Jacksonville rapper Spinabenz, whose real name is Noah Williams, is not exactly a clean chit in the music circuit. While his raw lyrics and viral hits portray one side of the picture, lately, he has been in the news for alleged legal troubles and gang affiliations. Following public cries for him to be locked up, let’s delve into his situation from different angles.
Spinabenz came into the music scene with a very defined style that seemed to strike a chord with his listeners. Legal troubles found him in 2017 when he was convicted for witness tampering and carrying a concealed firearm. These run-ins with the law early in his career projected an image of an artist who had a super talented mind tethered to a troublesome character.
His most recent legal mishap was tampering with the court-ordered ankle monitor, for which he got a six-month jail sentence. This added to his reputation as a rapper who often gets himself onto the wrong side of the law.
Authorities have identified Spinabenz as a violent Jacksonville street gang member. This alleged affiliation raises a plethora of concerns not just for the police but also for the community. His music mentions relentless gang activities, confusing his artistic persona with associated life.
Songs like “Who I Smoke” have certainly not helped this case. This viral hit—a known mockery of victims in gang-related murders—only drew attention and ire alike. Public reception of such content has been equally negative, with many calling for harsher legal actions to be taken against him.
Spinabenz’s legal misdeeds include illegal gun possession. He was charged with the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, which could have been a serious crime due to his previous record of conviction. However, in October 2022, he was found not guilty of this charge. The case gained immense media attention partly because some of his lyrics were taken as an incriminating piece of evidence against him. This at the juncture of art and legal scrutiny has evoked heated debates on artistic freedom vs. accountability.
A big part of Spinabenz’s story is public perception. “Who I Smoke” represents the case study behind how music can polarize his audience in a best-case scenario. Its very provocative nature, in addition to the history of his case, led to a public outcry for more severe consequences.
Many critics feel that his music tends to glorify violence and gang culture, which is then manifested in reality. On the other side of the spectrum, however, supporters hold that these lyrics were just a reflection of reality and the real issue was supposed to be where all these issues came from—not by punishing the artist.
The motivation for RICO charges against Spinabenz can be found in the combination of a criminal record, alleged gang ties, and controversial music content. In fact, contrary to its real aim, applying this RICO charge on a rapper creates certain tricky, quite hard-to-handle questions about the intersection of art, law, and public safety.
RICO charges would be wholly different in legal risk—if not downright lawyerly peril—for Spinabenz, who could face much harsher penalties. The public and legal pressures for such charges reflect broader concerns related to gang violence and the effect specific types of music have on the public.
Spinabenz has not shied away from addressing the accusations, the perception of the public at large. He often tries to bring across his music in interviews or on Instagram posts as uncensored expression of his experiences, not approving nods to violence. He says art should be looked upon as a means of expression and not a prescriptive answer to living his life or plans that he intends to carry out.
“I’m just telling my story,”
Spinabenz says.
“People need to understand where I come from, what I went through, and what I’ve seen. It is not to glorify violence, but to shine a light on it.”
