Young Thug shared his appreciation for fans over the weekend at Hot 97’s Summer Jam 2022 event on Sunday.
Young Thug is presently incarcerated at Cobb County jail in Atlanta, but fans were sent a message by the rapper as he thanked them for sticking with him during his time of trial.
A photo of the message was shared online, where a simple message directed to fans was displayed along with a photo of the rapper. The sign inside of the MetLife Stadium where Summer Jam was being held asked fans to support the ‘Protect Black Art’ initiative.
The initiative being referenced is a new law proposed by music executives Kevin Liles and Julie Greenwalk, which seeks to limit or prevent prosecutors from being able to use rap lyrics as criminal evidence in court against rappers. The initiative was specially launched in light of the Young Thug and Gunna RICO case, where they are charged with a 56-count indictment. Among the evidence prosecutors claim to have is a track record of the rappers committing offenses and then singing about it.
Thug’s message to fans said the initiative wasn’t just about him.
“I just want to say thank you to all of my friends and my family for coming out and supporting us,” Thug began. “You know, your support during this time means a lot to us, ya know.”
“You know, this isn’t just about me or YSL, I always use my music as a form of artistic expression, and now I see that Black artists and rappers don’t have that, you know, freedom,” he continued. “Everybody please sign the ‘Protect Black Art’ petition and keep praying for us. I love you all,” the message ends.
Meanwhile, many other rappers have already shared support for Young Thug and Gunna, including Drake, Meek Mill, Lil Baby, and others.
In the meantime, Young Thug, who is named as the alleged gang leader of the “YSL gang,” was denied bond two weeks ago and will be in jail for the rest of 2022. He has an early 2023 date set for the trial.
YSL stands for Young Stoney Life, but prosecutors often mention Young Slime Life in court.
