The Unknown Reason that Led Anuel AA to Prison
The Puerto Rican artist was sentenced to 30 months in a federal prison in Puerto Rico
PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 18: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY - For Non-Editorial use please seek approval from Fashion House) Anuel AA attends the Amiri Menswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 18, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Peter White/Getty Images)
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?
Anuel AA attends the UFC 276 event at T-Mobile Arena on July 02, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
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.»
Anuel AA performs onstage during his Legends Never Die World Tour 2023 at American Airlines Center on May 5, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. Omar Vega/Getty Images
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.
Ana Rojas
Periodista en LOS40, coordinando LOS40 USA y...Periodista en LOS40, coordinando LOS40 USA y colaborando también en El País. Cubro temas de música, cultura y sociedad, con especial enfoque en EEUU y en el panorama de la música latina y urbana. He trabajado y escrito para medios como NYT y The Guardian, además de participar en investigaciones junto a LighthouseReports y la Fundación porCausa.