Gunna Says He's 'Innocent' in Letter from Jail: I 'Will Never Stop Fighting to Clear My Name'

Gunna is speaking out for the first time since he was booked into a Georgia jail last month.

On Tuesday, the "pushin P" rapper shared a personal letter on social media with his fans, writing that he's "innocent" after he was arrested and accused of conspiracy to violate the racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations act, or RICO, last month.

"2022 has been one of the best years of my life, despite the difficult situation," Gunna, 29, began the letter on his birthday. "Growing up from where I come from in a marginalized neighborhood, I never dreamt my art would change my life and the lives of my loved ones. My entire life, I've seen Black Men, Black Women and Black Children constantly attacked, hated, murdered, berated, belittled, silenced, judged, used and held captive."

He later added, "For now, I don't have my freedom. But I am innocent. I am being falsely accused and will never stop fighting to clear my name!"

Gunna concluded the letter by writing that, "Nothing will stop me from chasing my dreams, I won't stop being a good person, even if some unnamed and unknown accuser want the world to see me as a bad person."

In the letter's send-off, he wrote, "We still pushing P: Power, Prayer, Progress, Passion, Productivity, Praise, Precision, Peace, Prosperity, Patience, Pride and Persistence."

In the caption section, the rapper, whose real name is Sergio Giavanni Kitchens, wrote, "22 & 2, just a bed & a shower, no windows just walls. Can't see or talk to anyone. I'm writing now & still praying everyday . I was raised to fight fire with water, even tho my country's amendments have failed me! PROTECT BLACK ART!"

Over the weekend, Gunna and Young Thug — who is also in custody — were slated to perform at Hot 97 Summer Jam in New Jersey. Instead, Thug, 30, sent a a pre-recorded voice message that played on the Summer Jam screen, according to Billboard.

Last month's arrest of Gunna, Thug and 26 others followed a filing of an 88-page indictment in Fulton County Superior Court, naming 28 individuals in a group called "Young Slime Life" or "Young Stoner Life" (YSL). The group allegedly "conspired to associate together and with others for the common purposes of illegally obtaining money and property through a pattern of racketeering activity and conducting and participating in the enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity," according to the document, obtained by PEOPLE.

Lyrics from multiple music videos are cited as evidence in the indictment, in which alleged YSL members are accused of committing crimes for the protection and promotion of the group.

Gunna was taken into custody two days after Thug was arrested on May 9 for his alleged involvement in the 28-person ring.

According to Fulton County jail records, Thug, born Jeffery Lamar Williams, was booked on two charges — conspiracy to violate the racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations act, or RICO, and a charge of participation in criminal street gang activity.

The RICO charge stems from an alleged January 2013 incident, while the criminal street gang activity charge is linked to an alleged incident from May 2018.

Speaking at a press conference on May 10, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis stressed that justice would be served.

"It does not matter what your notoriety is, what your fame is, if you come to Fulton County, Georgia, and you commit crimes, and certainly if those crimes are in furtherance of a street gang, you are going to become a target and a focus of this district attorney's office, and we are going to prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law," Willis said.

On May 23, according to FOX 5 Atlanta, Gunna was denied bond by a Fulton County judge and his RICO trial date has been set to start on Jan. 9, 2023. For Thug, the judge delayed a ruling as he is resolving an issue regarding a "conflict of interest," according to the outlet.