Introducing "Take It To Trial" newsletter
Here's what to expect from weekly issues.
As week two of the YSL/Young Thug RICO trial kicks off in Atlanta, I’m officially launching this subsection of my newsletter as a place to keep up with the lengthy, complex proceedings. I’m grateful to all of the new followers I’ve received in the last seven days and I appreciate you all trusting me to deliver credible information on this trial. Still, with more than 400 witnesses expected to be called for the state alone, I don’t know that live Tweeting (Xing?) everyday is the most effective way to go about keeping folks updated. That’s where this newsletter will come in handy…
Who am I?
I’m an Atlanta native who has been reporting on entertainment and culture for more than 10 years. I left a staff job at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and began freelancing for publications such as Billboard, GQ, Teen Vogue, The New York Times and other news organizations more than six years ago.
I profiled Gunna for GQ in January 2022. My reporting on this case began months after this interview when I attended pre-trial bond hearings for Billboard following the May 2022 indictment. In those early months, I was featured in podcasts by Vice and Vox for my coverage. This year, I’ve reported on this trial for publications such as Billboard and The Guardian. I’ve also been featured in the ABC documentary Rap Trap, CNN’s First of All with Victor Blackwell, Meghann Cuniff’s YouTube show and elsewhere.
How often will I be in court?
As often as possible. This trial is set to last for at least six months and I am a freelancer. The reality is no publication is going to send me to court every single day of this trial, but I am committed to going regularly just to stay updated for potential stories. With that being said, there will be times where I have an assignment unrelated to this case and I’ll have to prioritize its completion. Like some of you, I’ll stay tuned to the live stream on most of these days and will still be able to provide you all with context based on my reporting on the case.
What will this newsletter provide?
Expect weekly posts about the case to hit your inbox on Friday afternoons. In these issues, I’ll recap the witnesses who testified that week, provide context from court documents and elsewhere when helpful, notate any noteworthy issues that have arisen during proceedings, etc. Again, this will be a pretty lengthy trial so I’m still trying to figure out the best and most useful way to cover it. This newsletter will evolve as the trial progresses.
What about breaking news?
In the event that there is significant breaking news in this case, I’ll publish issues beyond the weekly Friday post.
How much will this newsletter cost?
I’ve gone back and forth with this but, for now, I plan to keep this newsletter free to contribute to the ability for the public to receive accessible, factual information related to this case.
With that being said, if you would like to pay for this newsletter you have the option to do so. Any money received will go towards paying myself, as well as paying for court documents, parking and other costs associated with the trial.
See you all on Friday with recaps from the first two weeks of this trial!