In 2018, rapper Ralo was arrested on federal charges, with authorities accusing the rapper of running a drug empire, privately transporting high-grade marijuana on a private jet and proceeding to sell it in his home city of Atlanta. According to the 11-page criminal complaint, the marijuana seized during the arrest weighed in at around nine-hundred-and-forty pounds, with an approximated worth of nearly two million dollars.
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The rapper's arrest and subsequent imprisonment sparked anger from the hip-hop community. Killer Mike was particularly appalled by the hypocrisy, sharing his thoughts on Ralo's arrest on Twitter. "At a time where so many young White people and others are capitalizing off marijuana’s new legitimacy to see this brother sit and suffer is sickening," wrote Mike. "He is a real one and helped his community and now he is a hostage of the state."
https://twitter.com/_/status/1230867060047126528
His fortunes appeared to be shifting when he was granted bond in mid-2020, but it was revoked that December after the rapper was accused of arranging drug deals from behind bars. Since then, Ralo has remained in jail, occasionally taking to social media to share an update on his situation. Today, the rapper has done exactly that, issuing an emotional plea aimed at receiving a fair trial -- especially given that marijuana is in the process of becoming a widely legalized business across the United States.
"MARIJUANA IS SOLD IN CORNER STORES AND MARKETS ALL AROUND THE WORLD," writes Ralo, echoing the sentiments shared by Killer Mike and many others. "SCIENCE SAYS ITS A HARMLESS DRUG. I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT I REPESENT #DOGFOOD AN MANY PEOPLE HAVE POINTED IN MY DIRECTION IN REGARDS TO THAT DRUG AN OTHER THINGS, BUT THATS NOT WHAT IM CHARGED WITH. I BEGG THAT MY CASE BE TREATED AS A #MARIJUANA CASE AN NOT AH #RALO CASE," he writes. "WHEN I ASK FOR MY FREEDOM, IM NOT ASKING TO GET AWAY WITH A CRIME, IM ASKING FOR ANOTHER CHANCE TO B AH BETTER RALO... #FREERALO."
Check out the rapper's message below.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKml3w5hCyJ
