Why did Kevin Gates go to prison?
Introduction
Life as a celebrity may have its perks, but it’s not all glitz and glamour.
Over the years we’ve seen a wide range of famous people in trouble with the law, and unfortunately, not a great deal has changed.
In fact, if anything, it’s becoming more frequent.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re an actor, an author, a model, an influencer, or a musician, if you are famous and in the public eye a lot, you will find it increasingly difficult to enjoy a private life.
Musicians, in particular, often seem to experience legal issues, and sadly for rapper Kevin Gates, that’s exactly what has happened to him several times throughout his career.
Kevin Gates is a hugely popular rapper, singer, and musician in general, but his struggles have been well-documented, and he has been on the wrong side of the law on more than one occasion.
But what exactly did Kevin do, and why did Kevin Gates go to prison?
All will soon be revealed.
Short bio
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Kevin Jerome Gilyard, better known by his stage name Kevin Gates, was born on February 5, 1986.
Kevin is a singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, influencer, and rapper who is currently signed to the Bread Winners’ Association, which is in partnership with the legendary Atlantic Records.
Kevin has been making music for a long time, and despite his young age, he is considered to be one of the most popular and in-demand rappers in the industry today.
He first shot to fame in 2016 after releasing his debut studio album ‘Isiah’ which reached number 2 on the US Billboard 200 Chart.
His debut studio album may have been the one that put him on the map, but even before the album dropped, Kevin produced a huge selection of mixtapes which also all reached the top 40 in the US Billboard 200 chart.
By Any Means, Luca Brasi 2, and Stranger than Fiction, in particular, all proved hugely popular.
Gates uses a unique style of music-making, in which he uses Southern beats with autobiographical lyrics.
The fact that he is brutally honest in his lyrics about his past, and his feelings in general, has endeared him to his fans and critics alike.
In recent years, Gates has started to sing more on his tracks, yet the core meaning behind his lyrics has remained the same.
Kevin often touches upon controversial and uncomfortable topics that some musicians would shy away from.
He sings and raps about prison, growing up in poverty, depression, financial struggles, and other topics which some may consider ‘taboo.’
Personal Life
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Kevin is half black and half Puerto Rican.
His father was African American, whereas his mother was Puerto Rican.
He grew up in the ‘Deep South’ in New Orleans, and then Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Kevin had a very troubled upbringing and received a very poor education.
He was frequently in trouble with the law, and aged just 13, he was arrested for the first time in 1999 when he was apprehended by the police as he was joyriding as a passenger in a stolen vehicle.
Kevin didn’t see much of his father growing up, as he lost touch with him, before reconnecting with him when he was a teenager, only to have him pass away due to complications from AIDS.
But why did Kevin Gates go to prison?
Well, we’ll look at his legal troubles in more detail a little later, but first, we’re going to learn more about Kevin Gates, the person.
Kevin married his long-time girlfriend Dreka Haynes in 2015, and the couple have two children together (Islah and Khaza).
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Though not proven, Gates has hinted in the past that he has multiple children with different women from previous relationships and that he has somewhat of a relationship with them.
He never stated how many, and has hinted that he may not even know the number himself.
Despite his legal troubles, both Gates and his wife are practicing Muslims and have even visited Mecca.
In 2021, after a hiatus of 2 years, Gates returned to making music and released his 17th mixtape, which he called ‘Only the Generals, Pt. 2.
The mixtape was another huge hit and was accompanied by a music video for his track ‘Puerto Rico Luv.’ This was in honor and celebration of his Puerto Rican heritage.
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Why did Kevin Gates go to prison?
Despite being a very popular musician, Gates sadly has issues and had a very troubled upbringing, which likely shaped the man he grew up to be. Kevin was first arrested in 1999, as we previously mentioned, though this would sadly not be the last time he was in trouble with the law.
Gates has stated in interviews that by taking him to jail at a young age, this turned him into a criminal.
In 2003, he allegedly stabbed somebody after getting into a fight with him outside of a movie theatre.
After he became famous, the legal issues didn’t stop, however.
In 2015 he was arrested after he kicked one of his fans when he was on stage performing in Florida.
Florida’s ‘stand-your-ground’ law was used as part of his defense. He was ultimately convicted of the charge and was sentenced to 180 days in jail in 2016.
More seriously, however, is the fact that in late 2016 he was convicted and sentenced to 30 months in prison for gun charges which were related to an arrest in 2013.
He didn’t show up in court and was arrested again on these charges while he was still serving his 180-day sentence for kicking a fan.
Gates may not be perfect now, but he does look to have cleaned up his act, and despite not making as much music as his fans would have liked, he is still very much a part of the music industry.
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Lee Parry is a writer and blogger originally from Manchester, UK, and he has a B.A. in Modern Languages from Manchester Metropolitan University. Parry occasionally teaches English and spends most of his free time reading.