Category: Crime News

WATCH: “Rap Trap — Hip Hop on Trial” Trailer

Jeffery Williams pka Young Thug with counsel during RICO trial
Photo Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

Check out the trailer for the Hulu documentary, “Rap Trap: Hip Hop on Trial” surrounding the use of hip hop lyrics being used against rap artists in court.

The full documentary is now available here.

Atlanta rapper Young Thug is the latest rapper to be hit with charges for his alleged gang ties to the national Bloods street gang.

Prosecutors say Jeffery Williams /pka/ Young Thug, who is allegedly the leader of the gang YSL or Young Slime Life, rapped about his criminal activities in his music under his YSL record label. According to the Atlanta DA’s office, his music lyrics should be admissible in court and used against him for prosecution.

Although Young Thug has claimed gang ties in his lyrics, defense attorney Manny Arora is arguing there is no evidence that rapper has any gang affiliation.

So far four of Thug’s co-defendants have been sentenced to life in prison for their crimes committed while affiliated with the gang. Others have taken plea deals leaving Young Thug on the hook to stand trial under the Rico charge.

He faces life in prison if convicted.

WATCH: Memphis Craig Petties Gang

Check out this documentary. Al Profit goes behind the scenes of the Memphis based gang of drug trafficker Craig Petties.

In 2009, Petties pleaded guilty to 19 charges related to his role as the ringleader of one of the largest drug trafficking organizations ever prosecuted in West Tennessee.

According to the Tennessee Department of Justice, Petties and the other members of his criminal racketeering enterprise conspired with cocaine traffickers in Mexico, Texas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and elsewhere.

Petties grew up poor in the South Memphis Riverside neighborhood but went from rags to riches by creating a huge drug empire and ordering the murders of people in his way.

He was living like a rock star with a driver, personal trainer, chef and nanny when police caught him in Mexico in 2008.

Petties worked with the Mexican cartel and had been on the run for years.

Being from the south and having friends from the Memphis area, I am very familiar the Craig Petties gang. They were very active during the early to mid and even late 2000’s, around the height of Detroit’s Big Meech & BMF, Jamaica’s Dudus & the Shower Posse… even Mexico’s El Chapo & the cartel. Actually, El Chapo is said to be one of Petties’ major plugs who helped him move drugs throughout Tennessee and the entire south.

If you’re from any of the Southwestern and Southeastern states chances are you know. And if you know – you know!

In 2013, Petties was sentenced to NINE life sentences in federal prison. During his sentencing he apologized.

“I apologize to my family and the victims’ family for the decisions I made in my life that put me here in this situation.”

Click here to see the most recent photo of photo of Petties while in prison.

Haiti Deteriorates Day by Day Due to Political Unrest

Photo Credit: Jamaica Gleaner

Jamaica Gleaner — PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti – The United Nations issued an urgent appeal for increased humanitarian access and resources for Haiti, stating that the humanitarian situation across the French speaking CARICOM country continues to deteriorate “day by day”.

They said this was “due to a spiral of violence, emergencies related to protection, human rights and food insecurity as well as an epidemic of cholera.”

In a statement, following a two day mission, the acting Director of Operations and Advocacy Division of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Tareq Talahma said “we cannot let Haiti become a forgotten crisis.”

In 2019, protests and unrest in Haiti became a crisis. I traveled to the country to work with humanitarian group BENEFIT HAITI and during this time the country was in complete ruins with fierce protesting of then president, Jovenel Moïse.

Check out some footage:

In the early morning of 7 July 2021, Moïse was assassinated, and his wife Martine was injured during an attack on their private residence in Pétion-Ville. Claude Joseph took control of the country as acting prime minister following the assassination of Moïse.