The Hamburg rapper Gzuz, real name Kristoffer Jonas Klauß, has been busy in recent months. Those who followed him on Instagram could see the musician promoting clothing collections (his own and those of others), sometimes he traveled to Iraq, showed himself in Lebanon. He married his longtime girlfriend and his new album “Große Freiheit” was released at the beginning of the year.
Freedom is over for now. Gzuz has to go to prison for eight months and two weeks. The Hanseatic Higher Regional Court rejected its appeal against the judgment of the Hamburg Regional Court in March of this year. According to the court, there were no errors of law to the detriment of the accused.
The musician now has to sit in prison and pay a fine of €414,000 (180 daily rates of €2,300 each) for assault and violations of the Explosives and Weapons Act. This ends an odyssey in court, the verdict is final.
The Hamburger is a member of the Hamburg hip-hop group 187 Strassenbande (187 stands for the paragraph in the Californian law book that deals with murder), one of the best-known and most successful rap groups in Germany, who play with their image as tough guys and turn this skillfully into clicks and euros. With Gzuz, the texts glorifying violence were always more than just an image.
In September 2020, the rapper was sentenced to 18 months in prison, the list of allegations against the previously convicted musician was long. When searching an apartment rented by Gzuz in April 2018 in Neustadt, the police found a forbidden “Poland firecracker”, as well as marijuana and hash.
At the turn of the year 2018/19, a video appeared showing Gzuz firing a gas pistol – although he had previously been banned from handling firearms. During a further search of the house occupied by the accused and his family, investigators found an unloaded alarm pistol, a silencer and a telescopic baton, as well as blank cartridges.
Then there was another incident on the Reeperbahn. On the night of March 8, 2020, he hit a 19-year-old with his flat hand, defender Ulf Dreckmann explained on behalf of the accused at the time in the process. Before that, he willingly took selfies with the group, but was then followed by the young woman with the cell phone in her hand.
“I felt pressured,” said Gzuz. He waved his hand because he assumed the young woman wanted to film him. He has already apologized twice and paid her compensation of 500 euros – and promised her a place on the guest list at one of his concerts.
It ended with an 18-month prison sentence. A harsh judgment – against which the rapper successfully defended himself in an appeal process. The sentence was reduced to eight months and two weeks. It is still unclear exactly when Gzuz will be imprisoned.
