Are Young Thug and Gunna Still Friends? Here's Where They Stand After the YSL RICO Trial

The Breakdown: Young Thug and Gunna’s friendship has been questionable — to say the least — since the RICO trial. With Thug’s release in October 2024, he isn’t allowed to see any YSL members, excluding his brother and Gunna.

Young Thug and Gunna have been one of the rap game’s most dynamic duos. They’ve collaborated on multiple tracks and even a full-length album. That relationship seemed to be fractured after both were indicted alongside other YSL members for racketeering back in 2022. Now that Thug is done with the longest RICO trial in Georgia history, he’s onto the next phase of his career.

The YSL frontman has announced that he’ll be dropping a new album called UY SCUTI. But the announcement and exceptions to his sentencing have fans wondering if the Slime Language 2 rappers are still friends. Even more questions have been raised, as most people’s perception is that Gunna snitched on Thug.

As of October 2024, Young Thug and Gunna seem to be on good terms. The two are at least on good enough terms to see each other. According to the Associated Press, Young Thug was permitted to see Gunna (and his brother) as exceptions to the conditions for his sentence.

Young Thug, born Jeffery Williams, accepted a plea deal in October which resulted in the rapper having to serve a 40-year sentence. The first five years of the sentence have been commuted to the time he’s already served since being indicted May 2022. The remaining 35 years has been split into a 15-year probation and an additional 20 years served.

If Thug can get through the 15-year probation without violations and having good behavior, his 20-year sentence will also be commuted, resulting in his full release. The plea deal also resulted in the “Hot” rapper being banned from Atlanta for the first 10 years of his probation.

The ban only excludes important events like weddings, funerals, graduations, or serious illness of family members, per Judge Paige Reese Whitaker

All conditions of the plea deal and sentence were accepted by Thug’s lawyer, Brian Steel, including that the rapper was no longer allowed to contact or visit his YSL co-defendants during the probationary period.

Gunna and Quantavious Grier, Thug’s brother, were the only two co-defendants allowed to be seen. This was due largely to “contractual obligations” and close personal relationships. Young Thug is still able to travel across the U.S. and internationally for work, but he must submit random drug screenings and is banned from owning a firearm.

Gunna never actually snitched on Young Thug or any other YSL members. The idea that he did was sensationalized by the fact that he was the first YSL defendant to be released on a plea deal, as well as accusations from other co-defendants and affiliated artists.

Gunna, born Sergio Kitchens, has been out on a guilty plea deal since December 2022. As the first defendant to be released, most fans and industry figures assumed that his plea deal required him to snitch on Thug or other YSL members.

However, the Wun of Wun rapper did not take a regular guilty plea. Instead, according to the BBC, his lawyer arranged an Alford plea deal. The difference is that a regular guilty plea requires one to plead guilty and admit guilt for a charge, whereas an Alford plea means Gunna pleaded guilty without actual admission of guilt.

He’s stated multiple times publicly that he never snitched on anyone. There’s been tension between Gunna and Thug throughout the RICO trial, with the latter even tweeting that they “aren’t friends”. However, there’s no evidence to support that he betrayed the YSL family.

It’s currently not the clearest as to whether Thug is permitted to see Gunna solely for business or because he plans to mend their friendship as well. With the release of UY SCUTI, a Gunna feature would certainly be a sign of a reunion.