JEFFERY: Young Thug from fame to RICO trial | Full documentary series

I feel like I used to hate that name so much but now I'm understanding the name [Music] in order to truly understand the brand known to the world as young thug we got to work backwards and really look at not only the evolution of Jeffrey the star qualities of Young Thug the rise of YSL but we got to work backwards to where it all started [Music] I want to be who I really am I'm really I'm really Jeff [Music] I'm 19. I like red [Applause] what was one of the you know first times you heard of Young Thug I would say personally for me I started paying attention in 2011. that's when he was featured on a mixtape by Rich Kids 100 autograph and for many of us in Atlanta that was our introduction to Young Thug and then what we started to see was that was also around the same time that the confidence started to match the work ethic and then he took off next thing you know you're gonna hear about 10 15 million dollar deal man you know live you're looking at it right now you're looking at a 10 15 million dollar deal man in the future you know what I'm saying at first glance his come up story is similar to a lot of other artists in Atlanta you find a way to make it out of harsh conditions your hand did nothing but hard times winning under those kind of circumstances gives you an extra layer of resiliency where you're prepared for anything life throws at you [Music] what is it like to chase your dream in Atlanta to start off with nothing start off in Jonesboro South start off in zone three start off in Sylvan Hill with nothing it would be likened to the idea of similar to the thought of walking in a store and buying a lottery ticket that hit the Mega Millions you know what I'm saying okay well in that case he didn't come from you know a family that knew how to get him in front of people man these kids were running the streets lost [Music] another night of crime in an Atlanta public housing development my name is Tyrone Dennis I'm a retired Atlanta police detective there are six zones Zone one two three four five six Zone one is your West Side zone two is Buckhead North End of the city zone three is towards the South zone four Southwest zone five is downtown Midtown things like that zone six is East Atlanta when you say you're from these different housing projects it's almost like a a stamped Badge of I'm I got it out the mud so Jonesboro South Cleveland Avenues especially doing you know 80s 90s very it's it's a black community it's a predominantly black community Jonesboro South to this day when you say that name it still resonates with Atlanta because it means something and it represents something before it was demolished in 2009 it raised generations of Atlanta from the moment it was constructed in 1970 up until 2009 so there's sense of nostalgia to it that even though it's gone it still represents and reflects an era that was so important to this city and to the culture but at the same time there's you know there's crime it's high crime there's a lot of drug dealing just a lot of you know poverty over there I see people get shot anybody can get hurt out here well you've been cleaning out of Jonesboro Road man like Jonesboro South and where I'm from like if you really put your mind to something no matter what if it's a screen I'll get some money [Music] he didn't have a talent at the time that was easily recognizable by the people who were in position so he kind of had to work a Rubik's Cube to find itself in a position to not only where he could present his art to people to where the people he were presenting to could actually understand the art he was presenting and he really built an entire years ahead of its time completely ahead of it it's still ahead of his time today I mean foreign [Applause] [Music] his voice was so distinctive it was like wow this is like something that we've never heard before so it was like a very interesting uh style of rap that we had never really heard before [Music] I met Thug through Peewee PeeWee Longway PeeWee Longway someone he grew up with in Jonesboro South ended up introducing Thug to Gucci in a recording studio and that very moment really catapulted his career because it took that connection for everything else to make sense in his career so did you know he was going to be Young Thug was able to kind of just like put out songs and and you know especially in Atlanta they became Club Hits [Music] yeah we're creative people uh we're hard-working people and more importantly with people that have dealt with so many things that went against us uh that we built for this too foreign [Music] I mean here in Atlanta we've been paying attention to Ghana before he blew up I was hosting a 2018 showcase for BMI it was kind of like the who got next in Atlanta and I would even say that was around the same time that the YSL brand really became synonymous with Atlanta music and the record label took off so for gonna it was important for the label it was important and then the Dynasty and the Empire that Thug was building really went to another level once he found himself in a position to offer to reach back and and and pull people like gonna and through the vision through the art and the execution of that art a young thug all of that was made possible I don't really know anything about the other stuff that they talking about because I haven't seen that in Atlanta today we just learned minutes ago and more charges against the rapper Young Thug he is one of 28 people named in a massive gang indictment completely [Music] the Grammy winner accused of founding a gang allegedly linked to several murders in Atlanta many of the charges related to the indictment points a Young Thug's rap lyrics as evidence [Applause] [Music] good morning Mr Jeffrey Williams be aware that on this calendar you are here because you have been indicted under 22sc one eight two two seven three for conspiracy to violate the racketeer influence and criminal Street gang activity I'm concerned with a human being who's wrongly charged I knew right away that he's been targeted for 10 years by the prosecution this is a wrong prosecution and I will defend him you're saying your client is completely innocent Mr Williams is wrongly charged on every single count the rapper who goes by Young Thug he's accused of racketeering making terroristic threats theft renting a car using a murder and participating in a criminal street gang as one of its organizers it does not matter what your notoriety is what your Fame is if you come to Fulton County Georgia and you commit crimes and certainly if those crimes are in furtherance of a street gang that you are going to become a Target prosecutors and VA they're actually listening they're watching social media accounts they're they're pretty much tracking these artists uh Nationwide YSL is a record label that started in 2016 and the prosecution is saying that the record label is connected to street gang activity it also goes on to say that YSL is a criminal Street gang that started in 2012 off of Cleveland Avenue in Atlanta and it claims the founder of all of this The Mastermind was Jeffrey Williams [Music] right now what we're seeing uh play out is two different descriptions of who Jeffrey Williams is one is being portrayed by prosecutors and the other one is being described by those closest to him yes foreign [Music] because that's something that he has created he is a young successful man himself but also he is helping more young men and young women he is the one they're all afraid of he's the one that's King Slime he is the most dangerous of the 28 judge [Music] father he's a son [Music] I've also started a company with Jeffrey called Young Stoner life I'm learning about him personally and professionally [Music] as the district attorney of Fulton County my number one focus is targeting games he's like the easy target so if somebody gets arrested and gets in trouble and they want to deal law enforcement officers are all too eager to say well tell us about Mr Williams is he involved in this what do you know about him the Jeffrey I know would take care of my kids the Jeffrey I know will build the business and create multi-millionaires Jeffrey I know will make sure that his nieces and nephews and your nieces and nephews had the opportunity to go to school so the Jeffrey they're talking about the Jeffrey let's talk about I just don't know that Jeffrey so who's really on trial it's not about why itself it's not about kind of a dog this is about freedom of speech the danger to others and the danger of the community I'm gonna set him for no bond at this point in time Jeffrey Williams is a hero not a criminal it's protect black art protect our rights protect our freedom of speech protect the creative expression [Music] we need to protect freedom of speech especially when it comes to Art my art is not a reflection of my character so who's really on trial it's not about it's not about why I sell it's not about a dog this is about freedom of speech [Music] to the top of my lifestyle [Music] my name is no secret that people of color are under attack every day yeah the petition really started to spread like wildfire on social media as soon as it was posted so many prominent artists started to speak on behalf of it and why it's needed and then it garnered more than 60 000 signatures and what it really is trying to do is it's trying to make a case for rap lyrics that it does not by any circumstances belong in the courtroom good morning Mr Jeffrey Williams be aware that on this calendar you are here because you have been indicted [Music] yeah the indictment says the lyrics show involvement in some of the crimes those people are accused of but could there be first amendment issues young folk songs are used as evidence with lyrics such as I never killed anybody but I got something to do with that body [Music] if this is how the system treats them then imagine how it treats other black Americans day in and day out who aren't famous or well known when we see the protect black art movement it's in response to rap lyrics on trial time and time again and what it's really doing is igniting decades-long conversation that we've been having we the jury in above entire action finally defendant Calvin Broadus not guilty of the crime of Murder in the first degree now the most notorious case involving lyrics in courtrooms is Snoop Dogg in 1996 where prosecutors ended up quoting lyrics in his legal case and more recently NBA young boys trial where his music was also brought up in the courtroom by prosecutors but the judge ended up excluding it as evidence all those cases are just to name a few the debate lies between artistic expression and real life experiences and what it really comes down to is who is interpreting and for what reason gangster rap has become incredibly popular and profitable by selling lyrics about black on black violence so we're not against what we're not against but we are against those thugs art has to be dangerous for it to be interesting and art has always been a sense of date it has some type of danger in it that's what music is We are able to tell a story with our lyrics thank you whether it's their story or not they're telling a story so if you lose that Art of Storytelling you're going to lose the art of music [Music] sometimes rappers they exaggerate sometimes they say things that may not necessarily be true if not most of the artists come from the projects they come from broken homes so if that's the environment that you come from that's what you're going to talk about foreign I have some legal advice don't confess to crimes on rap lyrics if you do not want them used it should never be used in courtroom unless the prosecution can show that that lyric is a admission or confession it's black art it seems like that's the only form of art that's that's uh ridiculed in a way of where prosecutors are using a lot of times people can't separate reality from fiction however it's very easily done when we're talking about films very easily done when we're talking about video games the people who created Grand Theft Auto they're not being brought up on charges it's the rap music that creates this fear and it's not happening in other genre of music Johnny Cash said to watch them die you know I I Shot the Sheriff say the first time but it's rap music and because it's rap music and it was born and bred out of some place that a lot of people don't understand we're constantly attacked this is a nationwide conversation but at the state level with California with New York here in Georgia with a legislation that's also proposed by Hank Johnson there is this movement to protect lyrics from being used in courtrooms and I feel like this is really the beginning we're going to see it play out in other states as well I believe in the First Amendment it's at one of our most precious rights however the First Amendment does not protect people from prosecutors using it as evidence [Music] people are pulling lyrics from people's Instagram and their demo tapes and Tick Tock and they're using this as evidence [Music] we can't do that it creates a horrible horrible precedent what's next [Music] I'm using those lyrics I'm gonna continue to do that people can continue to be angry about it there's a lot on the line no matter which side of the spectrum you agree with you it has become so controversial because the same lyrics that have made some of these artists famous from a law enforcement standpoint they're incriminating we have to ask ourselves why is this the only art form that is spoken of being brought into court I think it's an attack on culture more than anything it's not an attack on hip-hop it's an attack on crime you can't say I'm an artist but still have your feet in the street doing crime this may be a watershed moment in hip-hop where artists may be more careful about what they put out and also the labels as well if art doesn't get free it's going to trouble period [Music] Mr Williams good morning sir can you hear me yes given what's been proper thus far I'm gonna set him for no bond at this point in time and not going to Grant Bond at this point in time I'm going to deny Bond at this time what does that say about the state of the culture I don't I don't think it says anything about the state of the culture I think what does this thing about the state about judicial system our country constantly reminds us every day how you are black you have a permanent tattoo therefore you will be treated differently in this country now is the time to plot playing strategize organize and mobilize but keep your feet underneath it keep moving what do we want when do we want it when it's black men in America is it often guilty until it's found innocent absolutely tell me about that I think that you know the black men have always been you know the the criminals or the the villains that Society could hang their head on anytime there's a crime being committed if someone says a black person did it they stopped looking for any other option unfortunately black men in our communities in the poor sections of our communities have been socially politically and economically and academically alienated I wonder why as a community we're not seeing the bigger picture of is that our culture step too well I think as a community we're missing an opportunity to actually evolve our culture um and change some things systemically we are going to prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law he is the one they're all afraid of he's the one that's King Slime why does hip-hop oftentimes feel like Public Enemy Number One in courtrooms is it because it's misunderstood well for one because it's honest growth is a hell of a thing when you're allowed to grow [Music] I'm going to deny Bond at this time this is a system not built to help you I was a part of the problem myself I grew up you know single parent home Hood locked up at 18. face you know all types of consequences because of my actions they don't want to see themselves as being part of the problem [Music] they don't want to see themselves as ignoring a community that needs help when they have an opportunity and an ability to help them it holds the mirror up but nobody's tackling the thing that causes all of this stuff which is lack of Education poverty value systems nobody wants to touch that stuff but why isn't this story being told why isn't this story being told why is that story being told so much what I have seen is a young man bring himself his his family and and the people around him up from nothing and he's been selfless in doing so that's what I saw [Music] for a long time and what people like Kevin Lyles are trying to do is connect the dots of societal issues and how this is a multi-layered problem that needs to be addressed systemically violence erupted after the acquittal of four white policemen in the beating trial of black motorist Rodney King we thought we we saw the worst of it with Rodney King but now we know we didn't but now they're locking us up because of the very lyrics that uh 90 of the world loves today we still have a systemic racist problem here in America and I think that protect black art is a movement to help get through this side of it but that we have more things to deal with [Applause] so you look at hip-hop you you're influenced by it but do you really understand what your list do you know what is a reflection of do you know what that person survived they're not trying to protect you but you should be trying to protect yourself the game is to be honest get in this get all the money all the relationships you know what I mean and then go do something that can fortify generational wealth stop you could say this is a deep dive into the life of Jeffrey Williams you could also easily say this is a backwards domino effect into how we got here today and how we're hoping to spark the type of conversations that we're not seeing in the headlines [Music] the Willis's case has proved controversial not for taking on violence but for something she's doing in court criminalizing art poetry and lyrics as evidence it's not it's not justice for all it's it's Justice that's to make it make sense for those of us who are not us these are serious times they're serious allegations and it is my opinion that violence in our community deserves maximum penalty [Music] foreign [Music] I feel like I used to hate that name so much but now I'm understanding the name

Channel: 11Alive

Views: 1,026,762

Keywords: 11Alive, Atlanta, news, local news, news updates, atlanta news, news today, Young Thug, Young Thug trial, Young Thug documentary, Documentary, Hip hop, Hip hop documentary, YSL, YSL trial, Young Stoner Life, Young Slime Life, Young Thug case

Id: Qf_8mvVCacI

Length: 25min 45sec (1545 seconds)

Published: Thu Dec 15 2022