The 22-year-old artist, whose real name is Kevin Perez, was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman in federal court. The judge said the lengthy sentence was necessary because Perez played a leading role in a violent cycle of shootings in his Bronx neighborhood between 2020 and 2021.
During sentencing, Judge Liman strongly criticized Perez for glorifying violence and influencing young people through his music and social media. “You taunted, you celebrated and you helped create a cycle of violence,” the judge said. He also pointed to Perez’s online posts, including a message reading “KILL ALL RATS” after gang members testified against him in court.
Perez was convicted in March on serious charges, including racketeering conspiracy and attempted murder. Prosecutors said he led a gang known as “Sev Side/DOA” and was responsible for four separate shootings that injured multiple people and left Bronx streets shaken by violence.
Although the judge described Perez as a “man of promise,” he said there was little evidence of remorse. “To date, you’ve shown no real remorse for your conduct,” Liman said, adding that Perez failed to show concern for the victims.
Perez told the court that he had changed since his teenage years. “What I was at 18 is not what I am today,” he said. “I was just a kid. Didn’t really know better.” He asked for a second chance, saying he had grown since his arrest.
Prosecutors, however, pushed for a much harsher punishment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick R. Moroney asked for a 50-year sentence, saying Perez openly celebrated violence and used it to build his reputation. In court filings, prosecutors claimed Perez signed a music deal and used gang violence to boost his career and fame.
Kay Flock rose to prominence in New York’s drill rap scene, a genre often criticized for violent lyrics and imagery. His debut album, The D.O.A. Tape, helped earn him Billboard Magazine’s R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Month title in November 2021.
Defense attorney Michael Ashley argued for the minimum 10-year sentence, saying Perez grew up in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the country and was influenced by older gang members. The judge acknowledged Perez’s difficult upbringing, noting that six of his friends were killed by gun violence before he turned 18 and that his brain was “still evolving and maturing” at the time of the crimes.
Still, Judge Liman concluded that public safety and accountability required a long prison term. “The life of the street,” he said, “is all you’ve ever known.”
With the sentence now imposed, Kay Flock’s once-promising music career has come to a dramatic and devastating end.
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