Bronx Rapper Kay Flock Found Guilty in RICO Case, Faces Life in Prison

Bronx rapper Kay Flock, born Kevin Perez, has been found guilty on multiple charges, including racketeering conspiracy and use of a firearm resulting in death, following a trial that concluded on March 18, 2025.

The charges stem from his involvement in the Sev Side and Third Side gangs, which were implicated in a series of violent incidents in the Bronx between June 2020 and February 2022. Perez now faces a mandatory life sentence, with sentencing scheduled for July 16.

The trial, which began on March 10, featured testimony from multiple cooperating witnesses. One witness, a former associate of Perez, testified that the rapper committed a retaliatory shooting against a rival gang member following the witness’s own shooting. However, the witness’s sister later testified that this claim was false.

The defense argued that the prosecution was targeting Perez’s drill rap persona rather than his actual actions, suggesting that the case was an attack on the drill rap genre itself.

Perez was initially arrested in December 2021 for the fatal shooting of Hwascar Hernandez in Harlem. While he was awaiting trial for this incident, he was federally indicted in February 2023, along with seven other alleged gang members, on racketeering charges. The indictment accused them of participating in multiple shootings in the Bronx over a nearly two-year period.

Throughout the trial, the prosecution sought to use Perez’s music lyrics and videos as evidence of his involvement in gang activities and violent crimes. This approach has sparked debate about the implications for artistic expression and the potential for such evidence to prejudice juries.

As Perez awaits sentencing, the case has drawn attention to the intersection of art, crime, and the legal system, particularly concerning the use of rap lyrics as evidence in criminal trials.