YM Bape Speaks from Prison: Getting 28 Years for Murder for Hire, his Gang Ties, Getting Shot & More

0:00Alright, for sure. So we are talking right now to my man YM Bape who's currently facing... What is the sentence that is actually hanging over your head right now? Hey man, I'll be on tomorrow. Nah, I'll be on tomorrow. They're going to be on 28th of life. 28th of life right now. How's that feel? When I got a chance to appeal at you, bro. Really? I'm going to be able to say my side of this story. When do you get a chance to appeal? I'm working on my field right now. Oh, shit. Okay, and you've been locked up since 2020. So you've already got almost six years that you've knocked down, five years that you've been incarcerated?

0:46Four, two. Damn, bro. It's crazy. It's unreal because, you know, you're somebody I saw so many times just out and about over the years, and to know that you're dealing with that situation. I mean, I think a lot of us were kind of oblivious to it until some of these YouTube videos started coming out, breaking down your whole situation. Yeah, because I never came to jail for a murder case, you know? When I got arrested in 2020, it wasn't for a murder case. I came to jail for a drug case. Actually. Really? What'd they get you with in terms of drugs? They asked me to do that case out. They dismissed it.

1:25Oh, okay.

1:40Oh, shit. All right. And so, I mean, would you say that this murder case, like, kind of was the result of all the internet fame that you experienced? Just situations that you had gotten into as a result of all the fame that you got online?

2:02Yeah. I can say, I can honestly say, yeah. A lot of people be watching and a lot of people be having them. It's come a long way, you know? So, I mean, it felt like everything was going kind of smoothly and everything in the beginning of you having notoriety and being famous because you were just pulling up on the Supreme line, getting some content around. It seemed pretty lighthearted and fun, but then when did that start to become more complicated or when did people start to get kind of angry at you in regards to the attention you were getting?

2:48I ain't gonna People always, always didn't like me from junk, you know? But it was like a bunch of people that did fucking me as well. I don't know, man. I don't know. I feel like people just fake like me, you know? Like, they were just fake around me. Fake wanted to cool me. Fake wanted to be in my car. You know how that shit would be going. But that shit that I didn't care about. Like, I didn't care if you were in my car or from my car. I didn't care about no clowns. I didn't come to Instagram for that, really. No, definitely. So, okay, one of the big, like, things that they put out there in this one video that came out about you that has kind of been making the rounds is that they were saying that the whole bait banging on my chest thing was actually like a coded reference to the untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation and that you were actually a member of that.

3:47And so the whole banging on my chest thing, the whole Supreme thing, that that was really all like coded gang references. What is your response to that? My response to that is like, you know, and I know when you post this up, niggas going to comment. There's going to be niggas that send your comment that's affiliated with these nations that know me. And they're going to comment the truth. And the truth is going to be like, this nigga was never part of that nation, y 'all. Yeah, the evidence of a ape is an ape, and I was wearing a ape, and I was banging on my chest, acting like an ape, not acting like a clown.

4:31You see me? I was just basically the mascot for a ape, you know what I mean? Okay, so there wasn't any deeper reference when it came to the gang stuff. You ain't never seen me with no blood flag on. You've never seen me throw up no blood symbols. You've never seen me throw up an age symbol. You've never seen me with blood. I'm blood. I'm age.

5:00You've never seen me with stupid tho. You've never seen me throw up at number two thing. You know what I mean? I don't even see me throwing up my head on the community rocking our slides. I'm not a gang.

5:43History. But you're saying that that's Cap and this is just some shit a YouTuber put together? Well, the mother that's Cap. I'm the most neutralist gangster around, you heard? That's so Cap, man. I've been in prison, man, some. Mutual, mutual, mutual, mutual, mutual. Really? Now they're trying to say I'm eight. Matter of fact, when I was in L.A., the first time I met you in L.A., I was up there with Britney. Mm.

6:16Right. For sure.

6:32Man, you've been locked up for a minute, but let me just tell you that YouTube has gotten crazy and people are really digging, trying to find any kind of connection or anything that they can get to make a video? Yeah, hell yeah. They go on the wrong route. They go on the wrong way.

6:52Everybody know who the founder of that nation. He's talking about you. Everybody knows who the founder of that. You can Google it right now. You can go on Google and find out who the founder of that nation. His name is going to pop up right there. I'm not going to say his name, brother. I don't need to say his name. Everybody knows who he is. I met this brother before, brother. I met him in Concery on Rikers Island. I had a conversation with him. And I told him, did he get anything? I might need you. I might need you to help me in my face. Because they try to say I'm a part of your nation, brother.

7:27But I'm not a part of your nation. And I know I'm not a part of your nation. And that brother told me, I'm willing to help you, brother. I'm going to ask you. and we could possibly get him into this interview, you heard? Shit, maybe we could talk to him separately if we want to, like, get his side of things. Maybe we could get that info after, yeah. Oh, yeah, not here. Now, yeah, I want you to do your own interview with that nigga that's a part of that nation. You have your own interview, asking your own questions. You can even ask him one question about me and ask him a whole bunch of other questions about whatever you want to ask him.

8:02But he is the founder of that nation, you heard? He's the founder of that nation, and I have nothing to do with that nation. I'm not on a lot. I'm not under none of them. None of that. Got it. Okay. So when did – okay, you got shot in what, 2018? 2019. 2019. Okay. And, I mean, did it feel like that was directly the result of all the attention that you were getting? or like what were the situations that led up to you getting shot? That was my man before. Before he shot me. Really? Before I met. Yeah. Okay. He was mad at the other nigga. He was mad at the other nigga. He ain't like him. He flipped.

8:52He shot me. He's been in town. That case never even came up as a case. Why? Because I'm staying in front of him, boy. I got shot in my back And in my arm So how would I know who shot me Okay So when you were locked up How bad was it Because there's like a clip of you Basically like arguing with the police Inside of the hospital And you're kind of like Trying to slam a door shut And they're trying to force their way in Like what was that whole situation Oh you see Niggas just use video And make what they want to make That's from a music video Oh shit wow Wow, okay. I was in the new hospital, in the music video that I was doing at the hospital.

9:38I needed that footage. Those are CO's that I know from being incarcerated. I put them in my music video. That was a whole music video, you know? Oh, that makes sense too, because the music video of yours that is on No Jumper was shot inside the hospital, so that's that music video? Yeah. Got it, alright, alright.

10:05Right. The sheriff attorney kept saying, I have to persuade the jury to believe that you committed this call.

10:21Right.

10:26Yep. I was like, if you don't know what persuade means. No, I know all about persuade. So apparently the jury was pretty persuaded since they believed that you actually – so just for the people out there who don't know where we're going with this, basically at a certain point when you were already locked up, you got hit with the allegation that you had basically put money out there into the street to get the dude who shot you killed, as is a pretty common situation in the hood. but they're basically saying that you put up$4 ,000 and said, yeah, go take care of this guy who shot me. Yeah, that's not how it happened at all.

11:10That's not how it happened at all. Okay, what do you know about the situation with this dude getting shot, though? What can you say about that? Well, on my little case, the dude has been passed away. Right, right. Yeah, rest of peace to him, James. I know that I grew up with James. Everybody don't have you be know me. So the two individuals that came to my trial and just had what the DA told him to say, which was Malik Faisi with the shooter, which was a whole lot. The DA told me that from an avid D named him that Malik Faisi was the shooter. after Christopher Vasquez, in trial, admitted to the murder.

12:01He admitted to the murder. You know? He admitted to the murder. He said, yo, I murdered the nigga. I did it on a mistake. These niggas don't have nothing to do with this. The DA says, we don't believe you. We believe that Malik Faison murdered the nigga. So, Malik Faison, how do you believe I murdered him? On the way of leaving the crime, I'm the last person holding a gun. They passed me guns to hold. So I'm on the scene. I had a gun. Oh, wait. So that's what actually happened? It wasn't that you put money out there? It's that you were on the scene and they gave you the gun to hold? Nah, I was not on those things.

12:42I didn't put out no money. I didn't tell nobody nothing. But did you just say that they gave you the gun to hold after the fact? No, no. This is what Malik Faisi is saying. Oh, that's what he said. Okay. Yeah, this is what Malik Faisi is saying. Malik Faisi, they accused Malik Faisi as a murderer. You heard? Okay. That's another one of my co-d's. They accused him as pulling a trigger, the shooter. But my co-d, Christopher Gaskill, he's the one that admits to doing a murder. You heard? He said, yo, I'm the one that gets the murder. And not only that, it's a written statement from an individual named Andrew Williams from As-N-U-D.

13:32And his statement is in black and white. I got that, too. I sent it to you as well. People put that in. His statement is basically saying that he made Christopher Vazquez have words. Christopher Vazquez put out a gun on him, told him don't run, and started shooting. So where in the hell, and this is all in my trial, you heard? but where in the hell did they get Christopher Vasquez not the shooter he admitted to it from him to Malik Faisi he's the shooter he has the gun he's the shooter he's the murderer what people on the scene is saying Christopher Vasquez is the murderer Christopher Vasquez is a man I'm doing a murder but they say now I'm gonna believe you we believe what we wanna believe you which is Malik Faisi did the murder and let me tell you why they believe in that Malik Faisi did the murder Malik is just like another friend of yours?

14:25These niggas is people that I know. I know them. They was around me. I know them. The reason why they saying that they my friends because when they went to jail, I went to go visit them. Uh-huh. The only reason why I went to go visit them because I was just in jail 2019. Right. So when they got locked up 2019, I left them. I just got from the J. So I'm not going to say, y 'all and J. They're willing to come see y 'all and J. Y 'all niggas listening? What this is going on here? All right. Niggas is making money on? Because that's what the whole real reason for me to come and visit here. Niggas is making that money on you.

15:07And the comments, and niggas don't be listening, niggas know what that means. You heard? Right. Who's only going to visit niggas? Because niggas is making that money on you, I wasn't going to bid the niggas to figure out if they did the crime or not or that I paid them for doing this crime. The four individuals that's on my first indictment, their names is on my first indictment. I'm going to say their names because their names is on my first indictment. Randy Ramcush and Nicholas Mendez, whatever. Some niggas, I was with them the night of this crime. I was with them the night of this crime. I was with them the whole night.

15:43So what did they tell the district attorney, the police, that I didn't tell them. Because I was with these niggas this night, you know. With Randy Ramcus, Kyle Long, whatever it is like. And their names is on my case, on my first indictment that I wasn't on. On the first murder indictment that I wasn't on, I got put on the second murder indictment. They got put on the second murder indictment. So what did they tell them that I didn't tell them? Because when they redirected me who was incarcerated for this case, I told them, what am I looking for? They said, murder. I need my lawyer. I don't got no questions.

16:17I don't got no answers. I'm going to keep my lawyer. So you don't actually know that they told on you, but it seems very likely based on how everything played out? Who? These dudes you're talking about. Nobody is a good guy. The only people that I'm saying that are accusing me, and this is black and white, it's a prophet. It's called a prophet. They did a proffer. They did a proffer with a D.A. It's like a written statement that the D.A. keeps and he doesn't give out. It's a written agreement that if you do something for me, I'll do something for you. Like, if you get this nigga in trouble, then I'll get you a like eviction or you'll dismiss with this case.

17:02It's called a proffer. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We've seen a lot of those, yeah. Oh, yeah. So, them niggas that was on my first indictment, that's what they did. They did a proffer with the district attorney that got them with the first indictment got me on the second indictment. Damn, all right. So when your shit actually went to trial, what was the stuff that actually stuck in terms of them being able to find you guilty? I ain't going to lie to you. This is my first trial ever. And let me ask you a question. You ever been to trial? No. All right, so this is not an experience for both of us. Yeah. I don't know about trial.

17:42I don't know about trial. I don't know about trial. I'm only listening to what my lawyer told me got hired from the state. Two state attorneys that they gave me for this case. I had a state lawyer for my drug case. When I got arrested for the verdict, the state gave me two ATV lawyers. So they work for the state, you know? Yeah. But I've never been to trial. I've never been to trial, and I'm going to trial with lawyers that work for the state. So what's the thing that don't really happen, though? Right, yeah. They weren't really looking out for you? At all. At all, at all. They're telling me, in trial, in trial, for you to have a fair trial, you're supposed to be at a trial with no handcuffs on.

18:26You're supposed to be at a trial, look at how you come from the town, like plain clothes. How about how many trials shackled, shackled, all the way from heat to anchors to shackled to my stomach. I'm sweating. Why are they looking at it? You know what I'm saying?

18:54Okay.

19:01Okay.

19:12swaying them to believe you did this crime. And that's so easy. If there's no defense, if there's no defense, like my lawyers, they defend me. She only pulled up a picture of me in black and white on a bike wearing a face of sorrow from 2016. She didn't pull up no videos I've sold to pull up. She didn't pull up no videos of me doing nothing good. She didn't pull up no videos of me meeting those celebrities or me working with kids or me doing me in Greek or me giving out free clothes or nothing or me doing barbecue from my neighborhood. She didn't pull out none of that. So I ain't had no defense.

19:46I ain't had no defense. And then on top of that, I told her, I want to testify. I want to say my side of the store beaver. Because my code, he already said his side. He's really admitted to the murder. So now my side is next. What's my side? He admitted to the murder. He admitted to the murder. He admitted to what he did. And the other code, he copped out. So he admitted to what he did too. These three niggas admitted to what they did. Right I'm in trouble So you wanted to You wanted to take the stand But that's one thing that I feel like everybody knows Is that typically people who are accused of murder Or serious crimes aren't really Supposed to take the stand Because it usually works out poorly for them That's what they told you I'm assuming No no no This is what they told me They said all they're going to do is get a pass against you Alright my pass is my time My past is no longer who I am no more.

20:43So yeah, they could use that again. I'm not even worried about them using my past. I'm not using my past. It was when I was 16, 18, 19. Use that. Because I'm not who I am no longer am no more. Nah, for sure. It's not who that's who you are. Definitely. But so, okay, there's a... Sorry, there was a... There was a quote from you. In that video, there's a quote. that they kind of displayed that was basically like a quote from you. I forget if it was over the phone or if it was a text message, but it was basically like you saying like, yo, I got$4 ,000 to basically get these dudes knocked off. Like where did that quote come from and what's your opinion of that?

21:30All right, so that was a conversation that happened in jail. And I wanted you to listen to that. I want you to listen to that conversation because I honestly felt like I was being railroaded in that conversation by my whole defendant. Really? Yeah, he called me from jail to talk about, oh, I'm in this power boy. So I said, boy? Monster Energy. Everybody knows White Monster, Zero Ultra. That's the OG. It kicked off this whole Zero Sugar Energy drink thing. But Ultra is a whole line up now. You've got Strawberry Dreams, Blue Hawaiian, Sunrise, and Vice Guava. And they all bring the monster energy punch.

22:15So if you've been living in the white can, branch out. Ultra's got a flavor for every vibe. And every single one is zero sugar. Tap the banner to learn more. Who you in the spot with, boy? What boy you gonna say? You know who I'm talking about. I'm not gonna make it hot. so immediately I do know what he's talking about the guy who shot you right that's what at least I would have thought because that's what you you incarcerated for a murder they're accusing you of and they're accusing you of this murder and they're trying to say that you're retaliating for me so if you're in jail and you're saying like you know you know what I'm talking about I'm thinking you're talking about the individual they think they're accusing and shot me Right Cody I hear both He's just a Cody You heard I told him Put somebody on the phone That's willing to do something Yeah What about him No What about him No I told him Put somebody on the phone That's willing to do something You heard Uh huh That's what I told him So he put somebody On the phone You heard This nigga's an ape I know ape lingo I'm a gasper nigga Yo what's up What's rocking I don't know Who he talking about Is in the spot He's like, oh, some miscellaneous nigga.

23:35He's like, you ain't even talking about the nigga that shot me, you heard? He's talking about a whole miscellaneous nigga that's got nothing to do with life, you heard? Okay. I'm like, why are you even mentioning this nigga to me on his phone? You trying to railroad me? You trying to line me up? Like, what was this about? Someone just called me from jail for my youth. You in the style of boy. And then, here's the whole thing. and they use it as I'm talking about getting him killed in jail. I'm talking about paying to get him killed in jail. So you know what I told them? I said, pull up any time a nigga ever got killed on Rikazana.

24:12Pull up one time a nigga got beat and killed on Rikazana. I'll give a name to you one time. I experienced this on Rikazana. And every since then, I ain't never seen a nigga die by getting a beat, stab, none of that on Rikazana. Wait, but so So I thought that they were basically saying that you were trying to spend$4 ,000 to get a dude killed on the streets. But you're saying that they fucked up the details and that actually they were accusing you of doing that from jail. Yeah. My co-defendant was in jail and I was trying to get him paid to get killed in jail. Uh-huh. Damn. So that's a totally different accusation than what was kind of reported.