Adverse circumstances surrounded rapper Tory Lanez after he was hospitalized following an assault at a California correctional facility where he is currently serving a decade-long sentence. Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, faced this attack at around 7:20 a.m. in a housing unit at the California Correctional Institution situated in Tehachapi. The details came via a communication from a spokesperson for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Although the official account did not detail the manner of the attack, a post shared on Lanezโs Instagram later that evening claimed he had sustained 14 stab wounds, leading to the collapse of both lungs. However, the post reassured followers that despite the painful ordeal, he is currently breathing independently and remains communicative, maintaining an optimistic outlook while expressing gratitude for overcoming the incident. It was noted that Lanez received wounds in his back, torso, head, and face.
The prison staff promptly administered immediate medical assistance and contacted emergency services, enabling Lanez to be transferred to an external hospital for further treatment. According to the spokesperson, the prisonโs investigative department, in collaboration with the Kern County District Attorneyโs Office, is actively exploring the details surrounding this incident.
This correctional facility, sitting approximately 100 miles north of Los Angeles within the mountainous region of the Mojave Desert, holds roughly 1,700 inmates in both medium and maximum-security settings.
Lanezโs 2022 felony convictions include assault with a semiautomatic firearm, possession of a loaded, unregistered firearm within a vehicle, and gross negligence tied to discharging a firearm. During the trial, Megan Thee Stallion, who is legally known as Megan Pete, testified that Lanez fired shots towards her feet in July 2020. This occurred following their departure from an event at Kylie Jennerโs residence in Hollywood Hills, culminating in bullet fragments being surgically extracted from Meganโs feet. It was some time post-incident before Megan named Lanez as the assailant publicly.
Even as Lanezโs legal counsel contests his conviction via an appeal, the lawyers have yet to provide commentary on the current developments. Accusations from Megan, suggesting that harassment attempts were being orchestrated by Lanez from jail through intermediaries, led to a court-issued protection order that extends until 2030, essentially prohibiting Lanez from engaging in any further harassment or contact.
Emerging onto the scene through a series of mixtapes dating back to 2009, 32-year-old Canadian Lanez experienced a surge in popularity, transitioning to major label releases with multiple albums achieving top ten status on Billboard charts.
The atmosphere surrounding this case ignited significant discussions across the hip-hop community. It brought to light numerous issues such as the reluctance among Black victims to engage with law enforcement, the prevailing gender dynamics within the industry, toxic online discourses, and the unique prejudices faced by Black women, collectively termed as misogynoir.
An intensely emotional trial setting saw the attendance of Lanezโs supporters, many of whom believed he was entrapped by an unjust system and influential forces supporting Megan, who is managed by the high-profile Roc Nation under Jay-Z. The verdict announcement triggered a dramatic backlash, with Lanezโs father, Sonstar Peterson, vehemently criticizing the prosecution and judicial process from the courtroom floor amidst a turbulent scene, later issuing an apology to the presiding judge.
At the time of this incident, Megan Thee Stallion was already ascending rapidly within the music world. Her subsequent achievements further solidified her status, earning her a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2021 alongside topping charts with hit singles such as โSavage,โ featuring Beyoncรฉ, and โWAP,โ in collaboration with Cardi B.