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The Puerto Rican artist, Emmanuel Gazmey Santiago, better known as Anuel AA, has had a controversial trajectory. The author of «Ella Quiere Beber» is one of those artists who has experienced the dark world of prison.

Anuel AA was arrested in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, in April 2016 and subsequently brought before a court and sentenced to 30 months in a federal prison. But what is the reason that led the «king of Latin trap» to be behind bars?

The Reason that Took Anuel AA to Prison

Anuel was convicted to more than two years in prison for illegal possession of three firearms. According to several sources, three guns (one of them stolen), 152 rounds of ammunition, and 9 magazines were seized from him in April 2016. The legal process lasted over a year, but on June 19, 2017, the Federal Court of Puerto Rico finally confirmed the sentence of 30 months.

It is true that Anuel has not shared much about his experience in prison, but he has spoken about it on some occasions, such as in an interview for Univision. He said, «One learns a lot in prison, learns to appreciate the things that truly matter in life. People treated me well there, I never had any problems.»

Interestingly, Anuel AA’s success came during his time in prison. Prominent media outlets like Billboard have reported that the popularity of Latin trap significantly increased when the Puerto Rican artist was locked up, writing his debut album «Real Hasta la Muerte» in 2018, which he released on the day of his release. Rolling Stone ranked this studio work among the Best Latin Albums of the year.

Even while incarcerated, Anuel AA noticed his growing popularity, stating in interviews that he didn’t have any problems in prison because his fellow inmates were fans of his music.

Ultimately, Anuel AA did not serve the full 30-month sentence, as he was released after 10 months due to good behavior.