Due to Young Thug’s recent arrest, the Atlanta rapper was unable to make his scheduled performance at Hot 97’s annual Summer Jam festival over the weekend. However, he and his team still managed to find a way to make his presence felt.

Before the night came to a close, Hot 97 broadcast a video inside the stadium featuring fellow stars like DJ Khaled, Polo G, and G Herbo voicing their support for both Young Thug and Gunna. Then, the video ended with a pre-recorded message from Thug himself.

Thugger began by showcasing his gratitude for all the encouragement he has received so far. “[Thank you] to all my friends and my family for coming out and supporting us. You know, your support during this time means a lot to us, ya know,” he said.

“You know, this isn’t just about me or YSL. I always use my music as a form of artistic expression, and now I see that Black artists and rappers don’t have that, you know, freedom,” he continued before ending his message with a call to action. “Everybody please sign the ‘Protect Black Art’ petition and keep praying for us. I love you all.”

“Rap Music on Trial: Protect Black Art” is a petition launched by music executives Kevin Liles and Julie Greenwald calling for lawmakers to prevent rap lyrics from being used in court to convict artists of alleged crimes.

Young Thug is currently accused of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and participation in criminal street gang activity. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the RICO act charge comes from an alleged offense committed in January 2013, while the gang activity charge is from an alleged May 2018 incident.

You can view the video of Young Thug’s Summer Jam message down below.