A List of 10 Popular Rappers Currently Serving Time in

What rappers are in jail now 2023 and 2024? Rappers have always seemingly had a hard relationship with the court and legal system. Several examples of an artiste’s excessive lifestyle are often the key factors behind why they were arrested.

Ever since the advent of gangsta rap in the late ’80s, there has been a certain subset of rappers who like, shall we say, infusing their art with elements of criminality.

That is to say that in the last several decades, a lot of rap music has gotten progressively more thugged out — though it has long been mostly understood that, while many of these artistes do have criminal pasts, their crime-ing days are now behind them, and they are presently respectable members of the Hip-Hop community.

Many of these rappers go so far as to explicitly condemn the criminal lifestyle (the godfather of gangsta rap, superstar Ice-T, comes to mind) — but in recent years, a disturbing and diametrically opposing trend has emerged.

An unfortunate number of rappers now seem to be walking the talk — continuing to take part in the criminal activity they rap about, even as their musical fortunes rise.

Many have even had meteoric rises cut short by lengthy prison sentences — and some of these have committed crimes serious enough that they are unlikely to ever get out of jail.

It turns out that sales, accolades, hit songs, and millions of fans do not offer insulation from prosecution — a lesson learned the hard way by these artists, all of whom are sitting in the big house right now.

List of Rappers Who Are Currently in Prison

Here is a list of 10 top rappers who are currently in prison:

1. Young Thug – YSL / RICO Charge

Arrested on: May 9, 2022

Charged with: multiple counts of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), armed robbery, alleged murder, illegal weapon charges, and more.

Court Sentence: Trial in progress

Thugger was one of the 26 Young Stoner Life label members who were arrested in May 2022 on RICO charges in Atlanta.

Young Thug is accused of leading and running YSL as a gang instead of a record label. Court documents have stated that their indictment includes charges of armed robbery and the suspected involvement in the murder of Donovan Thomas Jr.

Thug is currently waiting for his trial to conclude, with the artiste facing eight individual counts of RICO Act violations on his record.

2 YNW Melly – Murder Charge

Arrested on: Feb 13, 2019
Charged with: First-Degree Murder.
Court Sentence: Awaiting a retrial

YNW Melly is currently waiting behind bars for the Florida court to conduct a re-trial of his double murder case. The trial ended as a mistrial after the jury was unable to reach a verdict.

Melly is charged with the murder of his two friends and upcoming rappers, YNK Sakchaser and YNW Juvy. They were both killed in an alleged drive-by shooting on October 26, 2018.

3 Tory Lanez – Assualt Charge

Arrested on: Dec 23, 2022
Charged with: Assault with a Semiautomatic Firearm, Negligent Discharge of a Firearm, and concealing an unregistered weapon.
Court Sentence: 10 years (max. 22)
Release year: 2032

In 2020, Tory Lanez, Megan Thee Stallion, and Kelsey Nicole Harris were returning from a party when an argument broke out between Lanez and Megan. The argument escalated to the point where Meg was shot twice in the feet.

The trial ended with the jury ruling in favor of Megan, sentencing Lanez to a maximum of 22 years in prison.

4. Blueface – Violation Charge

Arrested on: Jan 12, 2024
Charged with: Probation Violation
Court Sentence: 7 months
Release year: 2024

Blueface is currently serving a seven-month sentence at the Men’s Central Jail in LA. Reports have stated that the rapper turned himself into the police regarding a probation violation in January 2024.

The violation stems from a November 2021 assault charge when Blueface was arrested for supposedly attacking a bouncer at a lounge bar in San Fernando Valley, California.

The rapper is scheduled to be released later in the year, around July 2024.

5. Pooh Shiesty – Conspiracy Charge

Arrested on: June 8, 2021
Charged with: Firearm Conspiracy
Court Sentence: 5 Years
Release year: 2026

Pooh Shiesty is currently in prison, serving out a five-year sentence after pleading guilty to two charges resulting from two incidents involving guns.

The rapper was sentenced on accounts of firearm conspiracy stemming from the October 2020 and June 2021 incidents.

Both incidents recount Pooh illegally discharging a weapon, with the first one referring to the rapper’s involvement in a shootout in a Miami apartment parking lot.

The second incident refers to Shiesty’s involvement in a similar case of firearm conspiracy at the King of Diamonds strip club in Miami.

6. Fetty Wap – Drug Trafficking Charge

Arrested on: Aug. 8, 2022
Charged with: Drug Trafficking
Court Sentence: 6 Years
Release year: 2028

Fetty Wap was originally arrested on October 29, 2021, before he was released on bond. The rapper was later taken back into custody on August 8, 2022, on counts of drug trafficking.

Fetty is convicted of being involved with a group of individuals who’ve been convicted of being drug distributors in charge of supplying over 100 kilos of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine, in New York City.

7. Casanova – Racketeering Charge

Arrested on: Dec. 02, 2020
Charged with: Racketeering & Narcotics
Court Sentence: almost 16 Years
Release year: 2028

Casanova was arrested for supposedly being involved in the distribution of narcotics, with specific charges being dropped against the rapper.

These included accusations of distributing controlled substances and illegal possession of a firearm.

The rapper was allegedly one of 17 members of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation gang who were indicted under the RICO Act. Casanova was sentenced to 15.6 years in prison.

8. Kay Flock – Murder & RICO Charge

Arrested on: Dec. 24, 2021
Charged with: Murder & RICO
Court Sentence: Awaiting a trial

Kay Flock was arrested after being accused of murdering Oscar Hernandez outside a New York barbershop in Harlem. Prosecutors alleged that during an argument, the rapper shot Oscar in the neck and back.

Kay was also arrested along with several other people on RICO counts. Authorities claimed that they were active members of the Sev Side/DOA Gang who were supposedly responsible for various violent crimes.

These include 7 shooting incidents committed in the Bronx.

9. Lul G – Murder Charge

Arrested on: Sept. 10, 2019
Charged with: First Degree Murder
Court Sentence: 21 Years.
Release year: 2040

Lul G pleaded no contest during his trial over the shooting and death of his friend Rashied Flowers on July 24, 2019.

Authorities claim that Lul G pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter for shooting Flowers in the abdomen during an argument.

The argument ensued after the rapper lost control of himself while gambling.

10. Tay-K – Murder Charge

Arrested on: Sept. 10, 2019
Charged with: First Degree Murder
Court Sentence: 55 Years.
Release year: 2072

Taymor Travon McIntyre, famously known as Tay-K, is a popular rapper from 2017 who is known for his viral song The Race. The song infamously dropped while the rapper was avoiding authorities.

The charge against him stems from a 2016 robbery in which he was involved and left 21-year-old Ethan Walker dead.

Travon was hit with multiple charges that include over three separate counts of aggravated robbery, assault, and murder.

A List of 10 Popular Rappers Currently Serving Time in Jail or Prison