The website for the Illinois Department of Corrections shows Gates is up for parole in 2018, so if he’s well-behaved, he could be out of prison at some point next summer. It’s still a long time behind bars, but it’s an improvement.
Gates stunned just about everyone when he dropped Islah last year. Featuring poignant street-oriented lyrics and certified hits, the project managed to go platinum in less than a year—with no features.
Unfortunately, Gates’ considerable potential as a legit rap superstar was put into jeopardy when he was sentenced to six months in jail for kicking a woman in the chest last October. For an ascendant artist like Gates, even in an industry where being in trouble with law can sometimes serve as good PR, the move could have been a crushing one. But there was a light at the end of the tunnel.
Gates was supposed to be released last month, but he pled guilty to charges of felony gun possession and was ultimately sentenced to 30 more months in Cook County, Illinois. Still, it now appears he could be out a good bit earlier, and it’s definitely welcome news.
