The Bronx rapper had been found guilty of several counts, including gang violence.
Kay Flock was sentenced to 30 years in prison. In March, the court found the rapper guilty of several charges: conspiracy to commit organized gang crime, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
Kay Flock, real name Kevin Perez, made a name for himself in 2021 as part of the city’s emerging drill scene. He gained notoriety in the hip hop scene with his single “Being Honest” and his debut mixtape “The DOA Tape”.
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Flock was convicted by the court as a member of the “Sev Side” or “DOA” gang. The 22-year-old was originally charged with first-degree murder in December 2021 – but the jury acquitted him on this count. A federal indictment for organized gang crime later followed.
Before sentencing, the defense argued that their client could not be considered a gang leader because of an “intellectual disability.” District Judge Lewis J. Liman rejected that argument, according to Rolling Stone. Jay Clayton, federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York, said after the verdict: “Today’s verdict gets New Yorkers what they want: violent, armed gang leaders off our streets.”
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Long prison sentences in the scene
Kay Flock is not the first rapper to face such a long prison sentence. Rap history knows numerous cases in which artists were sentenced to long prison sentences for serious crimes.
Texas rapper Tay-K was sentenced to 55 years in prison in 2019 at age 19 after being found guilty of murder. The case attracted particular attention because during his escape from justice, Tay-K recorded the song “The Race,” which became a viral hit and ironically discussed his criminal activities.
Bobby Shmurda served a seven-year prison sentence between 2014 and 2021 for conspiracy to commit murder, weapons possession and drug offenses. His conviction came as part of a major investigation into the GS9 gang in Brooklyn. After his release, he attempted a musical comeback.
C-Murder, real name Corey Miller and former member of the No Limit Records label and brother of rapper Master P, has been serving a life sentence for murder since 2009. The case remains controversial, with several witnesses later retracting their statements and celebrities like Kim Kardashian campaigning for his release.
Max B, a figure in New York’s Harlem scene and known for his influential “wavy” sound, originally received a 75-year prison sentence in 2009 for murder, armed robbery and kidnapping. After several appeals, his sentence was reduced to 20 years in 2016. He should be released in 2025.