Gunna To Be Released After Pleading Guilty To Racketeering: Report
Gunna will be released after he pleaded guilty to a racketeering conspiracy charge in a gang indictment that includes Young Thug and several members of Young Slime Life, WSBTV reports….
SANDY SPRINGS, GEORGIA – AUGUST 29: Gunna attends The 2019 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards at Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center on August 29, 2019 in Sandy Springs, Georgia.
(Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BMI)Gunna will be released after he pleaded guilty to a racketeering conspiracy charge in a gang indictment that includes Young Thug and several members of Young Slime Life, WSBTV reports.
Gunna, whose legal name is Sergio Kitchens, entered a negotiated plea, known as an Alford plea. The Alford plea is "a guilty plea in which a defendant maintains their innocence but admits that the prosecution's evidence would likely result in a guilty verdict if brought to trial." The rapper was sentenced to five years with one served in prison in the Atlanta courtroom Wednesday (Dec. 14). The one-year sentence was commuted to time served and the remaining four years has been suspended and will include 500 hours of community service.
Shortly after sentencing, Gunna released a statement. "While I have agreed to always be truthful, I want to make it perfectly clear that I have NOT made any statements, have NOT been interviewed, have NOT cooperated, have NOT agreed to testify or be a witness for or against any party in the case and have absolutely NO intention of being involved in the trial process in any way," the rapper said in a statement per the outlet.
While Gunna says he won't testify, he can claim the Fifth Amendment if called. It has not been made public as of yet when the rapper will be released from prison.
When Gunna joined YSL in 2016 he didn’t consider it a gang, but "more like a group of people from metro Atlanta who had common interests and artistic aspirations," Gunna wrote. "My focus of YSL was entertainment -- rap artists who wrote and performed music that exaggerated and ‘glorified’ urban life in the Black community."
Back in May, both Young Thug and Gunna were indicted on conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Young Thug remains in jail after his third attempt at bond was denied.
Gunna (born Sergio Giavanni Kitchens) has gradually climbed up the latter in making himself a household name. The Georgia native was taken under Young Thug's wing and has formed a mentor and mentee relationship which has shown in Gunna forming his individual sound. The rapper has made his presence known with his last two albums WUNNA and DS4Ever topping the Billboard 200 chart. His influence is undeniable on social media as well when he coined the popular phrase "pushing p." Gunna is definitely one to keep your eye on as he continues to create his own lane in hip-hop.
Take a look at 10 of Gunna's best songs ranked:
10. "Heat" Chris Brown ft. Gunna 'Indigo' (2019)
RCA"Heat" marks Chris Brown and Gunna's first time together on the song and they, sure enough, brought the heat along with them. Both artists in the song tell about how they are willing to give the girl they want designer items in order to win her over."Heat" appears on Chris' 2019 album 'Indigo.' The Budda Blessed produced track topped the US Rhythmic Airplay chart and peaked at No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100. This song became Gunna's first number one on the chart.
9. "Lemonade" Internet Money, Don Toliver, and Gunna ft. Nav 'B4 the Storm' (2020)
Internet Money Records"Lemonade" is from the hip-hop collective and record label Internet Money's debut album 'B4 the Storm.' The track finds the artists rapping about their baller lifestyles and using "ice" as a double entendre meaning expensive jewelry and the frozen water used to make your drink cool. Taz Taylor, an Internet Money member who co-produced the track noted that the record sounded similar to Travis Scott's "Yosemite" and originally wanted Scott on the track but instead he decided to add Gunna and NAV. The track is three times platinum by the RIAA.
8. "Ski" Young Thug ft. Gunna 'Slime Language 2' (2021)
300 EntertainmentContrary to the title of the song, Young Thug and Gunna are not leaving hip-hop to take up the winter sport. In the song, the artists rap about the expensive items they've bought since they've come up on money like Thug's Lamborgini whom he references in the track as "lamb chop." "Ski" is a part of YSL (Young Stoner Life) collective's 'Slime Language 2' compilation. Thug and Gunna have six songs together on the project among the 23 tracks where other YSL members guest appear on. Gunna and Thug performed this song at the 2021 BET Hip Hop Awards. The song became popular on TikTok as the rappers invented a dance as fans pretended to ski as the record played. The track is certified gold by the RIAA.
7. "P Power" ft. Drake 'DS4Ever' (2022)
300 Entertainment"P Power" finds Drake and Gunna rapping about their sex lives. The track is the more sexual version of "Pushin P" which is also found on Gunna's 'DS4Ever' album. When Gunna first shared the tracklist to his No. 1 album "P Power" was on there but named "P---- Power". However, a few days later when the album dropped eager fans looked to see were dumbfounded to find the Drake feature missing. Two days later after the album dropped, Gunna released the track with the title "P Power." A reason behind the delay of the song could be a sample clearance issue. The original version of the track sampled Donna Summer's 1976 single, "Could It Be Magic." The final version of "P Power" omits the sample.
6. "Banking On Me" (2022)
300 Entertainment"Banking On Me" was briefly released on the deluxe version of Gunna's 2022 album 'DS4Ever' but later removed. The track was later dropped as a surprise single on Valentine's Day. The rapper teased the track on his Instagram shortly before it dropped and it went viral on social media. In "Banking On Me" Gunna is letting his lady know that she can always count on him to provide for her. The song peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart and No. 61 on the Billboard Hot 100.
5. "What Happened To Virgil?" Lil Durk ft. Gunna '7220' (2022)
Alamo RecordsThe artistic director of Louis Vuitton menswear, CEO of Off-White, and inspirational figure, Virgil Abloh died on November 28, 2021, after a private two-year battle with cardiac angiosarcoma a rare form of cancer. Abloh used his artistic eye to also direct music videos and both Lil Durk and Gunna formed a relationship with the designer before his unexpected passing. Gunna reflects on his blessings in his verse while Lil Durk expands on life's trials and tribulations that come with losing a loved one. The song is certified gold by the RIAA.
4. "Solid" Gunna and Young Thug ft. Drake 'Slime Language 2' (2021)
300 EntertainmentYoung Thug and Gunna recruit Drake for their track "Solid" which was featured on the YSL compilation album 'Slime Language 2.' On the track, Gunna raps about keeping stable relationships and flexing about his wealth while Drake and Young Thug also rap about in their verses. The track was originally supposed to go on Drake's 2021 album 'Certified Lover Boy' but after his knee injury cost him some studio time he let the two rappers include it on 'Slime Language 2' which dropped in April of 2022, six months prior to 'CLB.' The track is certified gold by the RIAA.
3. "Too Easy" Gunna and Future, 'DS4Ever' (2022)
300 EntertainmentGunna released "Too Easy" on September 24, 2021 as the lead single from his third studio album, 'DS4Ever'. Future joins the Georgia native while he raps about women and his Lamborghini. Gunna later released the official remix featuring Roddy Ricch on December 3, 2021. Gunna and Future performed the song at the 2021 BET Hip Hop Awards. The track peaked at No. 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 6 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart.
2. "Drip Too Hard" Gunna and Lil Baby 'Drip Harder' (2018)
Quality Control"Drip Too Hard" topped the US Billboard Rhythmic chart and peaked at No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The Georgia rappers talk about their expensive jewelry and designer clothes. Through this song Gunna and Lil Baby popularized the word "drip" used as slang. "Drip is just another word for swag," Gunna explained to Billboard. "Swag was not our word - my era is drip, that's our swag." The song topped the US Billboard Rhythmic chart and peaked at No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The track is two times platinum by the RIAA.
1."Pushin P" Gunna and Future ft. Young Thug 'DS4Ever' (2022)
300 EntertainmentGunna had the whole world saying "pushing p" when this song dropped in January of 2022. Gunna taps in Future and label boss Young Thug for the highest-charting track on 'DS4Ever' at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. According to Gunna per HipHopDX, "P don't just mean Playa, P also mean paper too. You could be pushing this P with paper too." The track's producer Wheezy also explained the meaning of the phrase: "P is more than taking care of your people, P is player, P is a gentleman and being a boss. P is bossing up your bitch," he told Billboard. "Instead of partner, player or pimp, we're saying 'P.'" The track is certified gold by the RIAA.
