Prison time can be an unfortunate hurdle for many people, and artists are no exception to the rule. As evident in many examples, one can use their time to feed into their success post-sentence. These artists, in particular, have plenty of potential to set an example for others upon their homecoming.
NBA YoungBoy
Expected release date: July 27, 2025
YoungBoy Never Broke Again has been wrapped up in legal issues for what feels like all too long. Currently serving time after pleading guilty to charges relating to identity fraud & forgery, YoungBoy’s upcoming release in July would hopefully mean the finality of restrictions placed upon him by the Federal Government. YoungBoy, or “Lil’ Top,” constantly puts up streaming numbers that shock casual music listeners. From 2018 to 2023, he was the highest-streamed Hip-Hop artist on YouTube. Along with being the second-most streamed artist overall in 2023 (just behind Peso Pluma). He is placed ahead of household names such as Taylor Swift, Drake, and Bad Bunny. Here’s to hoping that E.O.S. (End Of Sentence) YoungBoy can translate his immense success into more releases, tour dates, and opportunities within his newfound freedom.
Pooh Shiesty
Expected release date: April 25, 2026
Coming off his viral hit song in late 2020, “Back In Blood,” with collaborator Lil Durk, It appeared that Pooh Shiesty had an incredibly bright future ahead of him. Coming out of Memphis, T.N. Shiest had earned his respect by working with local legends such as Moneybagg Yo, Tay Keith, and Big Scarr. Pooh Shiesty had established himself as a prominent name in the Southern Hip-Hop scene. Before releasing his previously mentioned hit song “Back In Blood,” he signed a deal in April of 2020 with rapper Gucci Mane to become a member of his “New 1017” music label. To today’s date, Shiesty remains one of the few artists still signed to Gucci Mane’s label despite having been incarcerated since April of 2022 on a Conspiracy charge to possess a firearm. With fellow buzzing rappers like BIG30, Veeze, and Lil Baby releasing their collabs with him and constantly shouting him out since, it won’t surprise anyone to see Shiest get right back to business upon his release.
Fetty Wap
Expected release date: March 13, 2027
Going back to 2015-2016, you couldn’t turn on a radio station without hearing Fetty Wap’s iconic voice & ad-libs. His hit songs had undeniable replay value even in the years following that. Songs like “Trap Queen”, “RGF Island”, and “My Way” were all over the charts during and after the apex of his popularity. Unfortunately, in late 2021, the rapper was arrested on charges related to conspiracy of drug smuggling. In May of 2023, he was sentenced to 6 years for these violations. In the months following his conviction, he released his third studio album, “King Zoo,” to primarily positive reviews amongst his fanbase. This had been the first commercial release from him since 2021. Although it has been some time since Fetty has topped the charts with a radio hit, he has proven that through the peaks & valleys of his career, he will have the continuous support of his fanbase behind him. We wish him all the best in the future and hope all of this will amount to a major comeback.
