Standing before the judge, the rapper apologized to the court and to his family for his actions. 

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“I am a smart guy and a good guy. I really have a good heart,” Williams told the judge, adding that he has held free charity concerts in the past.

 

“I put millions of dollars back into my community. I understand how rap lyrics can be twisted and what it can do to the minds of people and I’m 100 percent changing that,” he added.

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Fulton County Judge Paige Reese Whitaker urged Williams to use his influence to show kids there are other, better ways out of poverty. 

 

“Whether fake or not it has a tremendous impact on kids and young people that think this is cool and think, 'look at him he's a millionaire, I can do that by being a gangster on the streets,'” Whitaker said, adding,

 

“But if you do that you get shot, you get killed or get thrown in prison."

 

Prosecutors had sought a sentence of 45 years, with 25 served in custody and 20 years probation. 

 

In a risky move, Williams entered into a non-negotiated—or blind—plea, leaving the final sentencing decision up to the judge. William’s attorney, Brian Steel, said he suggested his client continue to fight the charges, and take the trial all the way to the very end in the hope of securing an acquittal.

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“I told Mr. Williams I think we’re winning the trial and I think we should go to verdict but he told me, ‘I can’t wait another three months if there is any possibility I could go home because I have children that are hurting,’” Steel told the judge.

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Prosecutors claim Williams founded a criminal street gang known as “Young Slime Life” or “YSL,” responsible for a string of shootings, drug dealings and robberies across Atlanta. 

 

Throughout the 154 days of trial, Williams has contended that YSL is simply the acronym for his record label, Young Stoner Life. Twenty-seven others were charged under the 56-count RICO indictment unveiled in May 2022, that listed 191 "overt acts" that prosecutors say defendants carried out in furtherance of the gang.

 

Steel criticized the prosecution for the way they’ve tried the case up to this point, accusing them of making false accusations while his client languished in jail without bond like a “hostage.”

 

Lead prosecutor Adriane Love read aloud some of Young Thug’s lyrics, which the state has controversially used as evidence against him, claiming he and other defendants used music to assert the gang’s dominance. 

 

Steel told the judge that most of the lyrics mentioned were written before the 2015 murder of Donovan Thomas, who prosecutors said was fatally shot in Atlanta by members of the gang from a car that was rented under Williams’ name. 

 

After Love claimed Williams and other defendants “fled” to Miami after the shooting, Steel argued that the trip had already been planned to shoot a music video. He added that Williams was not in contact with the other defendants while there and often purchased trips, hotels and cars for others. 

 

“He has performed for over 300,000 people at one time. He has a real life career. He is not the leader,” Steel said. He added he still believes Williams is innocent. “To me, this is a wrongful prosecution.”

 

Love detailed another overt act of the indictment that accuses defendants of shooting at the tour bus of Lil Wayne, another famous rapper that prosecutors claim Williams had conflict with. 

 

But the incident had nothing to do with Williams because there was no real conflict between the two artists, argued Steel. He said it was a made-up rap battle that circulated online and noted the two have collaborated on music together. 

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Love said that authorities found marijuana, codeine and cocaine during a search of Williams’ home, as well as a semiautomatic gun equipped with a “switch” that allowed it to fire more rapidly.

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Under the terms of his probation, Williams is not allowed to have anything to do with any associated “gang members,” and must stay away from Atlanta for a decade except for special events such as weddings and funerals. He is allowed to keep his passport and travel

for business purposes. 

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The plea deal comes after Whitaker halted court and admonished the prosecution last week when a witness read aloud from an exhibit that should have been redacted, revealing to the jury which defendants

were incarcerated.

 

Whitaker expressed the possibility of granting a request for a mistrial, but without prejudice, meaning the state would be allowed to retry the case all over again. 

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Throughout the trial, defense attorneys have called for mistrials and scorned the prosecution for several careless errors with witnesses and presenting evidence, leading to several delays and even the recusal of the former judge.

 

This led to days of behind-the-scenes plea negotiations between defense attorneys and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. Williams’ decision to plead guilty comes days after three of his co-defendants—Quam- arvious Nichols, Rodalius Ryan and Marquavius Huey, also accepted plea deals in the case this week.

 

Of the 28 people initially charged, nine defendants took plea deals before trial began and 12 others are being tried separately. Another defendant, Cordarius Dorsey, had his charges dropped after being convicted of an unrelated murder.

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Now only two defendants remain in the case—Deamonte Kendrick also known as “Yak Gotti,” and Shannon Stillwell, who are expected to return to court Monday.

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Categories / Criminal, Entertainment, Trial