Prominent Rappers Behind Bars - Marguerite Bysshe

If you're a fan of hip hop and keep up with today's rappers, you'll know that February has been a busy month. It feels like a new artist is arrested everyday, charged with some felony related to gun violence or illegal gang activity. After awhile, it can be hard to keep up with who's behind bars and who's not. This is partially due to the fact that the media likes to blur and exaggerate circumstances and also the fact that every other rapper today is "Lil" something or "YBN" whatever. It can definitely get confusing. Hopefully, this post will help clear up who's in trouble and for what.

Let's start off with Tekashi 6ix9ine, aka 22 year old Daniel Hernandez. Long story short, Hernandez was apart of the Nine Trey Blood Gang and put himself in some unfortunate situations. You know, robbing people at gun point, trafficking drugs around NYC, attempting to kill other gang members, and oh yeah, putting a hit out on one of his rival rappers (*cough cough* Chief Keef). Unfortunately for him, the hit man he sent kind of sucked and missed the shot, so now Hernandez is being charged with nine federal crimes and his rival is still alive. Gun charges, drug trafficking, conspiracy, and racketeering are just a few of the felonies he pleaded guilty to on January 23. He could face 47 years in prison and so far, his cooperation hasn't lead to any sentence reduction. As of now, he's going to prison in January 2020, giving him time to either figure out a sentence reduction or do something else that's stupid to add to his time.



On a slightly lighter note, apparently 21 Savage is British?? How did we not know this? He was arrested by ICE on February 3 and detained for awhile. Apparently, he was "obviously targeted" and arrested after he was pulled over by local cops. Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph had told fans he was from the Atlanta area since the start of his career. However, he had actually visited the US when he was 13 and overstayed his visa. He was convicted on drug charges in 2014, but ICE was not aware of his citizenship status. 21 Savage has since been released, but the issue has definitely brought detainment conditions and the treatment of illegal immigrants to the public eye once again.



In slightly less important news, Lil Baby was arrested for reckless driving in the beginning of February. According to police, Dominique Jones had failed to use a turn signal and was speeding past cars and constantly switching lanes in a high pedestrian area of Atlanta. As horrible and stupid as this is, I think the only thing more atrocious is the fact that he owns an orange Corvette. Orange?? Really? You're a multimillionaire and you're spending your money on orange cars? That's the real crime here. Please, just buy black or red or something a little less obnoxious next time and maybe you won't get pulled over.




February finished out with some other small time arrests are well. Blueface, born Johnathon Porter, is facing charges on illegal gun possession after being released on bail not even a month prior. BlocBoy JB, otherwise known as James Baker currently has a warrant out for his arrest. He faces charges of possession of drugs, theft of property, and a felon in possession of a handgun. At only 22, he has already served time for possession of drugs with intentions to sell as well as evading arrest and theft. Why does every rapper under the sun have an obsession with their guns? I have no idea.




Now we've arrived at Taymor McIntyre, better known as Tay-K 47. He was arrested in 2016 at only 16 for capital murder charges on two different events. He has also been charged with robbery and openly admitted that he has used illegal substances. Remind you, this kid is barely 18. He's had a rather troubled childhood and being involved in multiple murder cases isn't doing him any good. Unfortunately, McIntyre has also recently stirred up some problems behind bars. Besides threatening other inmates and staff, as well as physically assaulting other prisoners, McIntyre has decided to start a gang. Yes. A teenager attempted to start a gang called the "Rug Rats" behind bars. Genius. He even drafted a "Laws of Power" list, outlining the rules and conditions required to become a Rug Rat. It was a really great idea, a wonderful way to assert your dominance on the other inmates except for the fact that he ended up getting caught. And unfortunately for Tay-K, this incident could definitely increase his jail time.







2019 has been a busy month for rappers and fans alike. Another popular case was YNW Melly, who was charged on premeditated murder after the release of his song "Murder on My Mind". Hundreds of other rappers are behind bars for stupid things done for the "culture" and I think that is ridiculous. Many of today's rappers grew up in broken homes and were apart of illegal activity from a young age, which is a shame because they could be such positive role models for so many kids. Unfortunately, a new artist is arrested everyday and it doesn't seem like that trend is going away anytime soon.

Links: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article226974284.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/ybn-cordae-the-new-rapper-bridging-hip-hops-generation-gap-11551718800

https://www.wafb.com/2019/02/28/rapper-blocboy-jb-taken-into-custody/

https://www.npr.org/2019/02/04/691210275/atlanta-rapper-21-savage-arrested-by-ice-for-allegedly-overstaying-visa

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/rapper-21-savage-describes-arrest-ice-we-got-savage-n971951

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tekashi-6ix9ine-pleads-guilty-to-federal-charges-will-help-gang-investigation-2019-02-02/

https://pagesix.com/2019/02/20/rising-rapper-blueface-faces-felony-gun-possession-charge/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2019/02/07/reports-rapper-lil-baby-arrested-reckless-driving-eluding-police/2808164002/

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/crime/2019/02/20/ynw-melly-murder-my-mind-shooting-ynw-juvy-ynw-sakchaser/2928320002/

Wrongful Incarceration By: Gianna Gorvan

 In 1999, Horace Roberts, a now 60 year old man, was convicted and charged of second degree murder. Just days ago, on October 3, 2018 Roberts was released from incarceration. Horace Roberts was convicted of a crime he did not commit, but due to reason to believe he may have had something to do with it, such as his affair with the deceased, Terry Cheek, he was placed behind bars. Roberts knew that there was no reason for him to be placed in jail for such a long span of his lifetime, let alone any at all, and so he reached out to a non-profit organization to review his case. This organization had given Roberts a new found freedom when they discovered, it was indeed, not his DNA found anywhere on the crime scene. In contrast to being let out of jail, the two men whose DNA was later found on the dead body have been taken into custody.
   I feel as though the wrongful incrimination of any man or woman is far too common. There are too many scenarios where the court or the victims just want some sort of verdict to be made, and they convict the wrong person. When the justice system takes the wrong person into custody, it takes away the wrong person's freedom. They are stripped of all the possible life experiences they may have encountered, things like love, education, adventure, they can lose their family and friends, their jobs. In the case of Horace Roberts, he lost 20 years. 20 years of laughs, smiles, family time, and happiness all because he was stuck behind bars, knowing that he shouldn't have been.
   It isn't even just the fact that an innocent man is facing these punishments he shouldn't have to be, it is the fact that two murderers have been roaming the streets living their normal day to day lives. How many more people are we putting at risk by allowing that? If our justice department continues to convict the wrong people, that means the right people are still out there, still dangerous and capable. Our society needs to take a step back and evaluate what can be changed. How can we ensure people's safety if we aren't guaranteed to have the right criminal? It doesn't feel right or safe to be in this position with murderers, rapists, burglars, arsonists, all living their lives, ready in an instant to begin the next felony, but nobody would know because the accused was already put in jail.
   To keep peace, order, and stability in our world, we need to better improve how our government and justice system operate. It is a scary world were living in, where someone who once did something that put themselves or others at risk has the ability to do it again if they aren't arrested. There needs to be more time, more effort, and better processes put into finding a way to find the true felon so that we don't take away innocent people's freedom and let civilians have unknowingly be at risk. This is just one example of a case where the true criminal isn't found until years later, and I am sure that it will not be the last, but there certainly cannot and should not be many more.
  

Horace Roberts eats his first meal after 20 years of prison.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/16/us/20-years-exonerated-dna-prison.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fus&action=click&contentCollection=us&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront