By Kaila Mack
Fetty Wap, Paterson, NJ native, famous for his rap song “Trap Queen” was released from a federal prison in Sandstone, Minnesota on January 7. New York courts sentenced him to six years in prison on federal drug trafficking charges in May 2023. His early release came with strict probation rules, being required to report all of his earnings and tax records to the U.S. Probation Department and refrain from drugs and alcohol, according to TMZ.
Upon his early release, some fans took to social media to express relief that he served time for “regular crimes,” and not crimes against women or children. One Tiktok user, Madeleine Gibson, referred to him as a “plain old, regular degular criminal” in a video captioned “White House could never.” Commenters on the video jokingly referred to Fetty Wap as “an unlicensed pharmacist,” a “man of business,” and “a criminal, not a monster.” These reactions reflect changing attitudes surrounding nonviolent drug related charges. Fetty Wap credits the First Step Act as helping to grant him early release. The act, passed in 2018, aimed to reform the criminal justice system by improving prison conditions, reducing minimum sentences for nonviolent crimes, and allowing more opportunities for early release, among other things. The case raises questions about changing attitudes in criminal prosecution and how nonviolent offenders should be treated. Going forward, the singer says he wants to give back to his community by creating initiatives to help at-risk youth, according to a statement to CNN.
