Judge locks up rapper who bragged about violent crimes in music videos

Nykees Campbell

A Dallas rapper who bragged about killing rival gang members in rap music videos was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn told rapper "Na Na" the evidence against him came out of his own mouth.

The rapper, whose real name is Nykees Earl Campbell, ranted about murdering rival gang members in music videos uploaded to Facebook.com, Worldstar Hip Hop, and other video streaming sites.

Prosecutors matched his words with shoutouts that occurred on the streets of Dallas.

In one video, Campbell, 20, described shooting a gang member eight times as he slept in bed -- a murder that remains unsolved.

Campbell was not arrested for that murder, but he and his fellow YNB gang members are suspects in several murders, homicide detective Eric Barnes testified in court.

Innocent bystanders have been shot, including a 6-year-old girl, as gang members sprayed bullets during shootouts. They then take to Instagram or Twitter to brag about their crimes.

Campbell's case reflects a growing trend in law enforcement, as investigators take to social media to match up Tweets or video clips with unsolved crimes in their cities.

Campbell, who was arrested in November, was convicted on gun possession and drug charges. He has no criminal history.

Judge Lynn ignored the minimum sentencing guidelines and granted the prosecutor's request for 12 years in prison. The prosecutor played Campbell's violent rap videos in open court.

The judge said she rarely grants requests above the sentencing guidelines. But she told Campbell the evidence against him "came out of your mouth."

"You're bragging about shooting a person," Lynn said. "It's violence times 10 at every phase."

Dallas police noted that, after Campbell was arrested in November, the violent gang activities in Dallas stopped. But Campbell's lawyer, Dianne Jones McVay, is not convinced her client is behind all the unsolved gang murders in Dallas.

"My client is guilty of rapping," she said. "They can't prove their murders, but they want to blame my client for all of them."

  • Yardgirl

    The truth shall set you free...........free to do go time in prison!! Glad this violent person is off the street because innocent people were in his line of fire. POS

  • sunni_daze

    Play stupid games win stupid prizes. I remember when people didn't snitch on themselves and took their dirt to grave. These new age dummies getting all they're bragging about with 25 to Life

  • tintin

    you chat too damn much .. serve him right.

  • pecancandy

    I will never understand snitching on yourself.

  • BlackMenHATEBlackWomen

    #BlackKangs

  • Yoni7

    And so it begins.
    They better get back to singing and rapping like those 90s love songs.

  • Yoni7

    ITA

  • Kemi

    Thank you Judge. This 20yrs old need his behind locked up. Was dumb enough to say such things and post online. Instead of thinking about furthering his education, he’s talking abt committing a murder. Smh!!!

  • SpillyNillie

    Ish is about to get real for him. He's petite and cute...they'll have fun with him in prison. I wonder if he'll "be about that life" then. SMH

  • missmiami305

    What an idiot! These kids run they mouth too much!

  • SweetTEE

    So instead of swimming in all the coochie I know is being thrown at him, he out here killing folks. His rival gang members will be ripping him wide open for the next 12.

  • Ni Ni

    Good riddance! I have no problems with getting the trash off the streets.

  • Nophace

    Rappers have been snitching on themselves since the days of way back. Just imagine authorities had looked into all of the shootings N.W.A. and others claimed to have done or the drugs Jay Z, Rick Ross and others supposedly sold.

  • Guest©

    Good for him. Ppl wonder why the kids are doing this but imho rappers always rapped about nefarious things (i.e. slinging dope, catching bodies). Maybe this dude was too specific and/or social media has made groups who otherwise did not follow rap aware of raps dark side.

  • Mr.LeBrickJames

    Good move. By giving him that much time, the judge probably kept a few people from getting murdered during these next 12 years he'll be off the streets. He got off light. He's lucky he didnt get more time, after admitting to killing somebody.

  • SummerBaby

    U.S District Attorney ? why are the Feds involved this case? ?

  • TawnyDelux

    did they not learn from Bobby Schmurda?

  • GuestSTAR

    They gon love his young pretty azz in the Pen.

  • Blaque Mahogany

    Couple of things:

    1. So "YNB" is a gang. I know a lot of these new young rappers have YNB somewhere in their name.

    2. I'm kind of bothered by this. 90% of these rappers are rapping about someone else's life. Hell, Rick Ross literally stole an actual drug dealer's life and raps about it errry day.

    3. Stop snitching on yourself.

  • Vegas1989

    Running his pie hole on social media for likes. It reminded me of a dumb co-worker who was at work on break time running his mouth on FB how dumb his boss was. Well little did he know when that 2:00 break was up at 2:15 they were escorting him out the door with Po Po......Big dummy. We have peeps who jobs is to scan and search stuff on all social media feed....I should have put in for that cyber security job right there..Because peeps would text, send pics and screen shots to me over the weekend on some of the dumb stuff the bosses were doing....SMH...Pure Hot mess.....It was funny y'all. The good thing was it wasn't none of the Brothers and Sisters that were doing dumb stuff. It wasn't that many of us. Out of 1000 peeps we only had about 30 blk people. Most of us were Vets.

  • SummerBaby

    I’m not familiar with any rappers with YNB in their names. ? Lemme go do the knowledge ????

  • Mr.LeBrickJames

    Because he and his gang were trafficking in guns and drugs across state lines. Once the crime goes inter-state the Feds get involved.

  • Blaque Mahogany

    That little boy that Blac Chyna is messing with is YNBJay or something another. Another YNB young dude was on tape beating the hell out of his gf in like a hotel or something.

  • Dowoop

    Neither do i.

  • Dowoop

    He gonna be about a different life in 12 yrs.

  • SummerBaby

    Thanks! I see he was convicted on a guns & drug charges, but they used his rap lyrics against him for more time.

  • Dowoop

    I hope he does every damn day that he is sentenced to.

  • SummerBaby

    YBN Almighty Jay & NBA Youngboy are those the guys you’re talking about?

  • Malcom Flex

    Fools with big mouths telling on themselves.

  • Vegas1989

    Please forgive me. I don't know what YBN stand for. I grew up where I was listening to Public Enemy. Rap with a message.

  • SummerBaby

    I’m gonna be in the minority. His rap lyrics shouldn’t have been used against him in the crime he was convicted on. ?????He was convicted on drugs & guns.

  • Malai

    Didn’t learn from Bobby smurda huh?

  • Ni Ni

    Yes, they've always bragged about their mischief. TPTB are paying more attention, plus the new rappers don't appear to be as smart about it as the old rappers; they seem to bring more attention to themselves with social media antics.

  • Blaque Mahogany

    Yes to AlmightyJay. There are like 10 YBN dudes. They look like they are between the ages of 15-18.

  • Mr.LeBrickJames

    Yup. Those guys are lucky they were doing their dirt before this age of social media came about. Otherwise some of them would still be in prison to this day, instead of living that millionaire life.

  • SpillyNillie

    I agree with you Summer...I'm trying to see where the justification comes from. What's her stance...did she disregard the minimum sentencing guidelines because he's considered a threat to society because he verbally admitted to murders?

    I can't see how she can sentence him because he admitted to murder but had not been convicted of murder.

  • SummerBaby

    YBN stands for young boss nigga. The gang is called YNB Stretch gang. I don’t have a clue what YNB stands for.

  • Rayne

    He’ll be coming around that mountain in exactly 12 years! Just ...to hell with life. Smh

  • dru and neil

    I’m realizing the only time I even listen to rap/trap is when I am working out and need to work myself into an angry frenzy, to stay motivated, which says a lot about the effects this mess has on the brain.

  • dru and neil

    Me too. Shouldn’t be running guns, I’d be so ashamed if my son threw his life away like this. ?

  • Blaque Mahogany

    Lord child, my dyslexia is acting up.

    I didn't even realize as many times as I have typed it that they were two different things

  • SummerBaby

    ???

  • free

    LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

  • free

    usually young black n*****s. not sure if this is the same in this case.

  • Nathan Hastings

    Oh well

  • Logan Roberts

    Welp, nothing to see here?*continue to eat my cinnamelt and drink my coffee*

  • free

    i thought rap was protected as an art form though.

  • goat

    How can you lock up a rapper for crimes they rap about, but no evidence to tie them to the crime? But let white police, rapist, and politicians skate freely with mountains of evidence against them.

    Oh, I know why.

  • SummerBaby

    Cosign

  • Meme

    Well what a waste but on the bright side people on the outside are slightly safer, hopefully this will also prolong his life (that's assuming he hasn't killed anyone for real) hopefully he uses this downtime to learn a valuable lesson and be a better person hopefully when he's out at 32 he would have matured and still be able to have a good life

  • MISSMEWITDATBULL

    +1

  • goat

    While your President out here giving pardons to domestic terrorists. Gotta keep the prisons full for that free slave labor.

  • SummerBaby

    I can’t believe how many folks in this thread don’t see a problem here.

  • Mr.LeBrickJames

    That's a nice thought... but we know that in the real world they usually come out of prison worse than when they went in.

  • bemetoo

    well I blame the lawyer...how can your client be found guilty without any evidence of a crime

  • Meme

    Yeah who the hail am i kidding, but there is hope, i hope he gets a couple of degrees

  • goat

    I know I would, especially for a crime I didn't commit.

  • goat

    I can believe it, nothing surprises me anymore. A damn shame tho.

  • Ms..N

    Where is the evidence? How long has his attorney been out of school? Was it a public defender? So blacks get 12 years with no witnesses or evidence just hearsay out of a young mans immature mouth? Smh so many questions! !

  • SummerBaby

    The Feds have a 98% conviction rate.

  • KcoolMuziq

    This is why it's going to be no black men left on the streets anymore.

  • Yodel-Lay-SHe-Whooo

    You can’t fix stupid! Whether true or not, why bring this kind of attention to yourself? These stupid kids nowadays do not understand that just because you can, doesn’t mean you should! ?

  • the guest

    Whenever this happens, I ask the same thing:

    What about creative liberty and license?

    The same with Bobby Shmurda. They used his songs to convict him. Songs he made up and reasonably could have been made up entirely from imagination.

    It is clear reasonable doubt and grounds for acquittal that rappers could be making up stories yet the judicial system is calling their songs legal fact?

    But does the judicial system call their songs legal fact when they address police brutality? Are police officers arrested based on rap lyrics about experiences with police brutality?

    If people can't see that this is racism then what is.

    Agree with rap lyrics or not, like rap lyrics or not, hate what the culture is coming to or not, this is STILL racist and an attack on black free speech.

  • Trey

    Lock them ALL up....lets be honest...these clown offer no value whatsoever and are liabilities on the youth

  • Trace da Ace

    and this is why folks need to watch what they say on THE INTERNET....all that frontin and bumping your gums about how you "rep your hood" and is living that gangsta life and that shit.....well know that them Feds is watching...and waiting....loose lips sink ships....maybe he can think long and hard about the gangster rap life for the next 12 years.....I dont feel sorry for him... not at all....

  • Trey

    If you dumb enough to brag about killing people at 20 years old...you deserve to be locked up...your cavalier attitude is what keeps this going.....

  • Whiplash(lacejagger)

    So is his first name pronounced, “Nike”? Like the shoe?

  • Trey

    Hopefully this sends a message to the other clowns cooning it up on the gram

  • Jennifer

    This boy needs a lecture, positive male role model, stable home life, and a foot in his ass, not 12 yrs in jail for trying to appear tough.

  • Hmmm~?

    Lmao. Now you know damn well that ain't what it means. It stands for young baller niggas. At least I think ?????

  • Ms..N

    It's called being facetious! Smfh

  • the guest

    Stupid or not, they have a constitutional right to free speech.

    Someone needs to stand up for black free speech.

    This young man should be imprisoned for actual evidence of his committing a crime, not circumstantial presumptions made of songs he wrote. This is not detective work. They are racially profiling and targeting black social media.

    No one is targeting and circumstantially connecting rock stars to crimes because of the violent, vile, misogynist lyrics they write.

    The black community needs more conscious law enforcement officers, lawyers, and judges in the younger generations. But black youth are turning their backs on the working in law enforcement and judicial system because of the racism in those fields.

    But the racism can only be changed with mass presence and visibility operating from the inside.

  • jeniefrumdabloc™

    Bye .... Told on yourself .. Have fun in the pokey clown. ..

  • Hmmm~?

    He cute, lightskin, and look like he under 6 ft. He gone have to fight for that booty. All for what tho? Smdh. ?????

  • the guest

    They do. But they are still wrong.

  • Rainbowbelow
  • the guest

    It is. This conviction is a violation of his constitutional rights. His lawyer is a tool, pawn, and idiot.

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1lo6u-UIbo Nancy Drew-Natural & Luv’n It!

    my guess would be that it rhymes with "release" (n??k?s).... but who can say (i'm just hoping the kid is NOT named Nike, smh, Lol)

  • the guest

    They want to send a message to silence black youth.

  • SummerBaby

    I’m not in agreement at all per my previous comments in this thread.

  • Soda

    Have the statutes of limitation expired on Country singer Carrie Underwood's crime? She bragged about scratching up her ex's vehicle, slashing all of his tires, busting up his headlights, and carving her name into his seats. Sounds like vandalism and breaking & entering to me. Seriously though, it's like this rapper is being convicted on something that was heard through the grapevine, not by eyewitness or facts in evidence. I'm all for criminals being held accountable for their crime but something tells me the law is drawing a line as to how far they'll use this method, while drawing a circle around their target: POC.

  • the guest

    I know you are not, that's why I co signed you. As I also upvoted your comments. Per my comments, I strongly disagree with racially profiling rappers lyrics and social media. The Feds are not doing this to white artists.

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1lo6u-UIbo Nancy Drew-Natural & Luv’n It!

    soooo..... murder was the case they gave him (even though they lacked evidence????) even if Judge Barbara considers his rap to be a "confession" unless he said, in the rap, that he killed 'Earl' ...with a candlestick... in the conservatory... and Col. Mustard saw him and Earl go in there together, how is she putting his 'confession' with any actual bodies??????

  • Kayke

    They brag about wealth, cars, homes and lifestyles (including gang life) they dont actually have or are aprt of, all the time. The words from a song cannot be the only evidence to convict someone. If they had forensic evidence of his involvement and then used his song to solidify that evidence, thats different. This is a slippery slope using artistic creations as facts.

  • SummerBaby

    Gotcha! ?

  • OvertheMississippi

    Good!!

  • WutizstillHERE!

    If this sticks it will be crazy. They rap about what the streets talk about. Most artist when asked was that song about them they say nah it was actually about a friend or just a situation that was brought up. Remember Usher said that confessions wasn't about him but it was actually JD who had that situation...this can't hold water!

  • Being bad is way more fun

    Im sure hes giving it away just like the other rappers !!!

  • Jennifer

    Exactly!!!!! Bravo Soda! ?

  • Banmeagainbitch

    So if creating art is evidence every Hollywood writer who's on some serial killer shit should be on death row these people are fucking retarded......smfh

  • Yodel-Lay-SHe-Whooo

    Exactly! .... or when I’m getting tired of traffic. Other than that, I’m a 70’s baby and there’s nothing like classic soul!

  • Erin

    Lady your client is guilty of "STUPID" not of "RAPPING"

  • Dee

    He is DOOMED in prison ?

  • Jordan’s Memory

    He probably said something in his raps that only the killer would have known, info that the public wasn't privy too.

  • jayhawkpride

    Good!!

  • Bee jaay Cee

    I hate violent and misogynistic rap, and use of the n word. Throw them all in jail.

  • YaYa

    when keeping it real goes wrong

  • Fuk.U.Fuk.Him.Fuk.Her.Fuk.Yal

    He cute with a Frankenstein head... But stupid, practically handed the prosecutors the case against him... Smh.. Big Dummy

  • Robert lee Bennett OG

    Some will say this is trumps fault

  • wayoli

    Well, he wanted to be all gangsta, jail is part of it. Wanna be a killer, jail is part of that too. We have the police killing our young men, they are killing each other and now they are putting themselves in jail.....WTF

  • EMILY POST

    Shooting people and bragging about it.... Yes go to jail... People getting shot for nothing ... He is lucky all he got was 12 years..
    Too much music and television ... The Liberal Entertainment industry has black boys thinking that stuff is normal... Murdering people is Cool. Wheres the face tattoo? I am surprised he dont have a cross tattooed on the forehead.

  • RaginB

    Lmao they wanna be about that life so bad....just to rap about the shit...just to tell on THEMSELVES..stop snitchin lol

  • joel adams

    Self snitching.

  • Solstice

    You said petite!! ?? I am howling laughing because I have never heard that word used to describe a man!! ?????!!! https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/0720cf991265281e90e7a7f20521fa8f9deec5c6a2e74bc124d1691a4c57dac5.gif

  • Jersey Girl

    Unfortunately they not here now and the few that are tend to migrate to the caucasian persuasion side !! so...smh

  • Renee Bee

    Imma bit late Nan. But you and that old dusty Clue board game from Aunty's attic ...GIT ?!!!
    Lol.

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1lo6u-UIbo Nancy Drew-Natural & Luv’n It!

    Girl! Clue used to be my game! ROFL!!!!!!!

  • Renee Bee

    Well duh!!! You are "THE" mystery maven Nancy Drew!
    (P.S. Where are you hiding those handsome Hardy Boys?) ?

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1lo6u-UIbo Nancy Drew-Natural & Luv’n It!

    Play stupid games win stupid prizes
    _____________________

    put it on a a billboard!!!

  • Strappyheels

    This is kind of suspect to me.,

    Prosecutors are matching up what words??

    Prosecutors sure cannot seem to match up the same freaking scenarios with allthese cop shooting unarmed people..

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1lo6u-UIbo Nancy Drew-Natural & Luv’n It!

    lawd.... look at that, LOL!!!!

    (iont fool w/the Hardy's no more... they be slacking, Lol!)

  • Renee Bee

    Lol.

  • http://www.instagram.com/yeuphonic @yeuphonic

    Thank you! Too many people on this thread did not click on the linked article. He was "ranting" in videos. Those words were matched with crimes. He was already facing 6 years for distributing heroin .gets bail since he had a clean record and what does he do... He Shoots a video at the ambush site of the rival gang leaders he killed. He posted in front of the deceased home saying it was now a haunted house. Gave interviews about the snitches and beef with Chris Brown and that he does not gaf but then got in front of the judge acting reformed and she deemed him a danger to the community. And he has a 3 yo daughter. No one forced these niggas to join gangs and be trash .

  • Y’all Jealous Cuz I’m Prudy

    And thats why prison does not work. No man should have to worry about doing his time and being râped. They come out worse then when they went in.

    If he is a fake thug, and was trying to pretend to be a murderer, hopefully, this will send a message to other guys, so they'll stop glorifying that lifestyle.

  • Y’all Jealous Cuz I’m Prudy

    What a mess. 20 years old, handsome and got his whole life in front of him. Now, he'll be ruined in prison, and be worthless to the black community, when he gets out.

    Young guys please learn that the gang life, is nothing to be played with. It either leads you to prison or the grave. You're worth so much more than that, and the black community need you all, to be productive citizens, so you all can lead generations of men, that is coming up after you.

  • Banmeagainbitch

    Then he should have gotten more time.......tf

  • Quitedeliteful

    Young, dumb and not built for that prison life. Still this is kind of suspect. Do they have fingerprints, DNA, surveillance videos -- anything other than the bragging of a stupid rapper???

  • theworldisfucked

    He was worthless to me before, i dont know who this clown is, neither does he affect my life.

  • Y’all Jealous Cuz I’m Prudy

    I understand why you're saying what you're saying but what if he was faking like he was a gangsta? Yes, these are the consequences for making stupid decisions or pretending to be something you're not, but again, prison will only ruin him even more and he'll get out when he's still young enough (late 30's early 40's) to do even more damage, to people.

  • Eileen

    I was just about to say the same thing. his foolishness got him put away.

  • Wayup!

    If that's the case they would a locked Biggy up after who Shot Ya...?
    Let me guess he had a public defender right?

  • Dystaney Kimble

    His hoodie has “ trap invested” on it and he certainly got a return on his investment ?????

  • Kimberly King

    Too bad. He’s cute. Does Dallas PD have evidence on him ?... I see so many young black girls going off to college or just doing what they can to become a productive person. I want the number of young black boys to match. Something ain’t right. We definitely need more black male influence. And I’m not talking about from these corny, thirsty ass rappers (like T.I.) and athletes.

  • Sally Wright McLinn

    Nobody ever said that rappers had brains.

  • MRiGOThim

    Stupid if he did do it & snitched on himself, but they gon have fun wit his lil light skinned ass :P

  • Mister Fantastic

    His lawyer must was trash. Was there a plea offer? Lyrics? Really?

  • Sowell62

    That's crazy. He had ineffective counsel. Really, when is it fair justice for a person to be arrested and convicted for words, not evidence to back up the words, but words/lyrics of a song or songs that allowed law enforcement to be "highly suspicious” and later charge and convict him of a capital crime. If this behavior stands “everybody of color” can be arrested for some type of made up foolishness. This boy was convicted on "WORDS/LYRICS.” Every well known rapper would be suspect/arrested and charged/convicted for rapping about that street life. And sentenced to12 years with no prior criminal records. Come on people.. be real. This speaks to the black only laws invented during the 50's, 60's and 70's to arrest black males and imprison them. Remember those crazy civil disobedience laws that allowed police to arrest any blacks for any reason- I do and so much more. Yes, He is young, stupid and black but he has inalienable rights... And now Texas has found a new/old way or reason to mass incarcerate black young men again. You guys had better wake up, because some places are trying to bring those old laws back. Everywhere you look storeowner/restaurants etc., are calling the police on any black person that questions them about their discriminatory behavior such as requesting black patrons pay for their food in advance. It's the new Jim Crow...and it's working...Learn you history before it's to late...And for anybody who thinks it can't happen, open a book to the Holocaust.. The Jews didn't believe it either....