Tory Lanez Receives 10 Year Jail Sentence: Everything You Missed in Court

The Twitter commentary following Tory Lanez’s sentencing today feels like a virtual reenactment of the Alabama brawl, with the official 10-year sentence being the hat thrown 🧢 In other news today:

• Every Utopia song on the Hot 100 📈 

• Discover new music with The Rap Index 🎵 

• Tory Lanez gets 10 years: everything that happened at his sentencing 👨‍⚖️ 

• The connection between Pop Smoke’s murder and a body found in a barrel 🤯 

• Travis Scott says there would be no him without Kanye at Circus Maximus concert 💐 

• Cardi B’s thrown microphone auctioned for 100K in Industry Insights 🎤 

Every Song From ‘Utopia’ Charted on The Hot 100

Travis Scott’s Utopia debuts on Billboard’s Hot 100 and 200 charts. Sadly, Travis and Drake weren’t enough to throttle Morgan Wallen’s chokehold on the #1 song spot. But Utopia as an album debuted at #1 with 496K equivalent album units, and all 19 songs charted on the Hot 100.

243K of sales were SEA (streaming equivalent albums), and 252K were from album sales—an important metric that separates Travis from rappers who pull high streaming numbers but low sales resulting in lower Billboard rankings for rap albums.

The remaining nine songs, not pictured above, charted in the following order:

• #26 “Telekinesis” ft. SZA & Future

• #27 “Sirens”

• #28 “God’s Country”

• #34 “Skitzo” ft. Young Thug

• #36 “Circus Maximus” ft. The Weeknd & Swae Lee

• #38 “Til Further Notice” ft. 21 Savage & James Blake

• #46 “Lost Forever” ft. Westside Gunn

• #49 “Looove” ft. Kid Cudi

• #53 “Parasail” ft. Yung Lean & Dave Chappelle

The Rap Index ft. Lil Yachty, Cordae, Trippie Redd, 6LACK & More

The Rap Index is a way to follow and discover new music. Divided into 4 categories describing rap subgenres, songs are placed according to their style and sound—giving you a better idea of what songs will appeal to your musical taste. Only releases from the previous New Music Friday are included to help keep you up to date.

1. “Realest” by Ez Mil, Eminem (Listen on Apple Music & Spotify)

2.  “1st Hunnid Bands” by Yo Gotti, DJ Drama (Listen on Apple Music & Spotify)

3. “My Jeans” by KayCyy (Listen on Apple Music & Spotify)

4. “Slide” by Lil Yachty (Listen on Apple Music & Spotify)

5. “Good Good” by Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage (Listen on Apple Music & Spotify)

6. “MUSTARD” by Jordan Ward, 6LACK (Listen on Apple Music & Spotify)

7. “Left 4 Dead” by Trippie Redd (Listen on Apple Music & Spotify)

8. “Make Up Your Mind” By Cordae (Listen on Apple Music & Spotify)

Tory Lanez Sentenced to 10 Years After Megan Thee Stallion and Iggy Azalea Weigh in

Tory Lanez’s sentencing for the shooting of Megan Thee Stallion began yesterday and dragged into today. Prosecutors were seeking a sentence of 13 years behind bars, and Lanez’s lawyers were asking for probation and three years. After what felt like the length of an album rollout, TMZ reported that Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in state prison.

Letters from Megan and Iggy Azalea dominated headlines yesterday, but to fully understand Lanez’s sentence, review everything that happened in court below.

California law requires judges to impose no higher than the middle range of a maximum sentence—unless aggravating factors are present. The prosecution’s 13 years recommendation cited aggravating factors of great bodily harm, use of a firearm, Megan’s vulnerability as a victim, and the “callousness” (great disregard for others) of Lanez’s crime. The judge agreed to the use of a gun and Megan as a vulnerable victim.

Legally, Lanez was ineligible for probation, but his request maintained his innocence and basically says if he did do it, it’s a result of childhood trauma and alcoholism, and he, therefore, needs rehab, not prison.

Iggy Azalea’s letter in support of Tory Lanez

Judge Herriford, who sentenced Lanez, received 76 letters in support of Lanez—the most scandalous being from Iggy Azalea. Her letter asked the judge to impose a sentence “that is transformational, not life-destroying.” She addressed the backlash to her letter in a tweet, saying she has no current relationship with Lanez, she never intended to comment publicly, and she supports prison reform for anyone that can receive rehabilitative punishment.

Replying to another tweet, Iggy said he should be held accountable, but the charges don’t warrant 5+ years in prison, and it’s a reasonable take, not newsworthy.

Two jailers wrote letters, with one claiming Lanez is “remorseful” and has “talked in detail about the event and what he could have done to prevent it.” A jail chaplain spoke in court about Lanez starting a powerful daily prayer in the protective custody unit that has lessened tension between inmates. Notably, the chaplain said out of the 15,000 inmates he’s come in contact with, Lanez stands out.

Other letters were from Lanez’s six-year-old son, the mother of his son, leaders from charities he’s been involved with, and the doctor for his hair transplant, claiming he helped others in the hair loss community.

Megan Thee Stallion’s letter in opposition to Tory Lanez

Megan was noticeably absent from court, citing her decision not to attend as a preservation of her mental health, but she submitted a statement that the district attorney read. Megan said, since she was shot, “I’ve not experienced a single day of peace.”

Conclusively, she said mercy is for people who show remorse, and Lanez has shown none, and she would like his sentence to be a message for every woman who has been a victim of violence.

Before Lanez was handed a 10-year sentence, he spoke in court and pleaded with the judge to give him a chance to be a better man and prove he could change his life.

Context for those of you out touching grass

Lanez has been in jail since December 23, 2022, when a jury found him guilty of first-degree assault with a firearm, discharge of a firearm with gross negligence, and having a loaded and unregistered firearm concealed in a vehicle. The incident with Megan happened in July 2020 while leaving Kylie Jenner’s home.

Why this matters

It remains to be seen if the last seven months in jail while awaiting sentencing will be applied to Lanez’s 10-year sentence or if he’ll be deported back to Canada. Regardless, it’s not the 13-year sentence the prosecution wanted, and Lanez will likely be eligible for parole before 2033, but it’s closer to the life and career-destroying end of the spectrum.

The Connection Between Pop Smoke’s Murder and Rapper Sirtanky’s Body Found in Barrel

Earlier this month, the body of Javonnta Murphy, a rising LA rapper better known as Sirtanky, was found stuffed inside a barrel at Malibu Lagoon State Beach. A park worker spotted the 55-gallon container floating in the water, and there was initially no apparent motive for his death, but it appears a connection has been found to the murder of the late Pop Smoke. Find out more below.

TMZ first reported that Javonnta was the brother of Jaquan Murphy, one of five people arrested following Pop Smoke’s death. However, Jaquan was cleared of all charges related to Pop Smoke, and only four defendants remain, with two pleading guilty earlier this year. TMZ said that the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department is looking into Javonnta’s death as a possible retaliation for the murder of Pop Smoke.

When the sealed barrel containing Javonnta was opened, his body wasn’t in a state of decomposition, suggesting his death was fairly recent, and he was naked. Police interpret these conditions as signs of foul play and are treating his case as an open homicide.

Unlike the highly publicized trials of XXXTentacion and YNW Melly, details surrounding Pop Smoke’s case and his alleged murderers have been scarce. This is partially because three out of the four defendants were minors when the home invasion took place and are being sentenced in juvenile court, which is not a public record.

Pop Smoke was murdered on February 19th, 2020, when a group of attackers entered his L.A. Airbnb under the pretense of robbing him, but an altercation ensued, and he was shot and killed.

Context for those of you out touching grass

In May, an 18-year-old defendant in the case admitted to pulling the trigger and firing the fatal shots that killed Pop. The defendant was 15 years old at the time of the murder. Although he confessed to a first-degree murder charge, along with home invasion robbery, he’s expected to remain in a juvenile facility until he’s 25 years old.

In April, it was reported that another defendant, also a minor, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and home invasion robbery, receiving a sentence of 4 years and 2 months behind bars in a juvenile facility. The defendant allegedly scouted the mansion Pop was staying at and helped co-defendant Corey Walker recruit the other suspects for the robbery. Walker was 19 years old in 2020 and is the only defendant who will be charged in adult court.

Why this matters

The news surrounding Pop Smoke’s alleged murders, and the possible retaliation for his death, highlights a disparity in the legal system. The variance in sentences for high-profile cases—Tory Lanez is facing 13 years, XXXTentacion’s killers received life sentences, and YNW Melly is facing the death penalty—is wildly inconsistent thanks to nuances of the law in different states (among other things).

If there is a connection between Pop’s murder and Javonnta’s murder, it’s likely due to a belief that justice wouldn’t be served at the hands of the law.

“There Is No Travis Scott Without Kanye West,” Says Travis at Circus Maximus Concert

Following Travis Scott’s performance at Circus Maximus in Rome on Monday (the location was once the largest chariot-racing track in the Roman empire), he announced his first tour since the Astroworld tragedy in 2021. The only special guest to share the stage with him was none other than mentor Kanye West. Quite fitting for an album that felt like Travis’ Yeezus 2.0. Find out everything you missed below.

The performance started with “Hyaena” and “Thank God,” suggesting that Travis might perform Utopia in the same order as the album, but five songs in La Flame had a PSA for the crowd.

“There is only one human being on this planet that has ever walked side by side with me, through anything, and every motherfucking thing, so the only thing I can do Chase B…” Travis said while breathing heavily into his mic. The music for Kanye’s “Praise God” cuts in.

“There is no Utopia without Kanye West. There is no Travis Scott without Kanye West. There is no Rome without Kanye West,” Travis declared, giving Kanye his flowers before the duo performed “Can’t Tell Me Nothing.”

Travis also said that, hopefully, one day, he and Kanye can “do that goddamn tour.” Although, his North America tour appears to be a solo endeavor visiting cities across North America from September 25th to November 27th.

The Utopia adjacent film, Circus Maximus, is now available on Apple Music for those who missed it in theatres. Travis is the star and brings along a number of guests who contributed to the album—Rick Rubin, Teezo Touchdown, James Blake, and Yung Lean.

You can look out for Travis’ second collaboration with director Harmony Korine, Aggro Dr1ft, set to appear at film festivals in the coming months.

• Kendrick Lamar receives VMA best direction nomination for “Count Me Out” video. Metro Boomin, GloRilla, Ice Spice, and Yung Miami become VMA nominees for the first time as the 2023 list is revealed.

• Cardi B’s thrown microphone at fan sells for $100K on eBay auction. The rapper didn’t receive charges, but the production company that owns the mic hit a payday and plans to donate the earnings to charity.

• AI voice platform Kits.AI hits 1M voice transformations in weeks since launch. The platform offers tools for artists to create, license, and share their own voice models—granting approvals of covers for commercial use and receiving payment for it.

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