(L) Future attends the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. November 08, 2018. (R) YNW Melly at Murda Beatz 25th Birthday + GRAMMY Celebration. February 08, 2019.
(L) Roy Rochlin/2018 Getty Images (R) Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for 2wenty 2wenty Music
YNW Melly turned 20 on May 1, and the rapper is spending his birthday incarcerated in Florida, having pled not guilty to murder charges in the 2018 shooting deaths of Christopher "YNW Juvy" Thomas Jr. and Anthony "YNW Sakchaser" Williams. Atlanta rapper Future wished Melly a happy birthday recently on his Instagram Story, and called for his "little brother Melly" to be released. Watch below via Complex.
If convicted of the double murder charges, YNW Melly could face the death penalty. The FADER spoke to Robert Dunham of the Death Penalty Information Center about how cases like Melly's play out in Florida. He also faces the problematic possibility that lyrics for songs like "Murder On My Mind" could be used against him, and we spoke to an expert on the use of rap lyrics in the legal system about that.
