NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City rapper who joined President Donald Trump during a campaign rally last year has been sentenced to five years behind bars after he admitted he used earnings from his music career to fuel gang violence in Brooklyn.
Sheff G, whose legal name is Michael Williams, also must serve five years of supervised release once he’s freed under the terms of the sentence imposed Wednesday.
He and the judge agreed on the sentence when the rapper pleaded guilty earlier this year to attempted murder and conspiracy. Prosecutors wanted a 20-year prison term.
“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.
The 27-year-old rapper, whose songs and videos have millions of YouTube views and Spotify streams, was among those arrested in connection with a long-term investigation into gang-related shootings in Brooklyn. The allegations of violence against Sheff G had already been made public when he appeared with Trump onstage in May 2024.
