Gunna

Sergio Giavanni Kitchens, a.k.a. Gunna , was booked into the Fulton County jail in Georgia Wednesday after turning himself in to authorities, according to jail records reviewed by Rolling Stone. The news comes days after the “Drip Too Hard” hitmaker’s was named in a massive RICO indictment that also led to the arrest of fellow Atlanta rapper Young Thug . A representative for Kitchens did not immediately return a request for comment. However, in a statement to TMZ , the rapper’s legal team said Kitchens was “innocent,” saying the “indictment falsely portrays his music as part of a criminal conspiracy.” Along with Young Thug, real name Jeffrey Williams, Kitchens was one of 28 members or associates of the alleged Young Slime Life “criminal street gang” named in Monday’s 56-count indictment. The rapper is accused of conspiring to violate the RICO Act — although the indictment contains several allegations against him beneath that umbrella. Williams, meanwhile, is facing … [Read more...] about Gunna Booked into Jail, Young Thug Denied Bond in Connection With Massive Racketeering Case

In the self-directed music video for his single “Banking on Me,” Gunna shares some wise words of advice. “When you first start to meet a person and you start liking them and shit – the vibe be good – but you want it to last, you wanna spread it out,” he tells a woman sitting in his passenger seat. “I love when I go out of town cause it give us a lil time to come back to you. I be missing you.” But as the video reveals, distance doesn’t necessarily make the heart grow fonder – at least not when Gunna has a situationship in every city. Throughout the music video, the rapper links up with different women during stops in Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Miami, and Atlanta. He’s upfront about it, at least in the music, rapping: “Young bachelor, we love to play.” The “Banking on Me” visual arrives a day after Gunna – real name Sergio Kitchens – shared a public statement from jail declaring his innocence after being hit with charges for conspiring to violate the RICO Act. … [Read more...] about Gunna Has a Situationship in Every City in Self-Directed ‘Banking on Me’ Music Video

BACKGRID Young Thug and Gunna will be locked up at least until January 2023, but attorney Drew Findling is calling BS on the entire Georgia RICO case that put them behind bars in the first place. Findling, known as the "Billion Dollar Lawyer" for his work with several industry heavyweights, was in ATL when he ripped the entire operation to take down YSL as racist. Drew says he firmly believes the justice system routinely violates rappers' 1st Amendment rights by targeting their lyrics -- something he says law enforcement ignores when it comes to other art forms ... such as big-screen violence from filmmakers, like Quentin Tarantino , for example. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. His point was on display Thursday during Young Thug's latest hearing ... when prosecutors noted the lyrics "Smith & Wesson 45, put a hole in his heart/Better not play with me, killers, they stay with me" from Thug and Juice WRLD 's collab, “ … [Read more...] about YFN Lucci Attorney Calls Young Thug and Gunna RICO Case ‘Racist’

Getty Gunna isn’t taking his incarceration lightly … evidenced by a fiery letter he’s written from jail where he says America is violating his Freedom of Speech rights. In an open letter dated Tuesday, June 14, the incarcerated “Pushin P” rapper speaks on how his breakout year was flipped after being part of a 56-count indictment that included Young Thug and several other YSL members. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. He writes, “22 & 2, just a bed & a shower, no windows just walls. Can’t see or talk to anyone. I’m writing now & still praying everyday. I was raised to fight fire with water, even tho my country’s amendments have failed me! PROTECT BLACK ART!” T.I. , who’s had several run-ins with the law throughout his rap career, immediately swooped in with words of encouragement. Sad thing is ... Gunna wasn’t lying about 2022 being his time to shine. His album “DS4EVER” beat out The Weeknd … [Read more...] about Gunna Calls Out U.S. Constitution In Open Letter From Jail

Young Thug was denied bond on Thursday in connection to gang-related charges and violations of the RICO act. Judge Ural D. Glanville said he had concerns regarding the rapper being a threat to the community and witnesses as well as concerns over him being a flight risk, though Glanville added that the rapper having “significant means” was not held against him. The proceedings were livestreamed . During the hearing, Young Thug’s lawyers argued for their client to be released on bond and considered for house arrest with monitoring, arguing that though he had money, he did not own a private plane so he was not a flight risk, and that lyrics the prosecution cited to argue the rapper should not be released on bond could not be attributed to him because it’s unclear who wrote them or sung them. However, they did not win the argument. The rapper has been charged under the RICO Act in a 56-count indictment alongside several fellow YSL rappers, including Gunna. Gunna was denied bond … [Read more...] about Young Thug Denied Bond in Hearing Over Atlanta RICO Case

Getty Composite Benny The Butcher is doing his part in helping his Buffalo hometown move forward after a white supremacist gunman murdered 10 people at the local Tops Friendly Market grocery store in May. Benny and his Black Soprano Family team linked with designers Kat & Nolan Cartwright for a limited edition t-shirt drop with 100% of the profits going to the Buffalo Survivors Fund . nolan cartwright The shirts, which honor all 10 victims with their names, are available now , retail for $40, and only 200 of them were made. To further emphasize the moment, he also released the new single "Welcome To the States," a political rap record that details racism and even gives a subtle shoutout to Young Thug and Gunna's ongoing legal drama. The shooting dampened spirits nationwide ... but particularly hit home for the Griselda rapper, who regularly shops there with his family, as it's only a few minutes from his home. … [Read more...] about Benny The Butcher Drops Song & Fundraiser For Buffalo Mass Shooting Victims

TMZ.com Atlanta hip hop culture is having a really rough go of it this year -- but one of the city's beloved rappers, Trinidad James , says the ATL will power through these hard times. We caught up with the "All Gold Everything" rap star Wednesday at LAX, and it's clear he was traveling with a heavy heart. Between the murder of Metro Boomin 's mom at the hands of her own husband to Young Thug , Gunna and much of YSL's RICO indictments to Lil Keed 's sudden death ... ATL rappers have had an extraordinary bad luck streak. Trinidad attributes the downward spiral to the fact Atlanta's been on top for several years now, and as he puts it -- when you're at the top, "there's all types of energies, people and situations just trying to take you down." The murder of Def Jam rapper Trouble also weighed on Trinidad ... in the wake of the alleged killer surrendering to cops. Trinidad told us about a recent text exchange with Trouble, … [Read more...] about Trinidad James On Last Trouble Text, Metro Boomin’s Mother, YSL Arrests

Post Malone has announced an extensive 33-city North American tour scheduled for this fall in support of his recently released fourth studio album Twelve Carat Toothache . Malone will be joined on the road by Roddy Ricch , who will serve as the special guest opener for all but seven of the scheduled tour dates. The Twelve Carat tour will kick off on Sept. 10 with a show at the Chi Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska. From there, Malone will make stops in Chicago, Columbus, Toronto, Boston, Detroit, Newark, New York, Nashville, Atlanta, Houston, Denver, Portland, Vancouver, and more. The tour will wrap on Nov. 15 with a final show at the Cryto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. General sale for the Twelve Carat tour begins on Friday, June 17 at 10 a.m. local time via Live Nation. Twelve Carat Toothache arrived in early June, boasting appearances from Doja Cat, The Kid LAROI, Fleet Foxes, Gunna, and The Weeknd. Malone and Ricch teamed up for the album single “ … [Read more...] about Post Malone Announces North American Tour Supporting ‘Twelve Carat Toothache’

TMZ.com Young Thug still found a way to be at Hot 97's Summer Jam even though he's locked up on RICO charges -- thanking fans for their support during an uncertain time. We caught Young Thug's somber, yet uplifting message from inside MetLife Stadium where he urged fans and onlookers to help fuel the Protect Black Art initiative, a law that could prevent prosecutors from using rappers' lyrics in court against them. “I just want to say thank you to all of my friends and my family for coming out and supporting us,” Thug began. “You know, your support during this time means a lot to us, ya know.” "You know, this isn’t just about me or YSL, I always use my music as a form of artistic expression, and now I see that Black artists and rappers don’t have that, you know, freedom,” he continued. “Everybody please sign the ‘Protect Black Art’ petition and keep praying for us. I love you all.” Team YSL has been getting plenty of support from fellow high-profile rappers … [Read more...] about Young Thug Sends Message From Jail To Fans At Hot 97 Summer Jam

TMZ.com Manny Halley , Young Thug 's former manager, has no bad blood with his ex-client -- he wants to see him free again, and firmly believes the system is using "our culture" against hip hop superstars. We chopped it up with Manny Thursday at LAX, where he told us about his time at YSL ... stressing there was never any notion about the company being a gang. He says it feels like law enforcement's using "made-up charges" to take down a successful revenue stream for Black artists. Manny and YSL unceremoniously parted ways back in 2018 after he was awarded a 7-figure settlement from Thug's former business managers ... but he says it's still all love and wants to see Thug and Gunna free as the air outside. Some of what he told us echoes attorney Drew Findling's sentiments about Georgia prosecutors and the RICO charges. TMZ.com The YSL guys have been getting loads of support from the likes of Chris Brown , Lil Baby , and DJ … [Read more...] about Young Thug’s Ex-Manager Manny Halley Confident YSL Will Walk Free