Gunna Shows Love To Young Thug At First Post-Jail Show

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2022 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival - Weekend 1 - Day 1
INDIO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 15: Gunna performs with Lil Baby onstage at the Coachella Stage during the 2022 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival on April 15, 2022 in Indio, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Coachella)

The YSL-affiliated rapper had a "Free Jeffrey" sign as part of his set decor in New York.

Gunna went out of his way to show love to Young Thug during his first show since being released from jail last year. Performing at the Barclay Center in New York, Gunna opened the show with a large "Free Jeffery" sign lit up. Young Thug's legal name is Jeffrey Williams Jr. While Gunna released his first post-jail album, A Gift & a Curse, earlier this year, he hadn't yet performed live. That all changed with an electric concert in front of a sold-out crowd in New York.

While many fans were over the moon to see Gunna return to the stage, not everyone was happy. Gunna is still carrying a lot of stigma over the plea deal he took in the YSL RICO case. Gunna's December 2022 jail release came after he took a plea deal and acknowledged that YSL was a criminal gang. Furthermore, Gunna's sentence would be completely terminated after completing community service. This has led many to label Gunna a rat and a coward. These people believe that he sold out Thug and the other members of YSL.

Read More: Mariah the Scientist reiterates that she is staying loyal to Young Thug

YSL RICO Trial To Continue

While Gunna is free and performing, his YSL peers are looking at a much bleaker future. After YSL Polo was convicted of shooting a man on camera, prosecutors in Georgia successfully lobbied for the resumption of the larger YSL trial. Thug and seven other defendants are facing a litany of charges relating to the group's operations in Atlanta. However, it has been a long and tortured process. Despite the trial starting in January, jury selection is currently ongoing. It is unclear when the trial proper will actually begin. Meanwhile, things were complicated further when Fulton County also indicted Donald Trump and over a dozen associates on charges relating to his interference in the 2020 election.

Despite renewed pleas for Thug to receive bond, the YSL leader and many of his peers remain behind bars in Georgia. The trial is set to resume as soon as October. However, many legal experts expect that it could last another six to eight months. Despite this, that could be further delayed based on what happens with the Trump case, which is also ongoing but not yet at the trial stage. All of this remains a developing story and we'll have any updates as and when they emerge. Follow all the latest news about the YSL trial here at HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Young Thug seen smiling during recent court appearance

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About The Author
Benjamin Mock (they/them) is a sports and culture writer working out of Philadelphia. Previously writing for the likes of Fixture, Dexerto, Fragster, and Jaxon, Ben has dedicated themselves to engaging and accessible articles about sports, esports, and internet culture. With a love for the weirder stories, you never quite know what to expect from their work.