The long-awaited sentencing prompted social media to erupt with hot takes. Some Lanez supporters said the hip-hop artist’s punishment was excessive, but most people celebrated justice for Megan Thee Stallion.
“Yes, the criminal justice system was built to take advantage of black people & has been a tool of white supremacy,” @DapperDomo tweeted on X, the platform formerly called Twitter. “No, the Tory Lanez case was not one an example of this. Yes, protect black women included from black men when necessary & it’s necessary often.”
User @keatingssixth weighed in, tweeting, “Rejoicing knowing that no matter how many of ya’ll still talk about lies & conspiracies in the midst of all this evidence, Tory Lanez was still found guilty & officially got a prison cell with his name on it”
There was sympathy for Lanez from @prafecy, who commented, “I don’t believe Meg being injured, was the intent of Tory Lanez, but that’s not how law works. 10 years is excessive. However he didn’t appear humble & took it to trial. I won’t cancel him. I’ll give him a shot to learn, then mature.”
But @202NATALIEE deemed the decade-long sentence inadequate, saying, “The only thing I have to say about this Tory Lanez sentencing is that he is an abuser. He’s harmed more than one woman. 10 years is not enough and it’s very hard to rehabilitate repeat offenders with no remorse. Prayers to Megan Thee Stallion and any other woman he has abused.”
And obviously the jokes rolled in as well.
@EmenaIo tweeted, “I guess you could say he shot himself in the foot.”
In December, just two weeks before the rapper was found guilty on all charges, he tweeted the following and pinned it to the top of his profile: “I’m going to leave this here one more time …and watch how it ages … NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST ME SHALL PROSPER … AND EVERY TONGUE THAT RISES AGAINST ME IN JUDGEMENT SHALL BE CONDEMNED u sit and watch now …. And don’t ever question the GOD I serve again . This is my last tweet”
Minutes after Lanez’s 10-year sentence was announced, @kartmaraj replied, “AND THEY PROSPERED NOW WHAT.”
Lanez, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, was convicted in December of assault with a firearm, illegal possession of a firearm and negligent discharge of a gun after a dramatic trial that featured tearful testimony from Megan Thee Stallion and a key witness requesting immunity shortly before stonewalling prosecutors on the stand.
The Canadian hip-hop artist faced a maximum of 22 years and eight months in prison. Peterson, who did not testify at his trial, has denied all wrongdoing. Despite hours of testimony and evidence from Peterson’s legal team highlighting his commitment to charity, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Herriford said Tuesday, “Unfortunately, sometimes good people do bad things.”
Peterson was convicted of a pair of sentencing enhancements related to the use of a gun in a violent crime and the fact that he caused “great bodily injury” to Megan Thee Stallion — born Megan Pete — making him ineligible for probation under California law.
Times staff writer James Queally contributed to this report.