10 Rappers Serving Jail Time Inside United States Prisons

10 - Lil Durk

Lil Durk's legal issues date back to his early career. In October 2011, he was convicted and served time on gun charges, including possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number.

He later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of aggravated unauthorized use of a weapon. The following year, in 2013, he was again arrested for a gun violation in Chicago's Englewood neighbourhood but was released in July of that year.

In August 2016, he was cleared of disregarding probation after being arrested on felony gun charges, with a judge ultimately dropping the charges.

In May 2019, Lil Durk and fellow rapper King Von were arrested on charges related to a non-lethal shooting that occurred in February of that year.

The most significant and recent legal development for Lil Durk came in October 2024, when he was arrested by federal authorities in South Florida.

The arrest stemmed from a federal criminal complaint alleging his involvement in a murder-for-hire plot that resulted in a fatal shooting in Los Angeles in August 2022.

According to the Department of Justice, Lil Durk is accused of conspiring with others to murder rival rapper Quando Rondo.

The alleged plot led to a shooting at a gas station near the Beverly Centre, where Quando Rondo's cousin, 24-year-old Saviay'a Robinson, was killed.

Prosecutors allege that Lil Durk, as the leader of his Chicago-based rap collective "Only the Family", directed members of his group to track, stalk, and attempt to murder Quando Rondo.

This alleged retaliation was reportedly in response to the November 2020 murder of OTF rapper King Von, a close friend of Lil Durk's.

Further details from court documents reveal that on August 18, 2022, associates of Lil Durk learned Quando Rondo was staying at a Los Angeles hotel.

The next day, multiple OTF members and associates allegedly used two vehicles to pursue Quando Rondo, culminating in the fatal shooting of Robinson.

It is also alleged that Lil Durk himself travelled to California on a private jet with a co-conspirator, who then allegedly purchased ski masks for the shooters and paid for their flights and hotel using credit cards linked to OTF and Lil Durk.

The federal government has also presented Lil Durk's song lyrics as evidence, though his legal team has argued against their interpretation and timing.

Following his October 2024 arrest, Lil Durk, whose real name is Durk Devontay Banks, was taken into federal custody by U.S. Marshals in Broward County, Florida.

He has been charged with conspiracy to use interstate facilities to commit murder for hire resulting in death, among other federal violations.

He is currently being held without bail, and a federal judge denied his request for bail in June 2025, citing that he is a flight risk, given that law enforcement learned he had booked multiple international flights shortly before his arrest.

The judge stated that the mandatory sentence for a conviction would be life in prison without parole, making flight a "rational alternative."

Lil Durk has pleaded not guilty to the charges. His legal team maintains his innocence and has expressed confidence that the truth will be revealed when the case goes to trial.

He remains incarcerated as he awaits trial, with his next hearings expected to be held in the Central District of California, where the alleged crime occurred.

9 – Blueface

Blueface, whose real name is Johnathan Jamall Porter, was involved in an assault on a security guard at a North Hollywood lounge in 2021. This incident led to him being placed on probation.

He was arrested and charged with attempted murder and use of a deadly weapon in connection with a shooting outside a Las Vegas strip club in October 2022.

The shooting occurred after a man allegedly made a joke about him, and a bullet grazed the man's hand.

Blueface was arrested again for robbery in June 2023 in Las Vegas, accused of taking a woman's cell phone at a casino in May 2023.

His current imprisonment largely stems from violating his probation related to the 2021 assault case and his manager, Wack 100, stated that a judge was forced to hand him the maximum sentence after he was caught with drug paraphernalia.

Blueface was sentenced to four years in prison for violating his probation and turned himself in to the Men's Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles in January 2024.

Later transferred to North Kern State Prison in Delano, California, and then to Lancaster State Prison, Blueface has been at Lancaster ever since and has stated that he hopes to resume his music career upon release.

8 – Corey Miller (C-Murder)

Corey Miller, widely known by his stage name C-Murder, has been embroiled in a protracted legal battle for over two decades, culminating in a life sentence for murder.

The central crime in C-Murder's legal saga is the 2002 murder of 16-year-old Steve Thomas that occurred on January 12, 2002, at the Platinum Club, a now-closed nightclub in Harvey, Louisiana.

Miller was arrested shortly after the incident and subsequently indicted for second-degree murder. His first trial in 2003 resulted in a conviction, and he was sentenced to life in prison.

However, this conviction was later overturned in 2004, with the judge citing that prosecutors had improperly withheld crucial background information about three of their witnesses. This led to a period of house arrest for Miller.

The case went to a second trial in 2009. Despite claims of innocence and a challenging jury deliberation process, C-Murder was again found guilty of second-degree murder on August 11, 2009, with a 10-2 jury verdict.

On August 14, 2009, he was handed a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole, which he is currently serving at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, commonly known as Angola.

Adding to his legal woes, C-Murder also faced charges related to an unrelated 2001 incident in Baton Rouge. In this case, he was accused of firing a semi-automatic pistol at a nightclub owner and bouncer who refused him entry with a gun.

The weapon reportedly jammed. In May 2009, he pleaded no contest to two counts of attempted second-degree murder stemming from this incident and received a ten-year sentence with credit for time served.

Prosecutors sought this additional conviction to ensure his incarceration, even if his murder conviction were to be overturned.

Since his 2009 conviction, C-Murder and his legal team have relentlessly pursued appeals, arguing his innocence and highlighting irregularities in the legal process.

A significant aspect of his appeals has been the recantation of testimony by key witnesses, and, in 2018, two witnesses who had previously identified Miller as the shooter publicly recanted their statements, claiming they were pressured by detectives to testify against him.

Despite these efforts and appeals to various courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, his murder conviction has consistently been upheld with the most recent being in November 2023.

7 – R, Kelly

For decades, whispers and allegations surrounded Robert Sylvester Kelly, the Grammy-winning R&B superstar known as R. Kelly.

Once revered for his innovative music and powerful vocals, his career ultimately crumbled under the weight of mounting accusations of sexual abuse, child pornography, and sex trafficking.

Allegations against R. Kelly date back to the 1990s, almost from the very beginning of his rise to fame.

These included claims of an illegal marriage to then-15-year-old Aaliyah in 1994, which was later annulled, and numerous civil lawsuits alleging sexual battery and harassment.

One of the earliest and most public legal battles involved the infamous 2002 child pornography charges where Kelly was indicted on 21 counts related to a leaked video.

Despite the controversy, he was acquitted of all charges in a highly publicised trial in 2008. This acquittal, however, did little to quell the persistent rumours and concerns about his behaviour.

The #MeToo movement and, crucially, the 2019 documentary series "Surviving R. Kelly," reignited widespread public outrage and prompted renewed investigations by law enforcement.

The documentary brought to light numerous harrowing accounts from alleged victims, many of whom were minors when they first encountered Kelly. This intense scrutiny finally led to multiple indictments and, eventually, his arrest.

In September 2021, after a six-week trial in Brooklyn, New York, a federal jury convicted R. Kelly on all nine counts of a superseding indictment including Racketeering and Violations of the Mann act.

These charges involved transporting individuals across state lines for illegal sexual activity, often involving coercion and enticement.

During the trial, prosecutors presented a damning case, with testimony from over 10 victims and 45 government witnesses. Evidence included video and audio recordings, text messages, photographs, and DNA evidence, all painting a grim picture of decades of abuse.

On June 29, 2022, as R. Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison for these convictions a second trial was on-going in his hometown of Chicago where he was also charged with three counts of producing child pornography.

In February 2023, he was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for these crimes and the judge ordered that 19 of these years would run concurrently with his existing 30-year New York sentence.

R. Kelly is currently serving his combined 31-year sentence at FCI Butner Medium I in North Carolina and he has a projected release date of around 2053.

6 – Tay-K

In July 2016, at just 16 years old, Tay-K was involved in a home invasion in Mansfield, Texas, which resulted in the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Ethan Walker.

While Tay-K did not pull the trigger, prosecutors successfully argued that he was criminally responsible for the death as he participated in the robbery, knowing it could turn violent.

Charged with capital murder and aggravated robbery, in a strange turn of events following his arrest, he was placed on house arrest but famously cut off his ankle monitor and went on the run.

Now a fugitive from justice, Tay-K's time on the run led to the creation of his notorious song "The Race" and he was eventually involved in another fatal shooting in San Antonio, Texas, in April 2017.

Accused of shooting and killing 23-year-old photographer Mark Anthony Saldivar during an attempted robbery of his camera equipment and was eventually captured in June 2017 in New Jersey.

Tay-K faced and pleaded guilty to multiple counts of aggravated robbery related to the 2016 home invasion and he was accused of robbing a 65-year-old man in Arlington, Texas, in May 2017, while still on the lam.

In July 2019, a jury found him guilty of murder in the death of Ethan Walker and multiple counts of aggravated robbery, receiving a 55-year sentence along with concurrent sentences of 30 years and two 13-year sentences for the aggravated robbery charges.

In April 2025, Tay-K was found guilty of murder in the shooting death of Mark Anthony Saldivar. For this second murder conviction, he was sentenced to an additional 80 years in prison.

Tay-K is currently imprisoned at Bexar County Jail in San Antonio, Texas and is expected to die in prison due to the length of his sentences.

5 – YNW Melly

Jamell Demons, known as YNW Melly, has a history of legal troubles that began in October 19, 2015 when he was arrested for three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of discharging a firearm in public.

He allegedly fired shots at three individuals near Vero Beach High School. He served a year in juvenile detention before being released on probation.

In 2017, he was arrested for violating probation, spending several months in jail. In June 2018, he was arrested again in Fort Myers, Florida, for possession of marijuana, possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon, and drug paraphernalia.

In 2018, he was arrested for the premeditated first-degree murders of his two friends, Anthony D'Andre Williams and Christopher Jermaine Thomas Jr. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Prosecutors claim that Demons and his co-defendant, Cortlen Henry, staged the crime scene to appear as if the victims were killed in a drive-by shooting and allege that Demons confessed to the murders in an Instagram direct message.

Following a grand jury indictment, Demons and Henry were arrested on February 13, 2019, and charged with two counts of premeditated first-degree murder. Demons pleaded not guilty.

Jury selection for Demons' first double murder trial began in April 2023, with the trial itself starting in June 2023. Prosecutors sought the death penalty in this case.

On July 22, 2023, Judge John Murphy declared a mistrial after the jury remained deadlocked, reportedly with a 9-to-3 vote in favour of convicting Demons on the lesser offenses of manslaughter.

A retrial for YNW Melly's double murder charges has been set for September 25, 2025. There have been numerous delays in the case, including appeals by prosecutors regarding the inclusion of digital evidence.

His defense team has repeatedly pushed for his release on bond, citing prolonged incarceration and alleged harsh jail conditions, proposing strict security measures like house arrest, GPS tracking, and 24/7 private security.

Prosecutors oppose bond, citing the serious nature of the charges and alleged witness tampering and YNW Melly remains in custody, facing potentially life in prison without parole or the death penalty if convicted in his upcoming retrial.

4 – Tory Lanez

Daystar Peterson, professionally known as Tory Lanez, has been at the center of a high-profile legal case stemming from a July 2020 shooting incident involving recording artist Megan Thee Stallion.

Following a party at Kylie Jenner's Hollywood Hills residence, Lanez was accused of shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the foot.

This incident led to a protracted legal battle culminating in his December 2022 conviction on three felony charges: assault with a semiautomatic firearm, possession of a loaded unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and negligent discharge of a firearm.

On December 23, 2022, after a week-long trial, the jurors delivered their verdict, finding Tory Lanez guilty on all three counts.

In August 2023, Lanez received a 10-year prison sentence. He officially began serving this sentence on September 20, 2023, initially at North Kern State Prison before being transferred to the California Correctional Institution at Tehachapi.

His incarceration has not been without incident; he was hospitalized following an attack within the prison in May 2025, reportedly sustaining stab wounds and his legal team are currently pursuing an appeal.

3 – Austin Jones

Jones was arrested on June 12th, 2017, by agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Homeland Security Investigations after he was found to be in possession of indecent images.

He admitted in a plea agreement that in 2016 and 2017, he chatted with six underage girls on Facebook, some as young as 14, and enticed them to produce and send him videos of themselves.

He reportedly told some victims the videos were to "prove" they were his biggest fans or part of a "modeling opportunity.

On May 3rd, 2019, Jones was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a single charge.

He was initially released to house arrest under a $100,000 bond, with an order to abstain from using the internet, before reporting to prison on June 28th, 2019.

As of 2025, Austin Jones is incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institution, Loretto and his earliest possible release date is December 31st, 2027, having been forced to register as a registered sex offender for life under state law.

2 - Silento

In the early morning hours of January 21, 2021, the DeKalb County Police Department found Silento's 34-year-old cousin, Frederick Rooks III, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Ten bullet casings were found near his body. Security camera footage showed a white BMW SUV fleeing the area, which was later confirmed to be the vehicle Silento used to pick up Rooks.

Silento was taken into custody on February 1, 2021, and admitted to shooting Rooks during an interview with investigators and ballistics testing matched the bullet casings to a gun Silento had when he was arrested.

It was not Silento's first arrest, as he had been arrested in Santa Ana, California, on a domestic violence charge in 2020 and was again arrested the same month for assault with a deadly weapon.

He was also arrested in DeKalb County, sometime around October 2020 after police clocked him driving 143 miles per hour on Interstate 85.

On June 11, 2025, Silento pleaded guilty but mentally ill to voluntary manslaughter and other charges related to his cousin's death.

The murder charge was dropped as part of the plea agreement. He also pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, possessing a gun while committing a crime, and concealing the death of another.

On June 11, 2025, Silento was sentenced to 30 years in prison and he was processed into the Georgia Department of Corrections, however records indicate he could be released in 2051.

1 – Sean “Diddy” Combs

Facing multiple serious charges including sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution, Combs was arrested in September 2024 following a grand jury indictment.

The indictment alleged that for decades, Combs "abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to full-fill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct."

Prosecutors claimed he used his influence and resources to create a "criminal enterprise" involved in sex trafficking, forced labour, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice.

They also accused him of inducing victims into "freak offs," described as "elaborate and produced sex performances" often fuelled by controlled substances to keep victims "obedient and compliant.

His trial began in May 2025 and concluded in July 2025. After a seven-week trial, a jury found Sean "Diddy" Combs guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

However, he was acquitted of the more severe charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, which carried potential life sentences.

Following his conviction, Judge Arun Subramanian ordered Combs to remain in detention while awaiting sentencing. The judge cited Combs' wealth and capability of fleeing, as well as his own admissions of previous violent behavior.

Combs will be sentenced on October 3, 2025. Each count of transportation to engage in prostitution carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, meaning he could face up to 20 years in prison.

Prosecutors have suggested a sentence of roughly four to five years based on preliminary calculations, while the defense has proposed a range of 21 to 27 months.

Any sentence will include credit for time already served, which will be just over a year by the time of the hearing. Combs has been incarcerated in Brooklyn since his arrest in September 2024.

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