Updated: Tuesday, September 1, 3:38 pm E.T.
Rap has never had the cleanest relationship with the criminal justice system. From street cases that followed artists into fame to federal indictments that completely stopped careers in their tracks, plenty of rappers have gone from performing in front of thousands to spending years behind bars.
Of course, these lists change fast. Some names that were locked up the last time around — including Max B, Fivio Foreign and Young Thug — have since made it home, while other rappers have been convicted, sentenced or are still sitting in jail waiting for their day in court. And in a few cases, the amount of time they’re facing means fans may not see them free for a very long time.
So with the list needing a refresh, we’re taking another look at some of the biggest names in Hip-Hop who are currently incarcerated. Some are serving lengthy sentences after serious convictions, while others are still fighting their cases and have yet to be found guilty. Either way, these are 10 rappers who remain behind bars.
Sheff G
Brooklyn drill rapper Sheff G is serving a five-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of second-degree attempted murder and a conspiracy charge stemming from a sweeping gang indictment. Prosecutors accused Sheff, born Michael Williams, of helping direct violence connected to the 8 Trey Crips and 9 Ways gangs, including offering money and jewelry as rewards for shootings. He officially began serving his sentence on October 1, 2025, and will also have five years of post-release supervision once he gets out. His sentence could keep him incarcerated until around 2030, although the exact release date could be affected by New York correctional rules and earned credits.
C-Murder
Corey Miller, better known as C-Murder, continues to serve a mandatory life sentence without parole for the 2002 killing of 16-year-old Steve Thomas at a Louisiana nightclub. Miller was convicted of second-degree murder in 2009 after an earlier conviction was overturned, but his case has remained controversial because multiple witnesses later recanted their testimony and the guilty verdict was not unanimous. Advocates — including Kim Kardashian and Miller’s former girlfriend Monica — have pushed for his case to be reconsidered over the years. Those efforts have yet to free him, with the Louisiana Supreme Court rejecting another attempt to revisit his conviction in February 2026.
YNW Melly
YNW Melly has now spent more than seven years behind bars without being convicted of the murders that put him there. The Florida rapper, born Jamell Demons, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the October 2018 killings of fellow YNW members Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas Jr. and Anthony “YNW Sackchaser” Williams. His first trial ended in a mistrial in July 2023 after jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict, and Melly has remained in custody while prosecutors prepare to try him again. After another request for pretrial release was denied in 2026, his retrial is currently scheduled for January 2027.
Q Money
Cleveland rapper Q Money, best known for songs like “Work” and “Neat,” is serving life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 15 years. A Georgia jury convicted Q Money, whose real name is Qamar Williams, in the 2019 shooting death of his friend and fellow aspiring rapper Calvin “Scotty” Chappell inside a Decatur-area home. He was found guilty of multiple charges, including malice murder and firearm offenses, before receiving his sentence in November 2022. His efforts to overturn the conviction have so far been unsuccessful, with the Georgia Supreme Court affirming the verdict in January 2026.
Lil Durk
Unlike most of the rappers on this list, Lil Durk has not been convicted in the case keeping him behind bars. The Grammy-winning Chicago rapper has been held without bail since October 2024 while facing federal allegations that he helped arrange a murder-for-hire plot targeting Quando Rondo in retaliation for the 2020 death of King Von; Rondo survived the 2022 shooting, but his cousin Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson was killed. Durk has pleaded not guilty, and his highly anticipated federal trial began in Los Angeles on August 20, 2026 after several delays. Because the trial is ongoing, there is no sentence or release date to list yet, and the allegations against Durk remain just that unless a jury convicts him.
