Big30 has forcefully denied allegations that he cooperated with federal prosecutors in the kidnapping and robbery case against his fellow rapper Pooh Shiesty, issuing a stark message to fans and critics alike: “Never will I ever.” The Memphis rapper, whose real name is Rodney Wright, took to social media to push back against what he called baseless rumors that he gave authorities information to secure his own release from custody. In a video and accompanying post, Big30 made clear that he has not and will not engage in any cooperation with law enforcement.
“Don’t believe the hype,” Big30 wrote, accompanying the statement with an exot emoji and a blurred photo of himself alongside Pooh Shiesty. The post was quickly circulated by hip-hop blogs and online outlets, amplifying the rapper’s denial. The allegations against him stem from a federal case in which Big30, Pooh Shiesty (real name Lontrell Williams Jr.)
, Williams’ father, and seven others are accused of kidnapping and robbing Gucci Mane at gunpoint in May 2022. The incident is alleged to have occurred at a Miami recording studio, where the group forced Gucci Mane to sign a contract and surrender valuables.
Prosecutors originally argued that Big30 was a flight risk and a danger to the community, but a federal judge ruled in April that he could be released on a $100,000 bond. The judge cited Big30’s minimal criminal record and his status as a professional rapper with a recent multimillion-dollar recording deal as factors weighing against flight risk. However, the ruling did not immediately take effect, as prosecutors appealed the decision.
The debate over Big30’s bond fed speculation that he might have traded information for leniency.
“Paper is done,” Big30 said in the video, referencing the bond process. “Let them know it’s a goddamn goddamn. Let them know you dropping me.
I drop you. No. Say actually dropping 107.”
The rapper appeared agitated, insisting that he had never done “police stuff or none of that.” The video’s tone was confrontational, aimed squarely at those who had labeled him a snitch. “Ain’t never did no police business or none of that, bro,” he repeated.
“Tell them what’s going on, bro.”
The snitching narrative gained traction after court documents revealed that the kidnapping was recorded on Big30’s cellphone. Prosecutors alleged that he filmed the attack and later destroyed the phone when police attempted to pull him over. Critics argued that the existence of the recording implicated him, but legal analysts note that Big30’s cooperation was not necessary for the government to obtain the evidence.
Gucci Mane himself, along with his cameraman and security guard, provided detailed accounts identifying Big30 and Pooh Shiesty by their Instagram profiles.
“The thing is, y’all, it says directly when you look at it: Gucci Mane, the cameraman and security guard told them what happened,” the video’s narrator explained. “Gucci Mane told them what happened, identifying Pooh Shiesty and Big30’s Instagrams on the scene.” The document in question was the criminal complaint filed after the arrests.
The judge’s bond decision was based on Big30’s lack of prior federal convictions, not on any alleged assistance. In fact, Big30’s criminal history is limited, and he received a bond while Pooh Shiesty—who was on federal probation at the time—was denied bond.
Federal prosecutors have painted Pooh Shiesty as a dangerous gang leader, alleging that he leads a Memphis street gang of approximately 100 members and has shot at least two people. In a court filing, they argued that no condition of release could protect the community from him. “The danger here is concrete,” the government wrote.
“Williams Jr. himself has shot at least two people. He leads a Memphis street gang of about a hundred members.
He is a man who could summon an armed entourage at will.” A security guard also submitted a letter to the judge opposing bond for Pooh Shiesty.
Big30, in contrast, has no such violent history on record. His attorneys successfully argued that he has legitimate reasons to be out of custody, including his music career. “He is confirmed as a rapper.
They know about his new recent million-dollar deal,” the video narrator noted. “So they just granted him access to go to work and do this. This is how the legal process works.”
The judge allowed Big30 to leave jail to report to recording studios, a condition that would not apply to Pooh Shiesty given his prior record and the severity of the allegations against him.
The case has drawn widespread attention in the hip-hop community, particularly because of the involvement of Gucci Mane, a legendary figure. Eyewitness accounts and video evidence have already been entered into the record. The trial is currently scheduled to begin in February 2027, though that date may shift as plea negotiations proceed.
Legal experts familiar with the case expect that multiple defendants will ultimately plead guilty rather than face a federal trial. “Conspiracy is already going to hurt everybody involved,” the video commentary stated. “You can’t even beat that on a trial in a federal court on a conspiracy charge.”
Big30’s defiant response comes at a critical juncture. With social media ablaze with accusations, he risked allowing the narrative to solidify without a direct rebuttal. “This is how things grow legs and people start believing that it’s true if you don’t say nothing about it, if you don’t deny it,” the narrator observed.
By explicitly stating “Never will I ever,” Big30 aimed to shut down the speculation and reaffirm his loyalty to Pooh Shiesty, with whom he has frequently collaborated. The blurred photo he posted appears to be a reference to their joint project “Big Blur.”
The identity of the individual who recorded the video of the kidnapping has been a central point of confusion. While Big30’s phone was used, the recording was not voluntarily handed over. Prosecutors obtained it through a federal warrant.
Moreover, Gucci Mane’s own testimony provided the primary evidence. “They don’t need Big30 to give them their phone,” the narrator explained. “They have a federal warrant, subpoena, whatever you want to call it, to go inside of that.”
Even if Big30 deleted the video, federal agents can often retrieve data from cloud backups or forensic analysis of the device.
Legal observers caution that the “snitching” accusation is a serious label in the prison system and on the streets, often carrying dangerous consequences. Big30’s decision to address it head-on may have been driven by self-preservation as much as reputation. “I will never tell or stop putting all these rumors out there,” he said in his message, essentially daring his detractors to prove otherwise.
By framing the rumors as baseless, he hopes to emerge from the case with his credibility intact.
Meanwhile, Pooh Shiesty remains jailed without bond. His next court hearing is scheduled for July 21, where he will again attempt to secure release. However, given the government’s strong objections and his status as a suspected gang leader, legal experts consider his chances slim.
The case is expected to proceed slowly, with pre-trial motions and evidence exchanges dominating the docket. For Big30, the immediate priority is maintaining his freedom and his career, even as the cloud of the conspiracy charge hangs over him.
Big30’s attorney has declined to comment on the rapper’s social media statements, but the act of directly addressing the accusations is unusual for a defendant in an ongoing federal case. It reflects the intense pressure of public perception in the age of 𝓿𝒾𝓇𝒶𝓁 false claims. “People jumped out there with it at first, I said, ‘Bro, it was nothing that showed and to said that he told or gave up any information,’” the narrator recounted.
“All you had to do was read it.” That simple act of reading the court documents, the narrator argued, would have averted the entire controversy.
For now, the message from Big30 is unequivocal. He is not a snitch, he says, and he will not become one. “Never will I ever.”
The words are likely to reverberate through the case, both inside and outside the courtroom. The trial will eventually determine his legal fate, but the court of public opinion has already rendered its preliminary judgment—with Big30 fighting back every step of the way. As the case unfolds, all eyes will remain on the trio of rappers caught in a web of conspiracy and alleged violence.
