Founding member of New Orleans rap group, Hot Boys, B.G., is a free man. On Tuesday (September 5), the 43-year-old was released from federal prison after serving 11 years of a 14-year sentence on gun possession and witness tampering, per the Los Angeles Times.

Upon B.G.’s release, one of the first to greet him was Cash Money Records co-founder Birdman. The rapper and businessman was on Instagram Live where he was seen embracing B.G., born Christopher Noel Dorsey, also bearing gifts. A visibly emotional Dorsey, formerly known as ‘Baby Gangsta’ confirmed his release on Instagram the weekend prior, also marking his 43rd birthday.

“The main focus, is to stay focused. I’m not letting nobody rob me of my productivity, prosperity, positivity and peace of mind,” Dorsey wrote in his Instagram caption. “My dreams then got bigger and my vision is clearer. 13 years was more then [sic] enough time for me to change the reckless path I was on.”

In 2009, the rapper was arrested during a traffic stop, where three guns were retrieved from his vehicle, with two of them being stolen. Three years later, Dorsey was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty on two counts of possessing a gun as a felon and obstruction of justice. In 2012, Dorsey began his incarceration at the Federal Correctional Institution in Herlong, California, where he remained until his release. Dorsey’s original release date was July 2024, but it’s unclear what led to his early release.

With Birdman’s support, along with NBA Hall of Famer Gary Payton and other former music executives, there had been behind-the-scenes efforts to get Dorsey’s sentence commuted in 2022. However, the compassionate release was denied, as a federal judge said the rapper had “not shown extraordinary and compelling reasons [to] warrant a reduction in sentence.” A follow-up motion was also denied, as Dorsey didn’t have “new evidence that would affect the Court’s prior decision.”

A founding Hot Boys member alongside Lil Wayne, Juvenile and Turk, the group released three albums, including 1997’s Get It How U Live!, 1999’s Guerrilla Warfare, and Let ‘Em Burn. As a solo artist, Dorsey released ten studio albums, the last being 2009’s Too Hood 2 Be Hollywood.