A New York City rapper who performed at a Trump rally last year is in a different predicament this week. Sheff G, whose legal name is Michael Williams, has been sentenced to five years behind bars. In the agreement with the court, he admitted to using his music career earnings to fuel gang violence in Brooklyn.
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More Details About Sheff G’s Sentencing
After five years in prison, Sheff G must serve five years of supervised release, per the Associated Press. His sentence was made official on Wednesday (October 1). He and the judge agreed on the sentence when the rapper pleaded guilty earlier this year to attempted murder and conspiracy. Prosecutors had argued for a 20-year prison term, citing his violent history, but the judge settled on the split ten years–behind bars and at home.
“This defendant had talent and opportunity, but chose to use them to fuel violence instead of building a better future,” Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said after the sentencing.
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Prosecutors have said Sheff G showered money and jewelry on gang members as they battled rivals in Brooklyn. They say the rapper acted as a getaway driver on at least one occasion. At that time, he drove three co-defendants to and from a 2021 shooting. They meant to target a rival, but instead hit two bystanders.
Sheff G even treated gang members to a lavish dinner at a Manhattan steakhouse. At the time, they were allegedly celebrating a 2020 shooting that killed a purported rival gang member and injured five others.
What Have Trump’s People Said About The Rapper’s Case?
The allegations of violence against Sheff G had already been made public when he appeared with Donald Trump onstage in May 2024. He and rapper Sleepy Hallow were among the people Trump touted during his campaign stops as he worked to woo Black voters. At the time, a spokesman for Trump’s campaign was asked about the campaign’s awareness of Sheff G’s charges and clarification on whether Trump sought the rappers or vice versa.
“As Sheff G said: ‘They always whisper your accomplishments and shout your failures,'” campaign spokesman Steven Cheung responded.
As of Wednesday night, Trump hadn’t reacted to the sentencing on social media.
Sleepy Hallow Charged & Sentenced Too
Sheff G’s lawyer, Arthur Aidala, didn’t immediately respond to an email from the Associated Press seeking comment on Wednesday. However, he’s said previously that the plea deal was in the “best interest of everyone involved.”
The 27-year-old rapper was one of several arrested in connection with a long-term investigation into gang-related shootings in Brooklyn. More than 30 purported members of the 8 Trey Crips and the 9 Ways gang have been indicted. Twenty-three have pleaded guilty to various charges. Seven cases are still pending.
Among those charged was Tegan Chambers a.k.a Sleepy Hallow. He also appeared on stage with Trump and Sheff G during the May 23, 2024, rally in the Bronx. Chambers was sentenced last week to a year in jail after his guilty plea to a conspiracy count.
Surveillance videos, social media posts, text messages, and other evidence document Sheff G’s criminal activities. According to prosecutors, he and Sleepy Hallow also boasted about their misdeeds in their songs.
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Associated Press staff Philip Marcelo and Bruce Shipkowski contributed to this report via AP Newsroom.
