Kevin Liles Tearfully Vouches For Young Thug In Court: "He's Like A Son To Me"

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Young Thug and Kevin Liles attend Young Thugs 30th Birthday Party at a private location on August 16, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Kevin Liles tearfully appears in court to vouch for Young Thug's release on bond.

Young Thug was among 28 individuals who were indicted on RICO charges, and each day, it feels like there's a new development in the case. Thugger's remained behind bars since he was arrested in early May but today, he returned to court for his bail hearing. As fans anticipate his potential release, 300 Ent. co-founder Kevin Liles took the stand to vouch for Thugger.

Prince Williams/Wireimage/Getty Images

In a tearful clip circulating online, the prosecutor in the case explained that there would be a possibility of $1M in expenses for 24-hour security, if Thug was granted bond. Kevin Liles said that both he and Thug could afford that without any questions. Afterward, the prosecutor also asked if Liles was willing to take on responsibility for Thug's release on bond, which would mean that he would personally be liable if the ATL rapper breaches any conditions. "The court could have you signed as a cosigner on that bond and you would actually have a lien against your wealth if Mr. Williams violate condition body. You still willing to do that?" The prosecutor asked.



"He's like a son to me. Yes, without hesitation," Liles replied.

He also denied that Thug would intimidate witnesses or harm his community if released. "This whole thing that people are talking about, that's not him. The Jeffrey I know? The Jeffrey I know would give me the clothes off of his back. The Jeffrey I know? I can give him my kids, he could give me his kids. That's the Jeffrey I know," he said.

Liles also addressed the use of Thug's lyrics against him in this trial. "I've been fighting this battle for over 40 years. It's not new and it's funny how we're the #1 music in the world and they want to bring this back up," he said. "'Our music,' we've been on trial, and we're constantly on trial about who we are, what we are, why we are. Ain't nobody ever gave us nothing.... We talkin' bout lyrics. Lyrics? I don't understand the thing. I'mma keep fighting for it because self-expression. I believe we should protect Black art. And I'm on trial for lyrics? C'mon man."



About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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