Lontrell Williams Jr., the fiercely talented Memphis rapper known globally as Pooh Shiesty, has officially walked free from federal custody in October 2025, sending shockwaves through the music industry and social media.

The news immediately sparked intense speculation: How did one of the hottest rising stars in hip-hop, sentenced to over five years in federal prison, manage to secure his freedom more than six months before his official release date of April 25, 2026?

The simple answer, and the one that flies in the face of sensational street rumors, is not that he “gave up some info,” but rather a calculated legal strategy that exploited federal penal policies designed for rehabilitation—policies the rapper shrewdly utilized to shave substantial time off his sentence.

But to understand the early exit, one must first revisit the brutal environment and the dangerous street mentality that turned a guaranteed success story into a stark cautionary tale.

The Concrete Cradle of South Memphis

Pooh Shiesty’s upbringing was anything but conventional, rooted in one of the most violent areas of the entire country: South Memphis, Tennessee. It is a place where gang affiliations are a way of life, and violence is an unfortunate part of growing up. With over 100 different gangs operating in the city, the sense of constant conflict is pervasive.

Adding another layer of complexity was his family background. His father, Lontrell Williams Sr., was a rapper who went by the name Mob Boss and founded his own label, Mob Ties Records.

From day one, Shiesty was exposed to both the glitz of the burgeoning music industry and the brutal reality of the streets. This duality became the central conflict of his life.

The family’s entanglement with crime was deep-seated. By the time Shiesty was only four years old, his father was arrested as an accessory in a murder case.

Three years later, his father was hit with drug trafficking charges following a raid that uncovered cocaine, marijuana, ammunition, scales, and a considerable sum of cash. This was the volatile, crime-ridden environment that shaped the young rapper before he even started elementary school, cementing a worldview where illegal activity and violence were commonplace.

By the tender age of 11, Pooh Shiesty had already started following in his father’s footsteps. He caught his first robbery charge that year and was simultaneously expelled from middle school for allegedly bringing a gun onto campus.

His mother attempted to steer him away from the gravitational pull of Memphis by sending him to Texas for a couple of years.

However, the streets held a magnetic attraction that proved too strong to resist; as soon as his father was released from prison, Shiesty returned immediately to the city that had defined him.

The Meteoric Rise and the Tragic Flaw

Despite his early troubles, Shiesty initially focused on basketball, aspiring to make it to the pros. It wasn’t until after high school that he pivoted to rap, all while running with his childhood crew, Choppa Gang.

His musical breakthrough began in 2018 with tracks alongside his associate Big 30, but his solo career truly ignited in 2019 with the release of “Hell Night.”

The video’s explosive numbers and the authenticity of his lyrics—he sounded like he was truly living what he was rapping about—caught the attention of the industry’s heavy hitters.

The timing was crucial. While most Memphis rappers were forced to choose sides between local powers like Young Dolph’s Paper Route or Yo Gotti’s CMG, an escape route arrived.

Gucci Mane reached out via Instagram and offered him a signing bonus, a golden ticket to bypass the local politics. In April 2020, Pooh Shiesty officially inked his deal with Gucci’s 1017 Records and Atlantic Records.

After dropping tracks with Gucci and Lil Baby, the single that cemented his legacy and skyrocketed him to national fame was “Back in Blood” featuring Lil Durk.

The track was a cultural phenomenon, peaking at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and racking up hundreds of millions of streams. Pooh Shiesty transitioned from a regional Memphis fixture to a national hip-hop sensation virtually overnight.

But here lies the tragic flaw of his story: success, money, and fame were not enough to make him relinquish the street mentality. Even with legitimate money flowing in from music, he continued to engage in petty, reckless criminal activity, fueling beefs with local crews like EBG.

He even taunted rivals on “Back in Blood” about guns his crew allegedly stole. This inability to separate the persona from the man ultimately led to his downfall.

The Crimes That Ended the Dream

The series of disastrous, preventable decisions that would send Shiesty to federal prison began with two key incidents.

The first was the Miami Strip Club Shooting on May 30, 2020. At the King of Diamond strip club, Shiesty was walking around with stacks of cash that allegedly fell from his pockets.

When people rushed to grab the money, he became enraged. As security attempted to remove him, he reportedly pulled out a pistol and shot a security guard in the leg. This incident led to his initial arrest.

The second, and most damning, was the Florida Robbery on October 9, 2020. Shiesty drove a rented McLaren to Bay Harbor Islands, Florida, to ostensibly purchase sneakers and weed. The transaction quickly devolved into violence, with Shiesty’s associates pulling out firearms and opening fire, wounding one of the sellers.

The sheer sloppiness of the crime is legendary. As they fled the scene, Shiesty dropped a Louis Vuitton bag containing over $30,000 in cash.

Police recovered the bag and, in an astonishing piece of evidence gathering, matched the serial numbers on the recovered bills to photos Shiesty had previously posted on his own Instagram account, where he was “flexing” with the very same money. His own social media bragging became the key evidence that tied him to the crime scene and led to his indictment.

Because he was already out on bond for the Miami shooting, the judge revoked his bail following the Florida robbery. The rapper was forced to await trial behind bars.

The federal government, recognizing the seriousness of the charges—discharging a firearm during a violent crime, conspiracy, and robbery—then stepped in to take over the case.

Facing the feds, who boast a nearly 95% conviction rate, Shiesty ultimately pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge in 2022. He was sentenced to 63 months—five years and three months.

The Legal Maneuver: How Shiesty Beat the Clock

For many, a federal sentence means serving every day of the mandated time. However, this is not entirely true, and Pooh Shiesty and his legal team took full advantage of policies designed to incentivize good behavior and rehabilitation.

His early release, six months ahead of schedule, can be attributed to a combination of factors:

Good Conduct Time Credits (GCT):

Federal inmates can earn up to 54 days per year off their sentence simply for maintaining good behavior. Over a 63-month (5.25 year) sentence, this accumulates into a significant reduction.

The First Step Act:

This pivotal piece of federal legislation allows inmates to earn additional time credits for completing educational and rehabilitative programs while incarcerated. Shiesty was reportedly smart enough to take advantage of every program available to reduce his time, demonstrating a willingness to participate in the rehabilitative process.

Residential Re-entry Center (RRC) Transfer:

The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has a policy of transferring qualifying inmates to RRCs, commonly known as halfway houses, or to home confinement for the final segment of their sentence. In March 2025, Shiesty was transferred to an RRC. While this still counts as being in federal custody, it grants significantly more freedom.

Furthermore, recent BOP directives pushed for the full implementation and quicker processing of eligible inmates into these pre-release programs, and Shiesty was one of the beneficiaries of this policy shift.

Crucially, his specific crimes—the firearm and conspiracy charges—did not place him on the list of offenses that automatically disqualify an inmate from receiving these early release credits.

By the time October 2025 rolled around, he had earned enough combined credits and served the necessary time to officially walk free, proving that the system, though unforgiving, has mechanisms that can be legally navigated.

The Second Chance and the Bigger Picture

The immediate question now is what this freedom means for the career of a rapper who has been away from the fast-moving music industry for over three years. For many artists, such a hiatus means returning to find their momentum lost and their fan base having moved on to the next sensation.

However, Pooh Shiesty has several advantages. His mentor, Gucci Mane, has remained loyal, and 1017 Records continues to be a major force in trap music. Moreover, there is an established and eager market for rappers who return from prison with a new perspective and new stories to tell.

The real test, however, is not his music but his focus. Shiesty was locked up for decisions that were completely preventable—robbing people while already earning legitimate millions, carrying guns to a club, and openly posting criminal evidence on social media. His story is a powerful, undeniable example of how the lure of the streets and the demands of true success cannot coexist.

The pressure is on. The Feds are watching, and they have proven they are now actively using digital footprints and social media flexing to build their cases. Pooh Shiesty is young, immensely talented, and has been given a second chance.

If he can finally learn the lesson from his years away—to choose his multi-million dollar music career over the necessity of “proving he’s real”—he could reclaim his spot at the top. But given his history, staying focused and out of trouble will be the ultimate challenge. The world will be watching to see if Pooh Shiesty can make the most of this unexpected return or if he is destined to end up right back where he started.