Crime has always played a major role in rap music. But sometimes the line between art and reality can become blurred as some rap artists find themselves in criminal situations. A few rappers have had their careers derailed due to being arrested and convicted during the height of their success.
Here is a list of 10 prominent rappers who are currently serving time in jail.
Gucci Mane
Gucci Mane was arrested in 2013 after violating his parole after a string of violent incidents. He was convicted of hitting an Army veteran in the head with a bottle at a nightclub and was sentenced to three years in prison. Since his incarceration, Gucci Mane has released 15 albums and a slew of mixtapes. He is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2016.
Bobby Shmurda
Bobby Shmurda was arrested on drugs and weapons charges shortly after his rise to fame. Although he has yet to have a trial or be convicted, Shmurda has remained behind bars for over a year because no one will pay his $2 million bail. Shmurda continues to stay busy by writing two screenplays as he awaits his May trial.
C Murder
C Murder was convicted of second-degree murder in 2009, in regard to the murder of a teenager in 2002. The No Limit/TRU Records rap star is currently serving life in Louisiana’s notorious Angola Prison. He continues to fight to have his case reviewed.
Max B
Max B recently found himself in the middle of Kanye West’s beef with Wiz Khalifa after West initially revealed that his album would be called WAVES. Wiz responded by suggesting that Max B was the king and founder of the “Waves” sound. But Max B is currently serving a 75 year prison term for planning a robbery. However, he still releases music and was recently featured on a track with Wiz, “Silver Surfer.”
B.G.
In 2009, B.G. was attempting to make a significant comeback in music following his Cash Money days by connecting with T.I.’s Grand Hustle label. But in 2012, B.G. was arrested on a gun charge and sentenced to 14 years in prison due to a violation of parole. B.G., 34, is currently attempting to get his time reduced.
G. Dep
In 2012, G. Dep confessed to killing a man in a robbery gone bad in 1993. The former Bad Boy artist is serving 15 years in prison.
Cool C
Cool C made a name for himself in the 1980s with the hit, “Glamorous Life.” But he, along with rapper Steady B, was convicted in 1996 of robbing a bank and killing a female officer in Philadelphia. Cool C, who is currently on death row, was granted a stay of execution in 2015.
Bump J
In the mid-2000s, artists such as Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco spoke about Bump J being the next rapper to make it out of Chicago. But before he could get his big break, Bump J was convicted of robbing a bank in 2008. He is currently serving a 10-year sentence.
Big Lurch
Big Lurch was beginning to build a buzz in the Bay Area in the early 2000s when he did the unthinkable. He killed a woman and ripped her organs out of her body. He was found with blood all over his body after the attack. He is currently serving life in prison.
