Atlanta rap star Young Thug has decided to change his plea to Nolo (no contest) in Georgia’s high-profile, longest-running criminal trial, potentially bringing his case to a close. The decision, approved by the judge, ended the court proceedings that began with jury selection in January 2023 and have captured the attention of the media and court watchers alike.
Young Thug, legally known as Jeffery Lamar Williams, was sentenced to 40 years in including 15 years probation and 20 years “backloaded” if he does not successfully complete the probation. In addition to 5 years commuted to time served. He faced the pivotal decision after Superior Court Judge Paige Whitaker asked if he would accept a non-negotiated plea, meaning a sentencing deal was not arranged between prosecution and defense, leaving his punishment to the judge’s discretion.
As part of his probation, Young Thug is banned from Metro Atlanta and he must complete four presentations or concerts each year to speak against gang violence.
He is permitted to travel for work and music creation and retains his passport. The fashionable rapper is prohibited from any contact with gang members or co-defendants, except for his brother and Gunna (who is signed to the YSL label and previously pleaded guilty). He requested permission to collaborate with Gunna.
Any promotions of gangs in any form is a violation of his probation and the judge urged him to use his influence in rap to promote positive change.
The deal comes after three co-defendants accepted plea bargains this week, easing some of the case’s prolonged tensions and speculation over a potential mistrial order.
Rapper Young Thug at his trial in Atlanta on Dec. 4, 2023. Miguel Martinez / The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The 33-year-old rapper was initially indicted in 2022 on charges of leading the Young Slime Life (YSL) organization, an alleged street gang connected to violent and illegal acts. Using Georgia’s RICO statute, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis claimed that Young Thug and his associates operated as a gang affiliated with the national Bloods gang. The indictment initially named 27 co-defendants, though only six, including Young Thug, remained by the trial’s opening in November.
The latest plea agreements include co-defendants Quamarvious Nichols, Marquavius Huey, and Rodalius Ryan, who pled guilty to racketeering conspiracy. They received reduced sentences, with time served and probation for Nichols and Huey. Ryan, sentenced to life for a 2019 murder, also had his 10-year sentence in the RICO case reduced to time served.
Young Thug’s apparent decision to settle with a guilty plea marks a significant shift, highlighting the trial’s complexities, including delays, a judge’s recusal due to defense-claimed misconduct, and courtroom disruptions, such as contraband smuggling allegations and a Zoom hacking incident. The most recent incident, involving prejudicial evidence mistakenly revealed by a state witness, may have contributed to the defense’s push for favorable plea deals.
Known for mainstream hits like his 2014 track “Stoner,” Young Thug has amassed multiple Billboard No. 1 albums and collaborated with prominent artists, including Travis Scott and Drake. His contributions earned him a Grammy for co-writing Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” in 2019. Young Thug has been jailed since May 2022.
