A Georgia judge has dismissed Young Thug, Birdman and their respective companies from a civil lawsuit stemming from the 2015 shooting of Lil Wayne‘s tour bus near Atlanta. The decision removes two major figures from a legal dispute that has followed the incident for more than a decade, but the lawsuit itself is not entirely over.

In separate orders issued Tuesday, Nov. 10, Judge Eric A. Brewton rejected claims brought by former tour bus driver Alvin Lewis against Young Thug, whose legal name is Jeffrey Williams, and his YSL company, as well as Birdman, whose legal name is Bryan Williams, and Cash Money Records. Billboard’s reporting on the court orders, also carried by Radio 88.8, detailed the judge’s findings.

Why the judge dismissed the claims

Lewis alleged that Jimmy Winfrey, also known as Peewee Roscoe, fired at Wayne’s tour bus while acting at the direction of Young Thug and Birdman. Both rappers have denied involvement. The judge concluded that the record did not establish an employment relationship between Winfrey and either YSL or Cash Money Records, undermining a central part of the driver’s case.

According to the reported orders, Lewis’s contention that Winfrey worked as Young Thug’s tour manager in 2015 was not supported by the evidence presented. The judge also found that the theory connecting Birdman to an alleged retaliatory attack amid his contract dispute with Lil Wayne rested on speculation rather than proof.

TMZ reported that the court found Birdman was outside Georgia on the night of the shooting and that Lewis had not identified admissible evidence linking the Cash Money co-founder or his label to the attack. Phone records showing contacts between numbers associated with Winfrey and Birdman did not, according to Billboard’s account, establish who made the calls or what was discussed.

The 2015 shooting and its legal fallout

The shooting occurred April 26, 2015, as one of Lil Wayne’s tour buses traveled on Interstate 285 after a performance at the Compound nightclub in Atlanta. No one on the bus was struck by gunfire, but Lewis said the attack left him with emotional injuries and financial losses. His lawsuit sought to hold several defendants responsible.

Winfrey’s legal history surrounding the incident has involved separate criminal proceedings. An earlier guilty plea was overturned after an appeals court found it involuntary, while the shooting later figured in the sweeping YSL prosecution that reshaped Young Thug’s career and public image. The civil ruling reported this week is a distinct matter and should not be confused with the outcome of that criminal case.

For background on the wider prosecution and its consequences for Atlanta rap, read Raptology’s investigation into Young Thug, Gunna and the YSL RICO case. Raptology has also examined Birdman, Cash Money Records and the label’s long-running relationship with Lil Wayne.

Support independent hip-hop journalism: Help Raptology continue researching and reporting stories that affect the culture. Support Raptology.

What happens next?

The dismissal is not the end of Lewis’s legal options. His attorney, Jeff Gewirtz, told Billboard on Nov. 11 that the plaintiff intends to appeal. Lewis also continues to pursue civil claims against Winfrey and Arnold Martinez, also known as YSL Duke. A court conference to discuss possible trial logistics is scheduled for February, according to the report.

The distinction matters: the judge’s ruling removes Young Thug, Birdman, YSL and Cash Money Records from the present civil case, but it does not resolve the remaining claims against other defendants. And a stated intention to appeal is not the same as a successful appeal.

For artists whose public careers have been shaped by legal proceedings, the ruling closes a major chapter in a dispute that has remained part of rap’s conversation since 2015. It also underscores how long civil litigation can continue after the events and criminal cases that originally brought the allegations into public view.

Sources: Billboard report distributed by Radio 88.8; XXL; TMZ; AllHipHop.