The 26-year-old rapper Bobby Shmurda was released from prison Tuesday after serving six years of his seven-year sentence. 

This New York superstar was released from prison under the condition he would serve the rest of his sentence under parole. The news comes as a welcome surprise as many in the rap community believed he would continue to be incarcerated until December of this year. 

In 2014, Shmurda was arrested on weapons and conspiracy charges along with 14 other members of the “GS9” gang, including his fellow label partner “Rowdy Rebel.” Shmurda plead guilty to one count of third-degree conspiracy and one count of weapons possession.

Shmurda was offered five years, while his label partner “Rowdy Rebel” was to take 12 years. Shmurda wanted to lower his friend’s sentence, so he chose to take seven years if Rebel’s sentence was lowered, and the judge agreed. Rebel was released in December 2020. 

While in jail, Shmurda was given several violations for possessing shanks, fighting and drug possession. These violations weighed heavily on the parole board when they denied his conditional release in August 2020. With good behavior following this hearing, he qualified for conditional release Feb. 23. 

Rapper Quavo made it publicly known he would “personally pick up” Shmurda from jail when his release was announced. Shmurda is now a free man.

No current information is known about the future of Shmurda’s music career.