A new Netflix documentary focused on Atlanta rapper Young Thug and the landmark YSL RICO trial is expected to premiere in 2027. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker, who presided over the case, disclosed the project during an interview on YouTube personality Class E’s What You Need to Know show, on Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
Young Thug documentary on Netflix: What To Know
“Netflix and Passion Pictures are doing a documentary of the YSL trial,” Judge Whitaker said. “I was interviewed for that documentary and it is supposed to air sometime next year.” She added that an exclusivity agreement with the filmmakers prevents her from discussing further details of the case with other media outlets until after the film airs.
The project, referred to as Young Thug On Trial, is described as a roughly 90-minute feature documentary directed by Shianne Brown and produced by Passion Docs (also referenced as Passion Pictures), with executive producers Kari Lia and Hamish Fergusson.
A circulating logline states: “Major feature documentary covering the extraordinary rise and trial of Jeffery Williams, aka Young Thug, and his band of brothers from the streets of Atlanta. Prosecutors set out to prove that he and his music label were actually a criminal street gang. High drama meets farce in this incredible story where a city and even rap itself are on trial.”
Brown has previously directed documentaries including Netflix’s Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem (about former Toronto mayor Rob Ford) and worked on the BBC/PBS series Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World. Passion Pictures has been involved in other high-profile true-crime and trial-related documentaries.
Background on the Historic Trial
The YSL Records racketeering trial was one of the longest and most closely watched criminal proceedings in Georgia history. In May 2022, Fulton County prosecutors under District Attorney Fani Willis indicted Young Thug (real name Jeffery Lamar Williams) and dozens of associates, alleging that his Young Stoner Life (YSL) record label operated as a criminal street gang involved in murders, armed robberies, drug dealing, and other crimes under Georgia’s RICO statute.
The trial itself began on November 27, 2023, after an extended jury selection process, and featured multiple judicial changes, intense disputes over the use of rap lyrics and social media as evidence, attorney arrests, and repeated delays.
Judge Whitaker took over the case after earlier judges recused themselves. Proceedings were marked by courtroom clashes, including the judge publicly criticizing the prosecution’s handling of witnesses and evidence.
Outcomes
Young Thug pleaded guilty or no contest to several charges in October 2024, including gang-related counts, drug possession, and firearms offenses. He was sentenced to time served (after more than two years in pretrial detention) plus 15 years of strict probation, with an additional 20 years of prison time backloaded if he violates the terms. Conditions included restrictions on entering the metro Atlanta area for a period, limits on gang references in his music or associations, community service, and other requirements. He has remained active in music since his release.
The trial concluded for the remaining defendants in December 2024. Deamonte “Yak Gotti” Kendrick was found not guilty on all counts. Shannon Stillwell was acquitted of murder and RICO-related charges but convicted of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
The case drew widespread attention for its length, cost, the prosecution’s use of artistic expression as evidence, and broader debates about RICO applications in hip-hop cases, free speech, and Atlanta’s cultural landscape. It followed earlier high-profile developments involving other YSL-associated artists, such as Gunna’s 2022 plea.
Netflix has produced other hip-hop documentaries, including jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy. Outlets including XXL have sought official comment from the streamer. While precise release timing within 2027 has not been detailed, the project is positioned to examine the trial’s drama, alleged prosecutorial issues, and the intersection of rap culture and the justice system. Judge Whitaker’s participation and the exclusivity agreement suggest the film will incorporate official courtroom perspectives unavailable elsewhere until its debut.
