Once an obscure day celebrated predominantly in Texas, Juneteenth is emerging as a full-blown “greeting card” holiday. President Joe Biden hosted an early celebration this week, a concert on the White House’s south lawn featuring none other than Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle. Cities from Denver, Colorado, to Cincinnati, Ohio, have major events slated for the coming days. You can even find cards on Amazon now.

Since the day became a federal holiday in 2021, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories recognize it. This also means that more and more non-Black Americans have become aware of its significance. 

To gain a sense of how the day is unfolding in modern times, theGrio recently sat down with someone who grew up with a rich tradition around the day in Texas and someone who has recently adopted the holiday in her life. We discussed everything from the humor in celebrating it with non-Black people to how to continue to center Black joy as it evolves.

Alan Freeman, 61, who grew up celebrating Juneteenth in Texas, where it originated, recalled neighborhood block parties, grabbing plates of food from just about anyone’s house, and utter joy. 

“Juneteenth was such an electric holiday,” he said. “It was like the whole neighborhood was like a Cheech and Chong movie because there was so much barbecue smoke from everyone, because everybody, every family celebrated the holiday.”

After the day became a federal holiday, he said, Texas got even bigger and bolder with its celebration of June 19, the day in 1865 when the last of enslaved people in Confederate territory – those in Galveston Bay, Texas – learned they were free, about 2 1/2 years after the fact.

Before the federal designation, cities throughout Texas grew to develop rich traditions around commemorating Juneteenth with parades, barbecues, and other events. Since the designation, Galveston, where the holiday came to be, has joined in the fun. Freeman explained the city put finances and resources toward launching several cultural events including an upcoming Juneteenth comedy festival he hosts.

“It’s been amazing,” he said as he gears up for the second year on June 14.

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Freeman, a comedian based in Texas, can also easily see the humor and joy in the celebration as it evolves to incorporate more non-Black people. He actually recommends that they take part.

“They celebrate it harder than we do,” he said of white Texans who come to his comedy show in droves. “It’s one day where white people are really happy for us.”

He added, teasing, “You want to get something from white people, Juneteenth is the day. Take them to the bank. Take them to the grocery store. They are so generous during that day.”

Freeman represents the old guard of the holiday. Meanwhile, Ebony Nichols, a greeting card designer based in St. Louis who adopted the tradition after it became a federal holiday, is among the new generation celebrating.

Nichols, 38, said that while she always knew about the day in history, she didn’t grow up celebrating it.

“Once Juneteenth became a national holiday, I really began to personally take interest in [it],” Nichols explained. “I decided that this was worth celebrating, understanding how Black history appears today and being able to celebrate our progress, how far we’ve come and their commitment to continue to make this country live up to its promise. I felt like that was worth celebrating.”

Nichols was one of the first among her friends and family to begin celebrating the holiday annually.

“I almost felt like I was a personal ambassador to my family and friends,” she added.

As we prepare to commemorate another Juneteenth this year, Nichols, who runs Announce Divinely, has seen a growing increase in demand for Juneteenth greeting cards. Her collection features 16 cards with thoughtful messages and designs. She said she envisions absolutely anyone, including non-Black folks, sending these cards to whomever they want.  

“I really feel like Juneteenth is very much worthy of sending a card,” she said, adding that the holiday can be an opportunity to reconnect.

“Almost like this is my summer check-in with you,” she added. 

If a greeting card blatantly spelling out “Happy Juneteenth” feels like too much, Nichols said it doesn’t hurt to send a more generic greeting card. Considering how Juneteenth originated from an epic moment of miscommunication in history, Nichols finds amusement in this day becoming an official “check in on your people” day, whether through sending cards or in person.

“Juneteenth was originally people checking in with each other and letting them know, spreading the good news about hope, about opportunity, about change,” she continued. “So if you believe in hope, if you believe in opportunity, if you believe in change, then Juneteenth is a holiday that you can get behind.”

While many like Nichols and Freeman can see the joy in Juneteenth, there are many who struggle with the day’s significance, especially as it arrives amid major geopolitical strife and as many Black people remain severely disenfranchised in this country and beyond.

“Joy is complicated,” Nichols said. “Joy is not saying that nothing bad ever happens or that everything is perfectly OK. Joy is saying that in spite of the darkness, this is a little bit of light that I can lead into the world that can energize me to go further.”

Freeman added that if white people are looking for a way to really help Black people celebrate and experience joy, they could Cash App them $1,900 on the day. 

“It’s a joke,” he said, “but you know, it’s like if you really want to feel good…” 

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Jerry West, the iconic inspiration behind the NBA’s logo and one of basketball’s most accomplished figures, passed away peacefully at his home at the age of 86, the Los Angeles Clippers announced on Wednesday.

West’s illustrious career spanned over eight decades, during which he won nine championships as a player, scout, coach, executive, and consultant. He was instrumental in building the Los Angeles Lakers dynasties of the 1980s and 2000s and served as an adviser to the Golden State Warriors during their dominant run in the 2010s.

Before becoming one of the NBA’s greatest general managers, West was a celebrated player. He was a high school and college basketball legend in West Virginia and co-captained the 1960 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team. During his 14-year playing career with the Lakers, West was selected to the All-Star Game each season, earned 12 All-NBA selections, and made five All-Defensive teams.

West experienced both triumph and heartbreak in the NBA Finals, winning one championship in nine appearances and famously becoming the only player to be named Finals MVP while on the losing team in 1969. He averaged 37.9 points per game in that seven-game series against the Boston Celtics.

“He took a loss harder than any player I’ve ever known,” said the late Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn. “He would sit by himself and stare into space. A loss just ripped his guts out.”

West was known for his relentless competitiveness and exceptional scoring ability, even before the advent of the 3-point line. His 60-foot buzzer-beater in the 1970 Finals against the New York Knicks remains one of his most memorable moments. West finished his career with averages of 27 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game, joining Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson as one of the league’s first 25,000-point scorers.

“Jerry West was a basketball genius and a defining figure in our league for more than 60 years,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “He distinguished himself not only as an NBA champion and an All-Star in all 14 of his playing seasons, but also as a consummate competitor who embraced the biggest moments. He was the league’s first Finals MVP and made rising to the occasion his signature quality.”

West’s success extended beyond his playing career. He won Executive of the Year honors twice and was a key architect of the “Showtime” Lakers, who won five championships in the 1980s. He later signed Shaquille O’Neal and traded for Kobe Bryant, setting the stage for another five Lakers titles from 2000 to 2010.

After leaving the Lakers in 2000, West served as general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies and later joined the Golden State Warriors as an executive board member in 2011. He was instrumental in shaping the Warriors’ championship teams, notably opposing a trade that would have sent Klay Thompson to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Love and recruiting Kevin Durant in 2016. West joined the Clippers in 2017, contributing to their acquisition of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in 2019.

West will be posthumously inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in October as a contributor, making him the first person to be enshrined as both a player and a contributor. He was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019.

West’s personal life, marked by a troubled childhood and the death of his older brother in the Korean War, was not as charmed as his basketball career. He became a mental health advocate, sharing his lifelong battle with depression in his memoir, “West by West: My Charmed, Tormented Life.”

“The greatest honor a man can have is the respect and friendship of his peers. You have that more than any man I know,” Bill Russell told West on “Jerry West Night” in 1972. “Jerry, you are, in every sense of the word, truly a champion. If I could have one wish granted, it would be that you would always be happy.”

West is survived by his five children, including his son, Jerry, who is a professional scout for the Detroit Pistons. His legacy as one of basketball’s greatest figures will forever be remembered.

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The 24th BET Awards are taking place on June 30 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Taraji P. Henson will be hosting the ceremony for a third time and the night is sure to provide some unforgettable moments. Before the awards, we take a look back at the biggest red carpet trainwrecks from over the years.

The Virginia NAACP sued a county school board Tuesday over its reinstatement of Confederate military names to two schools, accusing it of embracing segregationist values and subjecting Black students to a racially discriminatory educational environment.

The school board in Shenandoah County voted 5-1 last month to revert the name of Mountain View High School back to Stonewall Jackson High School, and that of Honey Run Elementary to Ashby Lee Elementary. The vote reversed a 2020 decision to remove the original names against a backdrop of nationwide protests over racial injustice.

The federal lawsuit states that Black students compose less than 3% of the school system’s population. Plaintiffs include five students — identified by their initials and described as Black, white and biracial — and their parents.

The Associated Press sent an email seeking comment to school board chair Dennis C. Barlow.

The NAACP wrote that students will be “required against their will to endorse the violent defense of slavery pursued by the Confederacy and the symbolism that these images have in the modern White supremacist movement.”

For example, the lawsuit said an incoming freshman, who is Black, would be forced to play sports as a member of the Stonewall Jackson “Generals.” And she would have to wear a uniform “adorned with a name and logo that symbolizes hatred, White supremacy, and Massive Resistance to integration.”

If the student doesn’t fully participate in school sports or other activities, she may miss out on future opportunities, including playing college sports, according to the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg.

The NAACP alleges that the Confederate school names violate the students’ First Amendment rights, which include the right “not to express a view with which a person disagrees.” It also cites the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause, which “prohibits racial discrimination in state-supported institutions.”

The Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Project, which maintains a database of more than 2,000 Confederate memorials nationwide, was not aware of another case of a school system restoring a Confederate name that was removed, senior research analyst Rivka Maizlish said in May.

Overall, the trend of removing Confederate names and memorials has continued, even if it has slowed somewhat since 2020, she said, noting that the Army renamed nine installations named for Confederate leaders, and removed a Confederate memorial from Arlington National Cemetery.

The school board members in Shenandoah County who had voted in May to restore the Confederate names said they were honoring popular community sentiment. They said the previous board members who had removed the names in 2020 had ignored constituents and due process on the matter.

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Elections in 2023 significantly changed the school board’s makeup, with one board member writing in an op-ed for the Northern Virginia Daily that the results gave Shenandoah County “the first 100% conservative board since anyone can remember.”

That board member, Gloria Carlineo, said during a board meeting in May that opponents of the Confederate names should “stop bringing racism and prejudice into everything” because it “detracts from true cases of racism.”

The lone board member to vote against restoring the Confederate names, Kyle Gutshall, said he respected both sides of the debate but believed a majority of residents in his district wanted to leave the Mountain View and Honey Run names in place.

“I don’t judge anybody or look down on anybody for the decision they’re making,” he said. “It’s a complex issue.”

During several hours of public comment, county residents spoke up on both sides of the issue.

Beth Ogle, a parent and longtime resident, said restoring the Confederate names is “a statement to the world that you do not value the dignity and respect of your minority students, faculty and staff.”

Kenny Wakeman, a lifelong county resident, said the Stonewall Jackson name “stood proudly for 60 years until 2020,” when he said the “actions of a rogue police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota,” prompted a move to change the name, a reference to the killing of George Floyd that sparked nationwide protests and debate over racial injustice.

Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson was a Confederate general from Virginia who gained fame at the First Battle of Bull Run near Manassas in 1861 and died in 1863 after he was shot and had his arm amputated. Jackson’s name was also removed from another high school in Virginia’s Prince William County in 2020. That school was renamed Unity Reed High School.

Ashby Lee is named for both Gen. Robert E. Lee, a Virginia native who commanded Confederate forces, and for Turner Ashby, a Confederate cavalry officer who was killed in battle in 1862 near Harrisonburg. A high school near Harrisonburg is also named for Ashby.

The resolution approved by the school board states that private donations would be used to pay for the name changes.

Shenandoah County, a largely rural jurisdiction with a population of about 45,000, roughly 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of Washington, D.C., has long been politically conservative. In 2020, Republican Donald Trump won 70% of the presidential vote in Shenandoah, even as Democrat Joe Biden won Virginia by 10 points.

4

Netflix has announced that “Sweet Home” will return for its third season on July 19, bringing an epic conclusion to the apocalyptic horror series. Since its debut, “Sweet Home” has captivated global audiences with its chilling portrayal of a world overrun by monstrous creatures, earning a place in the Netflix Global Top 10 TV (Non-English) list as the first Korean series to do so.

The first season introduced viewers to the terrifying universe of K-creatures, while the second season expanded the narrative scope and delved into more profound themes. Now, Season 3 promises to blur the line between monsters and humans even further, as humanity faces the emergence of neohumans amidst a world teetering on the edge of annihilation. This season marks the climactic chapter in the saga of monsterization.

The official poster for Season 3 features Hyun-su (Song Kang) standing amidst a city in ruins, his monstrous wing ominously extended. This imagery hints at Hyun-su’s internal struggle, having been overtaken by a monster at the end of Season 2. Overhead, mysterious cocoons hang, symbolizing the dawn of a new era.

Sweet Home Poster

As the series heads towards its conclusion, it aims to wrap up the stories of its diverse and beloved characters:

• Nam Sang-won: Appearing in the body of Pyeon Sang-wook (Lee Jin-uk), with the enigmatic Dr. Lim (Oh Jung-se) adding layers of mystery.






• Eun-hyeok (Lee Do-hyun): Reborn with a complete body from a cocoon, his transformation raises questions about identity and survival.






• Yi-kyung (Lee Si-young): Balances maternal instincts with love and fear for her child, Kid (Kim Sia), who was born as a monster.






• Eun-yu (Ko Min-si): Evolves from an adolescent student to a skilled warrior, her journey reflecting resilience and growth.






• Private Park (Jinyoung): Develops a closer bond with the solitary Eun-yu, his loyalty and shadowing deepening their connection.






• Master Sergeant Tak (Yoo Oh-seong) and Kim Yeong-hu (Kim Moo-yeol): Both from Crow Platoon share a common goal but differ in their approaches, adding tension and intrigue to the narrative.

As the tension mounts, the central question remains: who will prevail in the ultimate showdown between monsters and humans?

Fans eagerly await the thrilling conclusion to “Sweet Home” on July 19, exclusively on Netflix, promising a fitting end to this epic series.

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Black culture was live and in full effect Monday at the White House as President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris hosted a Juneteenth celebration concert to commemorate the upcoming federal holiday that honors the ending of U.S. slavery and the granting of freedoms for formerly enslaved Black Americans.

Thousands of invited guests – almost exclusively Black – descended on the White House South Lawn for the nearly two-hour musical concert that saw performances from new and seasoned Black artists who covered genres from soul, blues, gospel, jazz, and hip-hop. The performers line-up included Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Kirk Franklin, Charlie Wilson, Anthony Hamilton, Raheem DeVaughn, upcoming country artist Brittney Spencer, and singer-actress and star of “Raising Kanan” Patina Miller. The show was hosted by comedian Roy Wood Jr.

“White House lawn has never seen anything like this before,” said President Biden while giving remarks at the end of Monday’s celebration. The president, who signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act in 2021, said he was “proud to make Juneteenth a federal holiday” and made clear: “It wasn’t just a symbolic gesture.” 

“It was … a testament to the resilience of generations of Black Americans who kept their eyes set on the nation’s North Star,” said Biden, adding, “That North Star was the idea that we’re all created equal, in the image of God and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives.”

While celebrating Juneteenth and Black America’s resilience, there were some standout moments from the White House concert. Here are four major moments: 

Harris dances with Kirk Franklin in Sergio Hudson pantsuit

While performing his hit song, “I Smile,” Grammy-winning gospel artist Kirk Franklin garnered one of the most memorable moments of the White House event when he grabbed Vice President Harris from the audience to dance with him onstage. The moment took some convincing on the vice president’s behalf but quickly became a viral moment.

Harris, who, according to the Office of the Vice President, wore a rose pink pantsuit made by Black South Carolina designer Sergio Hudson, gleefully danced with Franklin, who spun Harris and two-stepped with her to the delight of the audience. After a few seconds of the short dance break, Franklin kissed Madam Vice President’s hand before walking her offstage.

Biden and Harris on protecting Black freedoms

During their brief remarks at the second-annual White House Juneteenth concert, President Biden and Vice President Harris called on America to use the commemoration to reflect on the freedoms won. They also made clear those freedoms must be protected amid political and legislative actions by Republican lawmakers and conservative leaders.

In her remarks, Harris called out the “full-on attack on hard-fought, hard-won freedoms,” including voting rights, a woman’s right to abortion care – which disproportionately impacts Black and brown women – and “the freedom to learn and acknowledge our nation’s true and full history.”

“In many ways, the story of Juneteenth and of our nation is a story of our ongoing fight to realize that promise, our ongoing fight to build a nation that is more equal, more fair, and more free,” said Harris. She continued: “A nation where every person has the opportunity not to just get by but get ahead. Since taking office, with the support of so many of the leaders here today, President Biden and I have continued that fight.” 

“Black history is American history,” said President Biden, who vowed that he and Harris will “always uplift and protect it.”

In a statement provided to theGrio, Florida State Sen. Shevrin Jones, a Biden-Harris campaign surrogate and member of President Biden’s HBCU board of advisers, said the president and vice president have “consistently demonstrated their unwavering support for the Black American community.” 

“The designation of Juneteenth as a federal holiday signifies not just a symbolic gesture, but a tangible commitment to progress. Through their actions, be it in the form of federal appointments or strategic investments, this administration is actively working to uplift Black America,” said Jones, who also serves as chair of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party. “The gathering of leaders from across the nation last night was not merely an event for entertainment, but a powerful reminder that although we have made advancements, there is still significant work ahead to achieve the equality and justice we strive for.”

Roy Wood Jr. honors Black pioneers who made Juneteenth possible

Throughout the program, which was produced by Black entrepreneur John Burns, Wood Jr., the concert’s host, told the history of Juneteenth and how it became a federal holiday. It began as a state holiday in Texas before being recognized in 45 states. Wood acknowledged two figures responsible for nationalizing the holiday: Opal Lee and the late Texas State Rep. Al Edwards.

Lee, 97, is known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth” and was recently honored by President Biden with a Presidential Medal of Freedom. Lee famously organized a 2.5-mile walk to commemorate the two and half years it took for enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, to learn that they were freed by President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.   

Edwards, who died in 2020 before Juneteenth became a federal holiday, authored the bill that made Texas the first state to designate Juneteenth a holiday. He would go on to found the nonprofit Juneteenth USA, which was dedicated to expanding the Texas holiday to other states and, eventually, getting it recognized on the federal level.

Edwards’ son, Jason Edwards, attended the White House celebration. He told theGrio the event was “absolutely wonderful” and ​​that it was “great to hear Dad’s name recognized for his hard work.” Edwards said he was also surprised to be seated alongside President Biden and Vice President Harris in the front row. He also shared a moment with Harris, who he said extended a “very warm gesture of awareness and appreciation” for his father’s legacy. 

“It was just great to see the president and the vice president really highlight what they’ve done for the country and for Black folks, HBCUs, and things like that,” Edwards told theGrio. “It was just truly a memorable night all the way around.”

Doug E. Fresh dances with Maxine Waters

Vice President Harris wasn’t the only elected official invited to dance with a performer on Monday night. U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., affectionately known in the Black community as “Auntie Maxine,” got some love from Doug E. Fresh, who ran off the stage to dance with the longtime congresswoman, who he described as the only woman he wanted to cut a rug with. 

The Harlem rapper got the crowd amped up as he performed “Shine A Light on Em” and asked the thousands of attendees to shine a light with their cell phones, illuminating the White House lawn. It was most certainly a memorable sight. Of course, Doug E. Fresh was one of many memorable performers, including LaBelle, who kicked off her shoes during her set (a signature move), and Miller, who received much applause for her jazz rendition of Billie Holiday’s “God Bless the Child.”

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Sabrina Carpenter has reached a significant milestone in her music career as her latest single, “Please Please Please,” officially hits number one on US Apple Music. This achievement marks her first number-one hit on the platform, highlighting her growing influence in the music industry.

“Please Please Please” has also made remarkable strides on Spotify. It has surged to a new peak at number two on the Global Spotify chart, garnering an impressive 10.54 million streams. The single maintains its stronghold at number one on the US Spotify chart, amassing 4.7 million streams.

Adding to her streak of success, Sabrina Carpenter’s earlier release, “Espresso,” continues its reign at the top of the Global Spotify chart, with 11.007 million streams. The song has now spent an astounding 20 days at number one, underscoring its sustained popularity.

Carpenter currently dominates both the Global and US Spotify charts, holding the top two spots with “Espresso” and “Please Please Please.” This achievement underscores her unique position in the music industry as the only artist with songs surpassing 10 million daily streams in today’s update:

1. Espresso — 11M






2. Please Please Please — 10.54M

The momentum behind “Please Please Please” is not just confined to streaming platforms. The single is now challenging for a number-one debut on this week’s Billboard Hot 100, which would mark another first for Carpenter—her first number-one hit on the prestigious chart.

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The unmitigated gall of some white people. Despite the number of times we tell them not to use the N-word casually, too many of them still do.

Just look at Lilly Gaddis. During a seemingly innocent TikTok video where she is seen cooking a meal, she says, “Everybody I know who is married right now, they are married to broke a** n***s.”

Watch the entire video below:

Um, what the hell is wrong with her?

And before doubters come on here and claim if it’s real or not, it is.

In another TikTok video just days later, Gaddis doubled down on her racist words, saying, “A recent video of mine seems to have upset members of a certain community. All of the backlash really just made me do a deep dive, do a soul search and after all that, I still couldn’t find a care.”

Fortunately, none of these can be seen on her account, since it has been banned on TikTok. But she seems to have reposted them on X, as shown above.

Social media sleuths have discovered that Gaddis was an employee of Rophe of the Carolinas in Wilmington, N.C., and was she listed in her now-deactivated LinkedIn profile as a Business Development, Marketing and Sales Manager at the company.

Thanks to the backlash, Gaddis has been fired from that, writing in a post, “Oh no I just got fired! #mob.”

Unfortunately, she doesn’t seem too worried about it and looks to use the backlash as an opportunity to launch her career as a racist/conservative figure.

In another post, she wrote, “Thanks black community for helping to launch my new career in conservative media! You all played your role well like the puppets you are.”

This is the type of thing that makes your blood boil. Hopefully, her 15 minutes of Internet fame doesn’t last much longer.

The lawyer representing rapper Young Thug has been sentenced to spend 10 weekends at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta after being held in contempt. 

Brian Steel was led out of the courtroom on Monday after Judge Ural Glanville refused to explain a meeting between himself, a state witness, and prosecutors, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The alleged meeting occurred in “judge’s chambers before court began,” the AJC reported. 

Glanville ordered Steel to spend 10 weekends — 20 days total — in jail and turn himself in to the Rice Street facility by 7 p.m. on Fridays. Steel asked if he could serve his sentence at the Cobb County Jail instead so he could confer with his client, Young Thug, and Glanville approved his request.  

“You got some information you shouldn’t have gotten,” Glanville said to Steel before a courtroom deputy took the rapper’s attorney into custody.

Steel requested a mistrial, telling the judge that “you’re not supposed to have communication with a witness who’s been sworn.” Glanville later allowed Steel to rejoin the courtroom.

The witness, Kenneth Copeland, testified on Monday after initially refusing to do so on Friday when he was expected to. Copeland has an immunity deal that is “contingent on his testimony,” the AJC reported.

Copeland, who is expected to return to the witness stand on Tuesday, avoided the majority of the prosecution’s questions on Monday. During Monday’s lunch break, Steel learned about the alleged meeting and asked Glanville about it when they returned from the break. 

“How about the witness, how about Mr. Copeland, who supposedly announced that he’s not testifying and he’ll sit for two years and, supposedly this honorable court, or let me rephrase that, this court, said I can hold you until the end of this trial,” Steel said.

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Steel added that he learned that prosecutor Simone Hylton told Copeland that he would be held in jail “until all 26 defendants have their cases disposed of, regardless of how long that might take,” per the AJC. 

“If that’s true, what this is is coercion, witness intimidation, ex parte communications that we have a constitutional right to be present for,” Steel said to Glanville. 

Glanville responded, questioning Steel about how he learned the information. “What I want to know is why wasn’t I there,” Steel responded. 

Glanville then ordered Steel to be removed before saying he would continue with the trial. “I’m not halting nothing,” the judge said per the AJC.

Young Thug was arrested in May 2022 on suspicion of racketeering. The rapper is among 28 people associated with the YSL record label who were charged in a 56-count indictment, according to Complex.