Teenage rapper Tay-K has been denied bond by a state district judge in relation to his upcoming capital murder case. The Star-Telegram is reporting that State District Judge Wayne Salvant has expressed concern that the 17-year-old rapper has been glorified within the music industry for his “heinous crimes.” Judge Salvant ran down a laundry list of things that he found particularly troubling about Tay-K’s ascent to popularity — namely the popularity of his hit song “The Race,” where Tay allegedly brags about the crime. He also mentioned the problematic groundswell of support from fans who have started social media movements and GoFundMe accounts in support of the incarcerated rapper.
Tay-K was 16 during the alleged home invasion and murder of victim Ethan Walker in July 2016. The rapper went on the run afterward, and has been connected to yet another fatal shooting in San Antonio, TX in April 2017, and a robbery in May 2017 before he was finally caught. Tay is currently awaiting trial, where he will take the stand as an adult. “The Race” was one of last year’s most ubiquitous songs, landing on the Billboard charts as well as the latest season of popular FX series Atlanta. It was rumored that Tay would be released last December, but his manager quickly debunked it on Twitter.
