As the trial against Anthony “Harv” Ellison and Aljermiah “Nuke” Mack continues, star witness Tekashi 69’s testimony has crossed over from the prosecution’s queries to the cross examination of the defense. Independent journalist Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press is still reporting, live tweeting Tekashi’s testimony, which has so far touched on his alleged kidnapping by Harv, multiple violent crimes committed by the members of Nine Trey, and his rivalries with rap peers Trippie Redd and Casanova, whom he named as fellow gang members as well. Now, he’s added another name to the list of hip-hop stars who moonlight as gang members: Diplomats member and rap veteran Jim Jones, who Tekashi also called a “retired rapper.”
Jones, who released his latest album El Capo in May of this year, has been loosely associated with the gang for a good, long while along with fellow Dipset members Juelz Santana and Cam’ron. It’s likely that Jim Jones’ name came up in connection with another Jones: Jamel “Mel Murda” Jones, who previously pleaded “guilty” to the racketeering charges against the gang and was caught on a wiretap threatening to “super violate” Tekashi 69 after he disavowed the gang during a radio interview before his arrest. Mel Murda previously went by the rap name Mel Matrix, who toured and performed as a member of Byrd Gang alongside, you guessed it, Jim Jones.
According Lee’s tweets, the wiretap recording was played for the jury and it appears as though the Assistant US Attorney wanted to clarify Jim’s identity after his name came up. It’s also possible that the name Jim Jones was misheard as a result of the similarity between his name and Mel Murda’s, which would also explain why Tekashi would call him a “retired rapper,” since Jim just put out an album this spring. Either way, it’s clear Tekashi won’t make many friends for testifying, although at least one of his reformed former supporters says he sympathizes with the disgraced rapper’s tough situation.
The trial is set to continue after a lunch break for the jury.
