(Todd A. Smith)
If the kidnapping and robbery allegations against rappers Pooh Shiesty and Big30 are true, those brothers desperately need to grow up.
More importantly, they need to understand the law before risking prison because anyone with knowledge of the law and hip-hop history would realize that Pooh Shiesty’s alleged violent attempt to get out of his recording contract was unlikely to end well for him unless Gucci Mane was willing to take such a big hit to his reputation.
Even if he signed a release under duress, Gucci Mane could have that release voided because contracts signed under duress are voidable.
Therefore, the only thing that could have ever resulted from the alleged kidnapping and robbery was prison time for those accused of the crimes.
And if Gucci Mane is smart, he would keep Pooh Shiesty on his record label and profit off the controversy by releasing any unreleased music that he has from Pooh Shiesty.
The Memphis, Tenn. rapper was just released from federal prison months ago.
Because of his record, Pooh Shiesty will probably spend decades more behind prison walls.
And when Pooh Shiesty’s contract expires, his popularity might have expired too, making him useless to Gucci Mane from a business perspective.
Paul Livengood and Rebecca Lopez of WFAA in Dallas reported, “Rapper Gucci Mane, whose real name is Radric Delantic Davis, was allegedly robbed and kidnapped by rappers Pooh Shiesty and Big30 in Dallas, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
“The DOJ said Thursday that nine people, including the aforementioned rappers, kidnapped and robbed at gunpoint numerous victims at a music studio in Dallas. Eight of the nine suspects were arrested on Wednesday, according to the DOJ, in Dallas, Memphis and Nashville…
“The DOJ said in a complaint on Jan. 10, three music industry professionals traveled to Dallas for a meeting…to ‘discuss the terms of his recording contract with one of his victims.’ Pooh Shiesty first rose to fame with songs like Back in Blood and was signed to Gucci Mane’s 1017 label before run-ins with the law.
“When the three men were in the music studio, Williams, Jr. and his eight co-conspirators, several of whom traveled from Memphis, ‘executed an armed takeover,’ according to the DOJ complaint. The DOJ said Williams, Jr. pulled out an AK-style pistol and ‘forced one of the victims to sign a release from the recording contract at gunpoint.”
Pooh Shiesty’s government name is Lontrell Denell Williams, Jr.
His father Lontrell Williams, Sr. allegedly participated in the crimes.
Despite the constant negative headlines, hip-hop has done more positive things for people from impoverished backgrounds than most things.
Although the lyrics in many rap songs can be harmful for the community, hip-hop has given children from the hood a way to go from poverty to prosperity.
Hip-hop has allowed many people to go from broke to bosses.
Furthermore, it seems that every year, a new billionaire from the hip-hop community is announced by the mainstream press.
But while the bank accounts of many hip-hop executives have grown, the culture has not matured much over the past five decades.
When will hip-hop ever grow up?
Like many hip-hop fans, I grew up enthralled by the strong-arm tactics of hip-hop impresarios like Marion “Suge” Knight, who, on his way to taking Death Row Records to the top of the recording industry, infamously threatened rap stars like Eazy-E and Vanilla Ice.
But like other people my age, I saw how those stories ended.
Some hip-hop stars grew up and distanced themselves from the gangsta lifestyle that they rapped about, like Dr. Dre.
Others, like Tupac Shakur, died before they could mature and move past the treachery of the streets.
And still others spent many years in prison, like Knight.
Thankfully, rappers like Gucci Mane have matured from their past ways.
But the hip-hop industry still is inundated with those who have not yet grown up enough, allegedly, like Pooh Shiesty.
The young emcee lived a life that many others only dream about.
Yes, many rappers come from tough backgrounds.
But that does not mean they should continue living a street lifestyle when they have become multi-millionaires legitimately.
Many people grow tired of their employment contract.
If the person is valued enough by the employer, the boss might renegotiate the agreement.
If not, a talented enough person will ride out the contract and search for greener pastures when the time comes.
When Knight threatened Eazy-E because he wanted to get Dr. Dre and others out of their contracts with Ruthless Records, Eazy was smart enough to know that if he signed their releases under duress, he could void those releases the next day.
Eazy eventually negotiated Dr. Dre’s release in a way that he profited from the former N.W.A member’s future releases.
Therefore, Eazy-E profited off Dr. Dre’s classic “The Chronic” album without putting in any work or money.
Dr. Dre got to start his own record label with Knight.
And Eazy continued to profit off Dr. Dre.
That is how real business is conducted in corporate America.
But because so many rappers like Pooh Shiesty want to conduct hood business instead of good business, they ruin their good lives and will spend the good portion of their remaining years behind bars.
While Pooh Shiesty might keep his street credibility, his life is ruined.
Was it worth it?
Maybe, if stupidity was his goal.
Brothers, it is time to grow up.
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