the indictment are charged with conspiracy to violate Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
The act is similar to its federal counterpart, which is used to convict large-scale organisations such as the mafia.
According to the indictment, associates of YSL “conspired to associate together and with others for the common purposes of illegally obtaining money and property through a pattern of racketeering activity”.
It claims that YSL members were involved in murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, theft, drug dealing, carjacking, and witness intimidation.
Other activities include “the posting of messages, images, videos and songs, demonstrating allegiance to the enterprise and willingness to engage in violence on its behalf”.
Prosecutors claim they can show that some of the group’s lyrics are related to crimes that they are accused of committing.
Kelly Rissman29 November 2023 04:00
Lil Wayne invoked
Mr Williams “idolized” Lil Wayne, Mr Steel saying, adding that growing up, he emulated his style and tattoos.
Lil Wayne was mentioned yesterday by the prosecution and is mentioned in the indictment, as one defendant was accused of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after he allegedly shot at a bus that Lil Wayne was riding in 2015.
Kelly Rissman29 November 2023 03:00
Where does Young Thug fit in to the trial?
The indictment portrays Young Thug as the leader of the criminal gang, which was responsible for multiple violent crimes, including murders, shootings and carjackings.
Prosecutors say the rapper also used his music and social media posts to promote the gang,
He is also alleged to have committed multiple crimes that he has not been charged with.
While he is not being charged for such “overt acts”, they lend credence to the allegation that the group of defendants were together engaged in a criminal conspiracy.
Brian Steel, Young Thug’s lawyer, told The New York Times: “Mr Williams came from an incredibly horrible upbringing, and he has conducted himself throughout his life in a way that is just to marvel at. He’s committed no crime whatsoever.”
Kelly Rissman29 November 2023 01:00
Defending the lyrics
“Whatever the listener takes from it, you will learn, that’s what the song means,” Mr Steel said during his opening remarks on Tuesday. “This is art. This is freedom of speech in America.”
The attorney pointed out the series of accolades that Young Thug has won, including a Grammy. He said he has performed with Elton John, Rihanna, Drake — “everyone in music.”
The emphasis on his success in the field comes after the prosecution said yesterday: “The lyrics [defendants] chose to speak...bore a very eerie significance to real life.”
Kelly Rissman29 November 2023 00:00
The court is taking a 10 minute comfort break
A defence attorney for Marquavius Huey said he had 30 minutes left of his opening remarks, which will resume shortly.
Kelly Rissman28 November 2023 22:09
Who are the 28 codefendants?
Kelly Rissman28 November 2023 21:32
