Atlanta rapper Yung LA, best known for the track “Ain’t I,” has been behind bars in Lawrenceville, Georgia, for nearly three weeks. Born Leland Sanford Austin Jr., he was lodged in Gwinnett County Jail on December 3rd, 2025, due to police charging him with felony probation violations.
This time around, it feels odd seeing him in trouble again. Back in the days, I used to blast Ain’t I on my cheap speakers in school, and it took me down memory lane of an era where Atlanta songs blasted everywhere!
He was born on March 26, 1986, in Atlanta and grew up in Zone 3, within Thomasville Heights. That part’s rough, and he has seen a lot; before rap, he was into so many sports. He played varsity basketball and football in high school, and, by many accounts, he was good, but his grades would not put him in line for any scholarships or college sports opportunities. Instead, he turned all his time to music.
He started rapping at the age of thirteen, doing little freestyles with friends during school lunch breaks. I can relate to that because my homies would also make poor rhymes in an empty backyard behind school just for laughs. But it got tough for him later on, especially at 15, when he started dealing drugs for his survival.
He lost three of his close friends, and that would break anybody. He got teardrop tattoos for them, which pushed him to take the rap game more seriously. His music and lifestyle were always intertwined because he really experienced the street life.
He was discovered in 2007 when Young Dro put him on T.I.’s radar; Grand Hustle Records signed him, and he released his mixtape Offset Shawty in 2008.
It was that same year that Ain’t I was released and became a smash hit. It reached number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 7 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart. The remix with T.I. and Young Dro went platinum, and that song continues to be a choice for many on TikTok even today. His song “Futuristic Love” with Ricco Barrino also generated buzz and reached number 55 on the charts.
His other mixtape works include Black Boy Swag White Boy Tags with Young Dro, and he later signed with Interscope. These early works are still listened to across town because they carry that sound from Atlanta’s early days.
But there were complications. His debut album, Futuristic Leland, never saw an actual release due to label issues. He left Grand Hustle and also Interscope. Then came beef with Alley Boy, which somehow later got sorted.
Yung LA kept producing music independently and built up a substantial fanbase. He has 190K followers on his Instagram account, @yungla. He shares snippets of music and personal moments there.
The newest arrest has generated yet more discussion online. According to police, he was caught with a TV and his neighbor’s lawnmower, and locals reported he was wheeling the lawnmower down the street like it was just another day doing yard work. This little act of theft hence triggered the probation violation and sent him back to jail.
Hip-hop sites started reporting on it. Duckedoff Media, in its usual mix of mockery and concern, posted on it. It showcased how the Atlanta scene reacts, a blend of laughter and worry, since they have seen many of their artists walk that path.
His former manager, Olanza BabSavage Sanders, also shared his sentiments. He talked about how much he helped Yung LA book shows and significant money, but said that an artist has to be self-disciplined to stay focused. He spoke about artists missing shows, arriving late, wasting resources, and falling back to bad habits. He also mentioned losing others who were close to him. Then he concluded with the hope of building something substantial within the next ten years, for there is always a way if someone chooses.
HitsOnFye Worldwide also posted about concerns regarding Yung LA on Instagram. They stated how Yung LA seemed to get yet another chance in music, but that his old habits are digging him down once again. They questioned why they struggle with discipline in basic areas like staying clean, showing up on time, or paying their team properly for some rappers.
This story plays a cliche in hip hop. Considerable talent is often entangled with personal predicaments. Yung LA went from platinum hits to performing in arenas, then dropped down again for choices that hurt him more than anyone else.
The fans are hoping this time hits him hard enough to make him start all over again. The kid from Zone 3 who once rocked big stages is now sitting in a jail cell. What follows is anyone’s guess. I remember how powerful that Ain’t I felt back then when it dropped on my playlist. Perhaps he might make a comeback. The people in Atlanta are watching and waiting to see what he does next. You may also be interested in: Oxford High School Student Tate Myre’s Mother Sheri Myre Passed Away After Fighting Cancer For Years
