Young Thug’s father calls son’s Atlanta ban ‘offensive’

Young Thug’s father, Jeffery Williams Sr., voiced strong objections following his son’s release under a plea deal, particularly to terms that ban the rapper from metro Atlanta for the next decade. 

“I’m totally against that, because this is where he’s from,” Williams Sr. told reporters outside the courthouse, expressing frustration over the restriction. He added, “And to have a district attorney take that away from him that isn’t a resident from here... She’s from another state, and to see her take a man away from where he’s from, to have to go live somewhere else? That’s offensive to me.”

Young Thug, born Jeffery Lamar Williams, walked free on Thursday after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including gang involvement, weapons offenses, and drug charges. After negotiations with the prosecution failed, Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker imposed a 40-year sentence, with the first five years commuted as time served. Thug was given 15 years of probation, requiring him to complete 100 hours of community service each year and deliver four annual presentations on gang and gun violence.

Regarding other terms, including changes to Thug’s music content, Williams Sr. expressed concern over his son’s artistic limitations. He shared, “It would be sad if he did,” when asked about the restriction on “gun talk” in Thug’s lyrics. Although Williams Sr. would have preferred his son to continue fighting the case, he ultimately felt “great” about the release and looked forward to Thug’s return to music after a time away from the industry.