The trial of Memphis rapper Pooh Shiesty has been pushed to February after his lawyer requested an extension due to the complexity of the case, court records show.
Pooh Shiesty, whose real name is Lontrell Williams, is accused of kidnapping and robbing Gucci Mane at a Dallas music studio in January over a disagreement about his record label contract.
Williams' trial was originally scheduled to begin on July 6, but his lawyers requested an extension last month after they received 96 gigabytes — about 14,000 pages — of discovery material for the case, a court record filing shows. His lawyers expect even more records, videos and audio to be released to them.
The Feb. 22, 2027 rescheduling means Williams will get to keep his lead attorney John Helms. Helms is also representing another rapper, Allstar JR, who had a trial scheduled to begin the same week as Williams’.
For now, Williams will remain in a Kaufman County jail cell. A judge in April denied his release on bond due to his criminal history.
Williams pleaded guilty in 2022 to a federal firearms conspiracy charge and was released in October 2025.
Just three months later, prosecutors allege Williams arranged a business meeting in Dallas with Gucci Mane, whose real name is Radric Davis, to discuss the terms of his recording contract. Williams was signed to Davis’ The New 1017 Records music label in 2020.
Once at the studio, Williams asked Davis to come into the recording booth to discuss his record contract, the complaint says. That's when Williams pulled out an AK-style weapon, called a "Draco," and forced Davis to sign a release from his recording contract at gunpoint, court documents allege. Williams is then accused of stealing Davis' wedding ring, earrings, watch and cash.
Rodney Wright, who goes by Big 30, allegedly blocked the studio door with his body and recorded Davis verbally releasing Williams from his contract, according to the complaint.
But during the April bond hearing, Williams' former attorney Bradford Cohen pressed an FBI agent on the stand for more details about the bureau's investigation. The agent admitted they don't have the alleged contract Davis was forced to sign at gunpoint or the video Wright recorded.
"I'm just shocked that when they say there might be video out there — they don't have it," Cohen said. "There might be this mystery contract — they don't have it."
Williams, his father and seven others were indicted by a Dallas grand jury on kidnapping and extortion charges. Williams pleaded not guilty.
Each of the men faces up to life in prison if convicted.
Davis seemingly responded to the case last month in a diss track toward Williams. He rapped about the moment he was allegedly robbed.
"I walk in the room, you can feel the pressure building," he rapped. "Pen to the paper, but it's under duress."
Davis then rapped about feeling betrayed by Williams.
"I done been betrayed, now my heart turned cold," Davis raps. "Keep that fake love, I don't want it no more."
Dylan Duke is KERA's Breaking News Reporter. Got a tip? Email Dylan Duke at dduke@kera.org.
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