A Grammy-nominated songwriter and rapper from Atlanta said he was chased and shot at Thursday night while driving, causing him to crash his Bentley.
Cydel Charles Young, 36, a songwriter and rapper also known as Cyhi the Prynce, posted a lengthy account of the incident on Instagram on Sunday, saying “there was an attempt on my life.” His narrative was largely confirmed by an Atlanta police report obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Young was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital afterward with a minor injury to his hand, police said.
According to the police report, Young said he was driving on I-20 West about 11:30 p.m. when a red sports car, possibly a Maserati or Aston Martin, pulled up next to his Bentley Bentayga SUV. Young told police he tried to pull away from the car, but it continued to follow him. He exited at Hamilton E. Holmes Drive, and the car drove past him, then turned around and drove the wrong way on the exit ramp toward him, he said.
Young told police that as he tried to lose his followers, he heard gunfire and glass breaking, causing him to lose control around a curve. His Bentayga hit a parked car, then flipped into a tree, the incident report said.
An off-duty police officer on his way home witnessed the crash, according to the report. He saw Young climb out of the vehicle, take off his shirt and run into the woods. He also reported seeing a red car pull up to the wrecked Bentayga. Someone then got out of the car and took something from the SUV before driving away, the report said.
When responding officers arrived, Young approached them from the woods wearing no shoes, the report said. Although Young said he heard gunshots, officers did not find any shell casings in the area or bullet holes in the Bentayga. Two handguns, a Ruger .380 and Glock 9mm, were recovered at the scene, the report said.
In his Instagram post, Young expressed confusion about why he was targeted.
“I don’t know if it was a mistaken identity, a robbery, or associated with something that I did when I was younger, but I haven’t been in the streets in over a decade,” Young wrote. “I just want to know why and if there is anything I can do to fix the issue.”
The artist has contributed to several Grammy-nominated tracks, including “Sicko Mode” by Travis Scott and “Famous” by Kanye West, and he appeared on West’s album “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.”
“I was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, and I have tremendous love for my city ... but it’s chaotic out here,” Young continued. “So everyone that’s in Atlanta right now, please protect yourself, stay out the way and be careful, because it could all be over in a split second.”
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