As we mentioned last week, woefully miseducated singer Lauryn Hill may spend up to three years in prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion charges. This is especially sad news because Hill, who’s only 37 years old, should still be in the peak of her career. Her live shows have supposedly gotten much better much lately, which is to say she’s been actually showing up on time(ish).
Assuming she does spend time in the slammer, she would be the latest of a long line of performs who should have been making amazing music, not making shivs out of toenails and belly button lint. Here are 15 musicians who went to jail or prison during the peak of their careers.
Charged with: Murder (of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen)
Length Incarcerated: 59 days (beginning 1978)
(Via)
Charged with: Violating the Mann Act (transported a 14-year-old girl across state lines for “immoral purposes”)
Length Incarcerated: 18 months (beginning 1962)
(Via)
Charged with: Breaching his probation orders (one of many times he went to jail)
Length Incarcerated: 29 days (beginning 2008)
(Via)
Charged with: Sexual assault
Length Incarcerated: 11 months (beginning 1995)
(Via)
Charged with: Making sexual advances towards a 14-year-old girl
Length Incarcerated: Three months (beginning 1970)
(Via)
Charged with: Possession of narcotics
Length Incarcerated: Four and a half months (beginning 1995)
(Via)
Charged with: Criminal possession of a weapon
Length Incarcerated: Eight months (beginning 2010)
(Via)
Charged with: Aggravated assault with intent to mutilate
Length Incarcerated: 15 months (beginning 1989)
(Via)
Charged with: Federal perjury
Length Incarcerated: One year and one day (beginning 2005)
(Via)
Charged with: Federal gun charges
Length Incarcerated: One year and one day (beginning 2004)
(Via)
Charged with: Currency smuggling
Length Incarcerated: 20 months (beginning 1984)
(Via)
Charged with: Murder
Length Incarcerated: Nine years and four months (beginning 1992)
(Via)
Charged with: Possession of narcotics
Length Incarcerated: 10 months (beginning 1947)
(Via)
Charged with: Murder (of his female roommate, whose liver he also ate)
Length Incarcerated: Life (beginning 2003)
(Via)
Charged with: Aggravated assault
Length Incarcerated: 12 months (beginning 1993)
(Via)
