Tory Lanez awaits verdict as some of hip-hop agree to verdict

As Tory Lanez, who was convicted of shooting and injuring fellow hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion on July 12, 2020, is awaiting sentencing, he has criticized Megan over the past two years, criticizing her. A segment of the hip-hop community has even come forward to accuse of lying. agree with the judgment.

Some artists, like hip-hop mogul 50 Cent, vocally supported Lanez. Drake appeared to question Megan’s story with his controversial lyrics, and after Megan’s set at the Rolling Loud Music Festival in Miami in July 2021, others like DaBaby I took Lanez out on stage.

Now, 50 Cent once compared Megan to Jussie Smollett, an actor convicted of staging a false hate crime against himself and filing a false police report, and has a REAL 92.3. He apologized to Megan in an interview with Big Boy that aired Wednesday.

“I’m going to apologize to Megan Thee Stallion,” 50 Cent said.

The rapper and “Power” actor said he was initially skeptical of Megan’s story, but changed his mind after hearing key evidence from the trial…case.

In a jail call to Harris, Lanez appears to admit to shooting Megan, stating that he “deeply apologizes” and was “extremely intoxicated.” This recording was the key evidence prosecutors presented to the jury at his Lanez trial, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson.

“So I was like, ‘Oh, I know what happened.’ I’m sure that’s probably what moved people in court,” 50 Cent said. It looks like you removed the viral earlier director He shared on Twitter last month comparing Megan and Smollett.

Lanez was found guilty by a jury on December 23, 2022, in all three counts of shooting and injuring Megan in both legs in an incident in the Hollywood Hills. Lanez has pleaded not guilty, and his trial attorney, George Mgdesyan, told ABC News that Lanez’s legal team plans to appeal.

Earlier this week, a judge granted a request by Lanez’s new legal team, attorneys David Kenner and Matthew Verhoma, to postpone Lanez’s sentencing from January 27 to February 28. Reply to publication.

Houston rapper Van B, one half of legendary rap group UGK, was an early and vocal supporter of fellow Houston native Megan.

Bang B, whose full name is Bernard James Freeman, denounced Lanez in a social media post in December 2020, not speaking out to the hip-hop community.

“In this world, I’ve seen black women being abused and black women being shot and even killed,” Van B told “Impact x Nightline” after police killed George Floyd. A look back at the civil rights movement in 2020. Police shooting death of Breonna Taylor.

“To see such an attack on black women in hip-hop culture…I just had to say something. I just felt compelled.”

Since 2020, the incident has been a hotly debated topic among hip-hop fans, many of whom have taken sides and debated it on social media, but the hip-hop artist has been linked with Megan Thee Stallion. Even those who were in a relationship mostly remained silent. .

Advocates for black women rallied for Megan, but there wasn’t much public support for her among hip-hop artists.

Treva Lindsay, a gender studies professor at Ohio State University who studies hip-hop and black feminism, told ABC News Studios’ weekly news magazine Impact. Streaming on Hulu.

“First, when she was shot, there was an eruption. I saw Rihanna deliver flowers to her, Beyoncé wrote her a note, and Cardi B held her up. There was this kind of lulling silence after seeing Houston rappers like Bang B harming Tory.

Rapper Joe Budden apologized on the Dec. 21 episode of the Joe Budden Podcast, which aired during the trial, for remarks Megan made about her earlier when discussing the incident.

“I apologize for my carelessness in joking about her mental health,” he said. Can you tolerate being wrong? The answer is no.”

And in an Instagram live video following the verdict, rapper Soulja Boy lambasted Lanez and criticized fellow rappers for not speaking out in support of Megan.

“You’re–shooting here–right here, nobody saying anything?” he said.

“Am I the only one who says something in the whole rap game?”

The incident put a spotlight on the black women’s advocacy movement, which addresses the sexism and racism black women experience in their own communities and society at large.

And Megan herself, who wore purple to represent victims of domestic violence when she testified against Lanez last month, became one of the most vocal advocates.

In a New York Times op-ed published on October 13, 2020, she wrote, “Even as a victim, I’ve been skeptical and judged. When you’re a black woman, there’s not much room for passionate advocacy.” is not. .”

Elizabeth Mendes of ABC News contributed to this report.