The Young Thug trial continues to take unexpected turns. The rapper's lawyer, Brian Steel, confronted both the judge and the prosecution over meeting with a witness in private. The lawyer's refusal to reveal his source subsequently led to him being charged with criminal contempt. The judge sentenced him to 10 weekends in jail, which translates to 20 days. Steel has now been granted bond, however. This means he won't have to serve time behind bars.
Steel's own attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, confirmed this development on Wednesday, June 12. "We are thrilled that Brian will be home with his family for Father’s Day this weekend," she told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "We appreciate how quickly and thoughtfully our appellate courts handled this unfortunate situation." It was unclear whether Steel would be granted bond. Prior to being granted bond, he asked if he could serve his jail time alongside his client, Young Thug, so they could continue to work on the case. "Those 20 days consisting of every weekend for the next 10 weekends," the judge originally ordered. "Tt’s to commence this Friday, June the 14th at 7 p.m. and not to end until Sunday, August the 18th, 2024, at 7 p.m."
Brian Steel's commitment to his client has been ironclad. The lawyer spoke highly of Young Thug during an interview with 11Alive in 2023. He not only refuted the charges made against Thug, but made a case for the rapper being a hero. "[He's] wrongly charged," he asserted. "I think a person like Jeffery Williams is a hero and not a criminal... He has given jobs to people only in the inner community. He'll only hire from the inner communities in his studios or his rap label." Furthermore, Steel praised Thug for being a good role model on the youth. "He goes around our country," the lawyer claimed. "And he tells people, 'Hustle doesn't mean sell drugs.'"
Young Thug has been similarly complimentive of Steel. He even gave a shout out to the lawyer on his 2018 song "Oh Okay." The rapper used Steel as one of the many examples of his lavish lifestyle. "Cop a Bugatti out of there. I got on white, I can't kneel," he raps. "Pour out the pint, watch it spill, yeah (Oh, oh, okay). My lawyer Brian Steel, yeah (Okay)." Gunna and Lil Baby are the other artists on the song, which subsequently gives "Oh Okay" a complicated historical context. Gunna was part of the YSL indictment. He decided to cop a plea deal, however, to avoid prison time. The rapper's decision has led to widespread speculation that he "snitched" on Thug. He adamantly denies this.
NEWS
Panic! At The Disco are preparing to release a special deluxe anniversary edition of A Fever You Can't Sweat Out.
The I Write Sins Not Tragedies icons marked the 20th anniversary of their groundbreaking 2005 debut album during their performance at When We Were Young Festival in Las Vegas over the weekend, and have now confirmed the new edition.
On January 23, the group — originally formed by Brendon Urie, Spencer Smith, Ryan Ross and Brent Wilson — will unveil a limited edition box set that features a remastered version of the record.
The package, priced at £164.99 and available for pre-order, includes 11 unreleased demos and a vinyl pressing of 2006’s Live In Denver. The full live set has also been uploaded to YouTube.
On the band’s UK store, they shared a message:
“To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Panic! At The Disco’s seminal debut album, this limited edition box set brings together a comprehensive time capsule celebrating the record's impact.
This release includes the original album remastered for the first time ever, 11 unreleased demos, plus the legendary 2006 Live In Denver performance — never before released on vinyl or CD.
The box set also includes a 12-page zine with never before seen photos from the era, a sticker set, a door hanger, and a paper doll set.”
By 2023, the band had essentially become a solo project for Urie. Their final show was held in Manchester, UK, where the frontman said: “Sometimes a journey must end for a new one to begin.
“We’ve been trying to keep it to ourselves, though some of you may have heard… Sarah and I are expecting a baby very soon!
The prospect of being a father and getting to watch my wife become a mother is both humbling and exciting. I look forward to this next adventure.”
Panic! returned to the stage at WWWY over the weekend, performing A Fever You Can't Sweat Out in full alongside fan favorites like This Is Gospel and Nine in the Afternoon.
To end the night, they performed I Write Sins Not Tragedies once again, as Smith reunited with Urie for the emotional closing moment.
