Rappers have faced serious charges, from kidnapping and robbery to murder and drug trafficking.
Several high-profile cases have rocked the hip-hop world, with artists receiving lengthy prison sentences.
Criminal activities have ranged from gang violence to smuggling drugs into prisons, reflecting the complex legal issues in the industry.
Source: Prince Williams / Getty
Reports surrounding Pooh Shiesty have sparked major conversation after news broke of his latest arrest tied to serious allegations involving Gucci Mane.
While details are still developing, the situation adds to a long history of legal troubles connected to hip-hop artists.
Over the years, several rappers have made headlines for crimes that range from shocking to downright unbelievable.
Pooh Shiesty Allegedly Set Up a Kidnapping and Robbery
Crime: Federal kidnapping and robbery charges
Federal prosecutors say Pooh Shiesty helped lure three music-industry figures, including Gucci Mane, to a Dallas studio in January 2026. They allege he and others robbed them at gunpoint, forced one person to sign a contract release, and assaulted the group during the confrontation.
Tay-K became infamous after “The Race” blew up while he was on the run from authorities. He was later convicted in the 2016 killing of Ethan Walker and received a 55-year sentence. In 2025, he was also convicted in a separate 2017 murder case tied to Mark Anthony Saldivar.
Big Lurch Committed One of Rap’s Most Disturbing Murders
Crime: Murder and aggravated mayhem
Love The Morning Hustle? Get more! Join the The Morning Hustle Newsletter
Big Lurch, born Antron Singleton, was convicted of murdering his roommate Tynisha Ysais in 2002. Prosecutors said he mutilated her body, and a court later sentenced him to life without parole. This one is easily among the most shocking crime stories ever tied to a rapper.
Suge Knight Killed a Man With a Truck
Crime: Voluntary manslaughter
Suge Knight pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter in the 2015 death of Terry Carter. Prosecutors said Knight ran over Carter with a pickup truck during a confrontation outside a Compton burger stand. He received a 28-year prison sentence in 2018.
Fetty Wap Ran a Multi-Kilo Drug Conspiracy
Crime: Conspiracy to distribute cocaine
Federal prosecutors said Fetty Wap participated in a drug-trafficking ring that moved cocaine on Long Island and into New Jersey. He pleaded guilty and later received a six-year federal prison sentence. That case gave you a rare example of a chart-topping rapper tied to a major narcotics conspiracy.
Tekashi 6ix9ine Got Caught in a Violent Gang Case
Crime: Racketeering-related offenses
6ix9ine pleaded guilty in the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods case and later testified against gang members. AP reported that a judge sentenced him to two years in prison after his cooperation helped him avoid a much longer sentence. His case became one of the biggest gang prosecutions ever attached to a rapper’s rise.
Shyne Went to Prison After a Packed Nightclub Shooting
Crime: Assault, gun possession, and reckless endangerment
Shyne was convicted after the 1999 Club New York shooting that left multiple bystanders wounded. Billboard reported he received a 10-year sentence in 2001. The case stayed in headlines for years because of the names involved and the chaos inside the club.
C-Murder Received a Life Sentence in a Nightclub Killing
Crime: Second-degree murder
C-Murder was convicted for the 2002 shooting death of 16-year-old Steve Thomas at a Louisiana nightclub. Courts upheld the conviction and life sentence, even as the case kept drawing public debate and appeals. The legal controversy never erased the fact that he remains imprisoned on that murder conviction.
Max B Went Down in a Deadly Hotel Robbery Case
Crime: Aggravated manslaughter and robbery-related charges
AP reported that Max B originally received a 75-year sentence after a deadly Fort Lee hotel robbery. His sentence was later cut after he pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter. The case still stands as one of the most serious robbery stories tied to a mixtape-era rapper.
Young Thug Took a Plea in the YSL Racketeering Case
Crime: Gang, drug, and gun charges tied to a racketeering prosecution
Young Thug pleaded guilty to one gang charge, three drug charges, and two gun charges, and entered a no-contestplea to another gang charge in the long-running Atlanta case. PBS and other outlets reported he was released under strict conditions after the plea. This case mattered because prosecutors tried to treat a rap collective like a criminal enterprise.
Mystikal Pleaded Guilty in a Rape Case
Crime: Third-degree rape
AP reported in March 2026 that Mystikal pleaded guilty to third-degree rape in Louisiana. The plea resolved a case that began with his 2022 arrest and carried major prison exposure if it had gone to trial on the original charges.
Kidd Creole Fatally Stabbed a Man on a Manhattan Street
Crime: Manslaughter
AP reported that Kidd Creole was convicted of manslaughter in the 2017 stabbing death of John Jolly. Prosecutors said he stabbed Jolly twice in the chest with a steak knife. The case shocked people because it involved a founding-era hip-hop figure from Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.
G. Dep Confessed to a Cold-Case Murder
Crime: Second-degree murder
G. Dep stunned people when he walked into a precinct and confessed to a 1993 killing that had never been solved. He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years to life before New York later commuted his sentence.
Cool C Ended Up on Death Row After a Bank Robbery Killing
Crime: First-degree murder during a bank robbery
Cool C was convicted in the killing of Philadelphia police officer Lauretha Vaird during a failed 1996 bank robbery. He was sentenced to death and has remained one of rap’s most infamous prison cases ever since.
Steady B Took Part in the Same Deadly Bank Robbery
Crime: Role in a botched bank robbery that ended in a police officer’s murder
Steady B was tied to the same 1996 Philadelphia robbery that led to Officer Vaird’s death. He did not fire the fatal shot, but reporting and later retrospectives say he drove the getaway vehicle and received a life sentence for his role.
X-Raided Went to Prison for a Murder Case That Also Raised Free-Speech Questions
Crime: Murder conviction
CBS reported that X-Raided was convicted of murder in the 1990s and sentenced to 31 years in prison. His case later became famous because prosecutors used his rap lyrics as part of the trial. That combination of a murder conviction and the lyrics debate makes it one of rap’s most notorious criminal cases.
Boosie Pleaded Guilty in a Prison Drug-Smuggling Case
Crime: Conspiracy to bring drugs into prison
Before his later legal problems, Boosie pleaded guilty in Louisiana to conspiring to smuggle drugs into state prisons.
NBA YoungBoy Pleaded Guilty in a Federal Gun Case
Crime: Felon in possession of a firearm
NBA YoungBoy pleaded guilty in his long-running federal gun case and later received a prison sentence, according to multiple outlets.
Cassidy Was Convicted in a Fatal Street Shooting Case
Crime: Involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault
Cassidy was convicted in 2006 in a Philadelphia case tied to a gun battle that left one man dead and two others wounded. Courts found he supplied the guns used in the shooting.
Chi-Ali Served Time for a Killing That Derailed His Career
Crime: Second-degree murder / manslaughter reporting varies by outlet summary
