Standing on it
Atlanta-based criminal defense attorney Drew Findling is
Working magic for his clients. Hip-hop is lucky to have him.
Interview: C. VernonColeman II
Editor’s Note: This story appeared in the 2024 Winter 2024 XXL Magazine, published on the January 2025 newsstand, and is now available for sale on the XXL website.
Cocaine King Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory doesn’t trust many people. But when the Mafia family boss was linked to the infamous 2003 Atlanta shooting and Diddy’s former bodyguard shooting, Meshe put his life in criminal defense attorney Drew Findling ) walked away from the free man. For more than a decade, rap stars have also entrusted their freedom to Koli’s lawyers. Offset even calls him “the biggest lawyer in the game,” a nickname that emphasizes Findling’s reputation and success in defending celebrity clients.
A native of Coram, NY, Findling attended Oglethorpe University in Atlanta with a track and field scholarship. After graduating from college, he attended law school at nearby Emory University before becoming a public defender, and eventually began his practice in 1987, Findling Law Firm. After the 2003 Meech case, Findling’s court skills spread throughout the entertainment community. He will take over as celebrity clients such as NBA players Shaquille O’Neal and Dennis Rodman. In 2013, Findling represented Gucci Mane in the rapper’s federal gun case and was able to get Guwop to a three-year plea when the Atlanta hip-hop artist faced his 20s. Ability to make the entertainment community awe.
Several rappers have recently called for Findling’s services, including Lil Baby, Migos, Dababy, Trippie Redd and the late young Dolph, who in 2017 referred to Findling as a “billion dollar lawyer.” Make sure that the transaction does not include jail time. He is also responsible for making YFN Lucci a favorable plea deal in the RICO case and is dealing with a legal drama that Youngboy has never broken again.
In mid-September, Findling spoke to XXL and XXL from his Buckhead Atlanta Law office, which is lined with photos of the lawyer and his top client, who he used as an example of the name. Today, the brightly-dressed 64-year-old legal ace is busier than ever. He gradually left the camera and answered calls from clients. After a moment of apologizing for the delay, Boosie Bardazz hits his boundaries. “He will call back,” Finlin said with certainty, before settling, please discuss some of the most outstanding legal cases of hip-hop, connecting with his clients, rappers and police issues, and more.
XXL: Is the big Meech case the first hip-hop related case you have ever encountered?
Drew Findling: I represent Demetrius Flenory. I didn’t call him Meech. I don’t even know what the Mafia family is. At that time, Meech was a smart young man. And, he has a real view of certain things. So we just knocked it out. Then, of course, the double murder emerged. Basically, we successfully destroyed the case. Of course, all of this [BMF stuff] Revealed in federal cases.
So, do you think that’s how you get some other high-profile rap customers? From that case?
Yes. I don’t think people will give it to others [the hip-hop] The industry has enough honors to recognize their professional super smart approach. They are looking for work ethics. They are looking for intelligence. All of these things matter to people in this industry, both performers and owners.
Are you a hip-hop fan? Or are you a hip-hop fan when you start to get all of these clients?
As far as respect is concerned, I’ve always been a fan and I always say that grinders are attracted to each other. I’ve blown
With the number of talents in it. You know, when someone sent me a clip of Jonathan Kirk, [whose artist name is] Dababy, freestyle on the radio show, I thought, I had to call him and go, “Jon, wow. I mean, I don’t even know what to say, man.”
It was a glory when Lil Baby performed the national anthem of the BLM movement, George Floyd, and the video accompanying it was spontaneous. I was shocked by his ability. I think, actually make a difference.
Why do you think so many rappers are attracting your practice?
I think it’s a safe space. I have no agenda. “Drew Findling was the only one who told me not to buy a car,” Offset said. I had a bird who told me that he had to spend too much money on sick cars when he was young. I called him and he answered. He should never take it. I asked him to call with me until he left the dealership. Now, you can reach a point where you can’t do it.
But I have never had a single person who objected to me. Last presidential election, Offset wanted me to vote with him for the first time. So, we met that morning and I did it. I can do this.
You represent Offset’s ex-wife CardiB in the raid resolved in 2022.
Cardi’s case is one of the most notorious cases to suffer from delays. We just rode the waves and prepared. We are in the trial. As some people say, she doesn’t need to report the F on the card. Felony. And reduced misdemeanors. I believe that all she has to do is 15 community projects. To solve this problem, it does benefit her advantage. She has been doing well ever since.
YFN Lucci is also a huge case you have been working on. He faces life in prison, but you end up struck a deal for him that he might be going home this year. [Editor’s note: YFN Lucci has been released from prison since this interview.]
There are a few things that work. One: That [YFN Lucci] Rayshawn Bennett will never say a word to anyone. Just want to do his case and fight his case. I think this is that this will be a tougher struggle [the prosecution] More than they originally expected.
So we were able to solve all the problems. Most importantly, the murder charge was dismissed due to a lengthy indictment. If he executes all the possible procedures and he is doing it, he can be between now and an upcoming January, which is crazy if you think about it. [He’s] Another very smart person.
“I’m not going to show up in the studio and tell you how to do things. This is my studio.”
Your current young boy has never ruined it again. Can you talk about how this is happening?
As you know, things have become more complicated in the past nine months… Unfortunately, when Bond, Utah was out, he picked up two state cases: in Kah County A case in Cache County and Weber County. Kah County is related to the purchase of different drugs, and Weber County is related to the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The job we do, I put together a team from Utah, the best attorneys in Utah. We’re talking a little bit complicated, but why we don’t do what we call Rule 20 and bring Baton Rouge. Let’s solve all problems globally. We are now trying to reach an agreement with him. People will be shocked at how soon he will be. Lawyers will be shocked by this because the people I brainstorm with are just blown away. Therefore, all this may work for him.
What are the biggest rapper-related cases you’ve studied?
Delegate their lives to us in multiple ways; Jonathan Kirk, Dababy. He flew me down [2020] Super Bowl weekend said: “I started this, and it lasted, and it continued, and it was going on… But I don’t want to think about it anymore. I want to focus on my music and you focus on Me.” It’s and has always been a unique relationship.
So, it does make a difference because he does want something. We took over him and then tried the case in Miami. That’s all the infamous because he refused to resolve and made a defense judgment. They followed him, $6 million? It lasted billions of dollars at Universal, reaching $6 million and earning zero. So, not the biggest case, but the responsibility for the most diversification is Jon.
What do you think is the biggest struggle rappers are facing now?
Well, like many people, it is systemic racism that paralyzes our criminal justice system. So many people, law enforcement, it’s hard to accept the fact that you can be a person of color and can afford a $300,000 car and a $100,000 watch and can legally own $400,000 in cash . That’s just because of one thing, it’s because of their skin color. This is just a problem.
Do you think rappers are being arrested more now?
I just can’t see it should go away. So they can decide not to drive in the Red Ferrari or they can still do it, but take risks. This is always a problem. I always get calls about people being pulled away. Most of the time, it doesn’t appear. But despite this, they were removed from office. I didn’t get a call from that white dentist in his or her Ferrari.
Many clients call you a mentor. Why do you think it’s important to add one more mile than a lawyer?
I’m going to do this because I think it’s a sense of responsibility. Not just dealing with them as salary, but doing it. Because they do have goals.
What is one of the biggest advice you find yourself giving to hip-hop clients in the process?
It’s important to get a license and ensure security, not just hiring your friends. I’ll always tell them, “Make sure you have that neutral, independent, highly respected financial advisor, rather than a friend who can only tell you how to deal with money or family.”
You don’t want to be someone’s biggest customer. To get financial advice, you want to be a low man, a low woman on the totem pole. The person then makes unwise decisions to benefit them rather than you. Please be very careful who you are with.
Have you ever refused to contact the hip-hop artists you have ever contacted?
This is not a hip-hop artist, but someone comes here and tells us how we will do things. That won’t work. I won’t show up in the studio and tell you how to do things. This is my studio.
You have already nicknamed “Billion Dollar Lawyer”. What does this name mean to you?
I will never forget this. [Young] Dolph is leaving the hospital [after being shot in Los Angeles in 2017]. I showed up in his ward and there was no one around. He then sat in a wheelchair with the photographer. He turned around and he said, “I got my billion dollar lawyer.” I couldn’t even hear him at the time. You can see the shock on my face. This is just one’s own life. Like I’ve always said to people here, it just means we’re under more stress. We have to work harder than anyone else. That’s right.
Drew Discovers
The 2024 winter XXL magazine release, which contains an interview with high-powered hip-hop lawyer Drew Findling, is available for purchase now and is on the newsstand. The issue also includes Glorilla and Sexyy Red on the cover, with Ab-Soul, Dej Loaf, Quando Rondo, Ferg, Nav, Nav, Kash Doll, Sauce Walka, Anycia, Anycia, Baby Kia, Blp Kosher, Osamason, Osamason, Sugarhill Ddot, Dancehall DDOT, Dancehall Artist ibeibengebeng, and producer Ace Charm. Also take a look at the rhythm of the Netflix Reality competition’s new season rhythm show + flowing in the eyes of its judges Latto, DJ Khaled and Ludacris, plus 18 hip-hop heavyweights discussing the state of the lyric liquid.
