Troy Ave, whose real name is Roland Collins, is a free man who left Rikers Island. The Brooklyn rapper was released from jail on August 26, 2024, with less than a year left on his sentence, although he had already served nine months. This ended a chapter that has been closely watched by fans and the hip-hop community at large.
Troy Ave released from prison PIC.TWITTER.COM/74LYNHPEN5
— SAY CHEESE! 👄🧀 (@SaycheeseDGTL) AUGUST 26, 2024
His release comes after a stint in prison tied to his involvement in a 2016 shooting at Irving Plaza in New York City—a night that irrevocably altered the course of his life and career. The incident took away his bodyguard and nearly one, Ronald “Banga” McPhatter, but it also put Troy Ave in a legal storm.
Troy Ave‘s release spread around social media like wildfire, with the rapper posting a bold statement. He took to Instagram a picture standing out front of Rikers Island with sunglasses and a mask while holding a bag of cash, captioned “Ya Boi Home.” The post received mixed reactions, with some fans celebrating his return, whereas others criticized him for his blatant arrogance in the display./
Troy Ave’s fans are as strong and faithful as ever. His release was supplemented with great rewards, $2 million, and a new Lamborghini, which revealed that people around him supported him. Many believe that Troy’s freedom was more than just a personal win; it also interconnectedly meant resilience and the ever-changing notions of the hip-hop world.
Certainly, the path that Troy Ave has taken can hardly be named smooth. The Irving Plaza shooting left four injured in the middle of a T.I. concert and ensued Troy Ave in a legal dispute that would last years after surveillance cameras captured the rapper blasting a gun in the venue. He was charged with attempted murder and weapon possession.
Though all through that ordeal, Troy Ave maintained he acted in self-defense, having wrested the gun from another man involved in the fracas; he bravely stood and testified against a podcast host, Taxstone, who was implicated in the shooting. A move like that sheds much controversial light on the hip-hop community, which holds loyalty as a matter of preeminence.
The controversy escalated when Troy Ave released a song titled “2 Legit 2 Quit,” in which the rapper seemed to suggest that he would testify against the defendant party to help law enforcement. This ultimately led to Taxstone’s 35-year prison sentence and further polarized opinion on Troy Ave’s actions.
When he returns to reclaim his throne, the landscape before Troy Ave is entirely different. The legal conditions have limited him while the performances occur mostly in nightclubs or bars and have even restricted him from moving outside the five boroughs of New York City. Of course, things have been very challenging for the artist, but the dare in Troy Ave knows no bounds; determined to rise above the adversities. The rapper has expressed a desire to use his platform for positive change, hinting at a shift in focus for his music.
Once tagged for his lyrics’ raw and often gritty content, Troy Ave is now looking to deliver messages of self-reliance and resilience to his fan base. He has also mentioned many things that need to move in the right direction, where there shouldn’t be glorified violence but rather songs based on growth and positivity. Troy Ave is a free man, but there’s no mistaking that his past will foretell his future.
As he forges ahead with his new life, he remains just as polarizing as ever; revered by some, reviled by others, but undeniably influential on the hip-hop scene.
