Despite being released from jail in October 2023, Young Thug’s RICO case continues to dominate the internet, especially with these leaked jail calls. The tea has been endless — from his unnecessary comments about GloRilla to dry snitching on himself about cheating on Mariah The Scientist — and the fallout is shifting energy in his circle and across the industry. But the real issue isn’t the gossip. It’s the dead end of “snitch culture.” If you don’t know what I mean, it’s exactly what it sounds like: the idea that no matter what, you don’t cooperate with law enforcement. Period.

Let’s be honest. Throwing away your entire life, leaving your kids and family behind, all for a little hood status, has never made sense. Following that code usually ends in two places: death or prison. And if you survive, all you get is a little neighborhood respect. That’s not legacy.

When this mentality collides with art and entertainment, the loss is even bigger. We watch some of hip hop’s brightest voices lose years, careers, and sometimes their lives trying to uphold a code that never served them. The Bestfriend rapper’s case is just the latest reminder that “snitch culture” doesn’t protect anybody. It silences, isolates, and destroys.

Young Thug took a guilty plea in October 2024 after the YSL case hit every possible courtroom snag. Hostile witnesses, procedural missteps that almost derailed the trial, and the original judge, Ural Glanville, stepping aside for meeting improperly with a prosecution witness — it was chaos. Of the 28 defendants named in the original indictment, only three remained by the time Williams pled guilty. Some were cut early, and 12 had already struck plea deals, including Gunna, who admitted guilt to a single count of racketeering conspiracy.

While serving time, Young Thug wasn’t building his label or focusing on his music. He was on the phone with Mariah, spiraling, while others weren’t willing to risk their lives for what we know to be his “empire.” These leaked calls revealed his position on everything and everyone, even some of his “slimes” — especially with Gunna and his decision to take that early plea.

Several artists, including Lil Baby, 21 Savage, and Freddie Gibbs, have distanced themselves from Gunna since his release, and YSL has largely abandoned him. But he isn’t throwing Twitter fingers or crashing out; he has remained focused on what really matters: his career, his health, and keeping his momentum. He chose himself and his life over street politics, and now he’s winning. No longer trapped in a dead-end mentality, he’s building something that can create wealth and legacy for his family — which, if you think about it, is supposed to be the whole point of even being in the streets in the first place.

This scenario has played out too many times, across too many generations, with iconic stars cut short by prison or legal battles that robbed them of their prime. Blind loyalty and the fear of “snitching” have torn apart families, careers, and culture. They’ve created beefs, destroyed relationships, and changed the trajectory of lives. Young Thug’s situation is the latest reminder: following a code that doesn’t serve you doesn’t protect you — it isolates you, stalls your art, and steals your legacy. Wunna’s path shows there’s life and opportunity on the other side of that mentality. Loyalty to yourself and living out your purpose is the only ride-or-die worth keeping.