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FULTON COUNTY, Georgia. – Fans of rapper Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, are eager to find out what the star plans to do now that he’s out of jail. Williams recently pleaded guilty to six counts in a wide-ranging RICO case and opted to leave his sentence to the judge rather than negotiate terms with the state.

This gamble appears to have paid off, as Judge Paige Reese Whitaker commuted his prison sentence to time served. Although Williams was initially sentenced to 40 years, with the first five years to be served in prison, he will instead spend 15 years on probation, reporting to a probation officer for the first half. In addition, an “overdue” 20-year prison sentence will be commuted to time served if he successfully completes probation. However, failure to comply with these conditions could result in Williams serving those 20 years in prison.

FORMER: Young Thug released from jail after accepting plea deal in YSL trial

Prosecutors had asked for a harsher sentence of 45 years, including 25 years in prison followed by 20 years of probation.

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Since her release, fans have closely followed Williams’ social media.

On the night of November 2, he posted on X (formerly Twitter) saying, “A real plea deal!” This post attracted more than 5,500 comments and 325,000 likes, with many commenters congratulating him on his release. Some, however, criticized Williams for not showing more gratitude given that he avoided a serious prison sentence.

The next day, November 3, Williams posted again on X and wrote, “Wham, let’s drop one on these rats, Peter.” This message sparked even more concern among fans, with some advising him to “be soft with your words, bro” and “just stay low-key and truly enjoy the freedom.” Others warned that if he continued to make provocative statements his probation period might be short-lived, suggesting he could be stirring up trouble.

Several followers also expressed opinions about Gunna, another rapper charged in the case. Gunna, who was arrested along with Williams, accepted an Alford plea to a racketeering conspiracy charge in December 2022 and was later released with her sentence served. He has since faced accusations of “snitching” on Williams and other defendants. However, Gunna maintains that he didn’t snitch on anyone, stating that his relationship with Young Thug remains intact.

Williams’ cryptic post may also have been directed at Lil Baby, a longtime friend and collaborator. Lil Baby and Gunna had a very productive partnership in the past, but Lil Baby distanced himself after Gunna’s plea deal and was among those who suggested Gunna was a snitch.

As part of Williams’ plea deal, he is prohibited from entering Atlanta except to make appearances against gangs and gun violence four times a year. He is also prohibited from associating with other people named in the indictment, except his brother and Gunna, with whom he has contractual obligations.

This restriction led some fans to interpret Williams’ post as a sign to Lil Baby, possibly hinting at a new song aimed at “rats,” a term that may or may not refer to Gunna, who never took the stand at the trial. of YSL in Fulton County. .

Shortly after Williams’ publication, little baby responded on Instagram, writing, “I missed you! Welcome home brother! Thank goodness you were able to return to the family in good health and good spirits! I wish you nothing but billions!” He added the hashtag “whatever goes.”

Earlier this year, Young Thug posted “whatever I say is okay,” affirming his continued friendship with Lil Baby.

So far, Williams hasn’t shared any specific plans for her career, leaving fans in suspense as to whether new music will be coming soon.

During sentencing, Judge Paige Reese Whitaker compared modern rap to WWE wrestling, where wrestlers posturing and often acting like they hate each other, even though they don’t.

Judge Whitaker told Williams that whether the content is real or fake, it still has a tremendous impact on children and young people who think it is “cool” and believe the only way to succeed is to be a “gangster.” in the streets.” In reality, he emphasized, these paths more often lead to being shot, murdered or imprisoned.

Judge Whitaker also expressed hope that if Williams continues rapping, she will use her influence to show kids that there are better ways out of poverty than hooking up with the powerful guy down the street selling drugs.

He concluded by saying that he wants Williams to aim to be more of the solution and less of the problem in the future.