American rapper and singer YFN Lucci is alive and well, despite circulating rumors that he had been killed in prison.
The hoax spread quickly across various social media platforms and blogs, a practice usually followed by social media creators and managers to increase engagement and to play on the emotions of fans.
Drew Findling, Lucci’s lawyer, debunked the hoax and confirmed to TMZ that Lucci is not dead.
YFN Lucci did not pass away in prison, and the social media posts reporting his murder are a hoax
Findling had represented Lucci, whose real name is Rayshawn Bennett, in his trial back in January, which resulted in a 10-year prison sentence.
Lucci had been accused of murder, assault, and racketeering in 2021 as part of a wide-range indictment, aimed toward a group of 12 people known as part of the alleged Blood gang.
Investigators say Bennett and the other members committed a wide variety of crimes to protect the gang’s reputation and maintain control of territory.
The rapper pleaded guilty to one count of violation of Georgia’s Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act.
As part of the sentence, Bennett agreed to serve 10 years in prison, followed by another decade-long probation.
His legal team’s statement to PEOPLE said, “As he has maintained for three years now, Mr. Bennett will NOT cooperate in any other case. By entering into this resolution, he will be eligible for parole in as early as four months from now.”
Fans were quick to point out the fake news in any sources that claimed the rapper was dead
Some users on TikTok stated that Lucci was dead after sustaining a gunshot wound to his torso, which led his fans to respond.
“This has to be fake, like why they saying that YFN Lucci die,” read the caption of a fan video.
Others on Facebook expressed similar sentiments as a news site reported on the hoax.
“Y’all need to be SUED!!! This is ridiculous,” one said while another added, “That man is not dead.”
Is YFN Lucci Alive? Rapper’s Attorney Clears Up Social Media Hoax Bored Panda