Yak Gotti was released from Fulton County Jail on April 9, 2025, into his loved ones’ arms and into a fresh new life. The release of 30-year-old artist came four months after his acquittal in the high-profile YSL RICO trial, which also included his peer rapper Young Thug. Although December 2024’s acquittal was a resounding win for Kendrick, his road to freedom was far from finished.
Yak Gotti had been incarcerated since 2022, ensnared in a highly publicized case. Prosecutors claimed YSL—short for “Young Stoner Life”—was an out-and-out criminal gang engaged in committing multiple crimes, such as Donovan “Nut” Thomas’s 2015 murder. Kendrick was acquitted on all charges, as was co-defendant Shannon Stillwell, on December 3, 2024.
The trial lasted for the longest period in Georgia state history. Courtroom theatrics, celebrity connections, and around-the-clock press coverage transformed the trial into an episode of high-cultural politics, fueling public debate over the intersections of rap lyrics, creative expression, and criminal evidence.
Even after the not-guilty acquittal, Kendrick stayed in jail because of an array of new offenses and infractions which came to light while in jail. In June 2024, he was part of an altercation in jail where he assaulted another inmate with an electrical cord. He subsequently took a plea agreement for aggravated battery and was given a 12-year probationary period and credit for time spent in jail.
The situation worsened in December 2024 when he was stabbed within Fulton County Jail. His injuries were minimal, yet his attorneys immediately sought emergency release, citing perilous conditions in the jail. Judge Robert McBurney refused the request, citing an outstanding probation violation which was still to be acted upon—a hindrance his attorneys claimed was retaliatory.
In January 2025, further trouble arrived. Kendrick was hit with new charges of jail contraband possession. While details were unclear, information indicated charges were related to an investigation into goods smuggled in by drone—a developing issue at Fulton County Jail.
Following months of to-and-fro, legal dust at last settled. With time spent in jail counted towards his sentence, outstanding matters resolved, and the plea agreement signed, Yak Gotti was released formally on April 9.
Outside of the jail’s brick walls, cameras registrated the tearful reunion of Kendrick’s family. He hugged his 10-year-old daughter tightly as he walked out, beaming and tearful.
“I feel reborn,” he said, his eyes glistening. “It’s just another chance at life. Shout out to Judge Whitaker.”
The shoutout was aimed at Judge Paige Reese Whitaker, who earlier in the trial had thrown out some charges against him, while playing an instrumental role in his legal process.
his mother overwhelmed in joy called the occasion “a victory.”
Kendrick’s narrative is not only one of personal redemption—it’s an insight into an imperfect justice system. Even after acquittal, probation revocation and fresh charges can extend incarceration indefinitely. It’s also an illumination of rising safety issues within American jails, in which violence and contraband increase.
“I’ve done some bad stuff,” he admitted. “But I’ve learned. Now, I’m thinking ahead—fatherhood, art, becoming a better man.”
Fulton County Jail has been in the hotseat for months. Only days ago, news came out about drones smuggling weapons and drugs into the jail as part of an unsettling pattern plaguing the jail system.
