February 24, 2026
Fetty Wap Talks Life After Lockup After Getting GED, HVAC Certificates While Behind Bars
While having new academic certificates under his belt, Fetty Wap still has plans for new music.
Fetty Wap has turned over a new leaf, with the formerly incarcerated rapper wanting out of hip-hop for a more stable career.
Fetty Wap initially rose to fame for his 2015 breakout hit “Trap Queen” and subsequent songs that topped the charts in the late 2010s. However, his career came to a halt in 2021 after a federal indictment over conspiracy for drug distribution. The conviction led to a six-year prison sentence in May 2023.
Although Fetty Wap, real name Willie Junior Maxwell II, only served a few of those years, he learned a thing or two while behind bars.
Upon his release in January 2026, the rapper has kept a lower profile. However, Fetty Wap appeared on the Tamron Hall show to speak on his unusual journey to education.
He explained how he obtained his GED through an in-prison program, while also taking some courses to get his HVAC certification.
“I got my GED. I took a few HVAC courses. Oh, yeah, I do a few things,” he told Hall to applause from the audience.
He talked about his experience with fellow inmates as well. The father emphasized how seeing other men make an honest living inspired him.
“You meet a lot of people that … they had legitimate businesses and making a good amount of money. So I’m like, well, he making, like, rapper money. I’ma try that out.”
The famously one-eyed rapper, who has congenital glaucoma, also revealed new revelations about how he makes hits. He shared with the talk show host that he doesn’t need a pen to write his rhymes, letting the music flow through him instead. However, his time away has strengthened his mental vision, with Fetty Wap more determined than ever to do right.
“Staying focused when I get home, being a better father to my kids, being a better co-parent to the mother of my kids. Just do better with myself, you know. And try not to blame everybody else for my problems,” detailed the 34-year-old.
However, Fetty Wap won’t stay away from a studio for too long. He hinted at his long-awaited return to music as he gets his team back in action.
“Even as far as my music, the way I’m [going to] put the team together,” he added. ” The way I’m [going to] move this time…everything’s just going the way that I planned it to go.”
With community initiatives also underway, Fetty Wap hopes to return to the limelight soon as a new man.
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