MUSIC
Bobby Shmurda Pleads Not Guilty To Conspiracy, Gun And Drug Charges
Bobby Shmurda appeared before a New York judge on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, drug trafficking, gun possession and reckless endangerment charges.
Earlier this week, the “Hot Boy” rapper was arrested in front of Quad Studios in New York following a massive gang bust. According to Police Commissioner Bill Bratton, Shmurda and his gang GS9 have been under surveillance by the Brooklyn South Violence Reduction Task Force for quite some time. NYPD along with a special narcotics force have been investigating the street gang for their alleged involvement with multiple shootings, drug trafficking, turf wars and the killing of a rival.
“Ackquille is the driving force behind the GS9 gang,” said Special Narcotics Prosecutor Nigel Farinha in Manhattan Supreme Court. “He is also a violent enforcer of the gang’s activity. He’s a drug dealer, and a prolific one at that.”
12 other defendants were also busted and are being charged with a laundry list of crimes including murder, attempted murder, assault and drug dealing. During the takedown, law enforcement found two handguns and a small amount of crack cocaine in the car the rapper was riding in. Overall, police confiscated 21 guns and 10 during Wednesday’s arrest.
Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan said during a news conference that the investigation led to some “deeply disturbing themes: The gang members’ enthrallment with guns, and a cavalier disregard for human life.”
Arresting officer James Essig also said that, Shmurda’s lyrics are “almost like a real-life document of what they were doing on the street.”
If you’ve heard Bobby’s track, “Hot Ni**a,” you know that the 21-year-old raps, “selling crack since like the 5th grade … We gon’ pull up in that hooptie like we cops on ’em/ With M16s, we gon’ put some shots on em/ But GS for my gun squad.'” Following Shmurda’s arrest, memes started floating around suggesting that the rapper snitched on himself.
The judge ordered Ackquille Pollard, the rapper’s legal name, to be held on $2 million bail. If convicted of conspiracy, the rapper could face up to 25 years behind bars.