American rapper Fetty Wap received a six-year prison sentence for his participation in a drug trafficking scheme.
The rapper widely known for his chart-topping track, “Trap Queen”, which tells the story of a love affair intertwined with the drug underworld, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine.
Fetty Wap had been in custody since August 2022 when his bail was revoked after he displayed a firearm and made threats during a FaceTime call. Due to concerns for his safety, he was held in protective custody at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn.
Appearing before Judge Joanna Seybert in Central Islip, New York, his lawyer argued that he had been supporting his relatives and children and needed money after the pandemic halted live entertainment.
Prosecutors claimed that the rapper had used his fame to glorify the drug trade, citing his music video for ‘Trap Queen’ featuring children as extras. They argued for a longer sentence, emphasising the impact of drug abuse during the pandemic.
His lawyer highlighted the challenges he faced before his music career and criticised the prosecution’s use of his fame to seek a harsher sentence.
Judge Seybert, acknowledging the difficulty of the case, recognised the rapper’s rise to fame and his supportive family but stressed the seriousness of his crime and the concerns raised by his behaviour while on bail.
Fetty Wap apologised for the harm caused to communities affected by drug use before receiving a sentence one year longer than the minimum.
In addition to his sentence, one of his co-defendants, a former New Jersey corrections officer, was also sentenced to six years for acting as a cocaine courier. The remaining co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
