Lil Shine
Lil Shine | |
|---|---|
 Johnson in 2026 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Jasper William Johnson February 18, 2005 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Rapper |
| Years active | 2017–present |
| Formerly of | Reptilian Club Boyz |
| Website | www |
| Criminal information | |
Criminal status | Incarcerated |
| Convictions | |
Criminal charge | Conspiracy to acquire and obtain controlled substances by fraud (1x); attempt to acquire and obtain controlled substances by fraud (1x); wire fraud (11x); accessing a protected computer in furtherance of fraud (3x); and aggravated identity theft (4x)[2][3][4][5] |
Penalty | 3 years in prison (36 months) |
Date apprehended | December 3, 2024 |
| Imprisoned at | Federal Prison Camp, Duluth (2026) |
Jasper William Johnson (born February 18, 2005), known professionally as Lil Shine, is an American rapper and songwriter from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Widely regarded as one of the most prominent figures in the pluggnB scene,[6] he began his career in 2017 and has since released three studio albums, Losing Myself in 2022, Shine Forever in 2025, and Get Rich Or Die Sippin' in 2026.
Early life
[edit]Jasper William Johnson was born on February 18, 2005,[7][dead link][better source needed] in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[3][dead link][better source needed]
Career
[edit]Johnson began to create music in 2017, at the age of twelve. He began to receive attention in 2019 after releasing the songs "Stop!" and "Relax!". Johnson joined the rap group Reptilian Club Boyz in 2020, remaining in the group until its disbandment in 2021.[3][dead link][better source needed] He collaborated with American rapper Summrs in 2023, on the single "Hop Out".[6]
Johnson released his second studio album, Shine Forever, on January 1, 2025.[8] He originally lost the laptop with the album files.[9] On May 15, 2026, Johnson released Get Rich Or Die Sippin', which had two features from Summrs, and Kankan.[10][11][12][13]
Legal issues
[edit]August 2023 federal raid and music releases
[edit]Johnson was aware that he was the subject of a federal criminal investigation more than a year before his indictment. According to Johnson as he would explain to The Fader, the Marshals first searched his Minneapolis apartment in August 2023 but did not arrest him as Johnson was not being prosecuted at the time. A few days later, he received a federal target letter notifying him that he was under investigation, although the letter did not specify the alleged offense.[1] Johnson later stated that by late 2024 so much time had passed that he had "kind of forgot about it" until federal authorities searched his apartment again on December 3, 2024, and his attorney informed him later that day that he had been indicted.[1]
While anticipating the possibility of imprisonment, Johnson continued recording music and released the singles "Str8 Like Dat", "Snakes", "Dork", and "Date Night" throughout 2024. "Dork", released on October 18, 2024, served as the lead single from his second studio album Shine Forever, which was released on January 1, 2025, several weeks after his arrest.[9][1]
2024 Indictment for buying and selling of promethazine and codeine
[edit]On November 26, 2024[5] Johnson and two others were federally charged with conspiracy to acquire and obtain controlled substances by fraud and attempt to acquire and obtain controlled substances by fraud after they were accused of hacking the Drug Enforcement Administration's practitioners and physicians system from December 2022 to August 2023 using stolen personal data from physicians to buy large amounts of promethazine and codeine with the intention to sell them. Johnson was additionally charged with 11 counts of wire fraud, 3 counts of accessing a protected computer in furtherance of fraud, and 4 counts of aggravated identity theft, which were not charged against his two co-defendants due to his alleged role in obtaining physicians' personal information, using it to access and change information on DEA systems, and buying said drugs under the physicians' names as part of the scheme.[5][2]
Arrest and sentencing
[edit]The week after the indictment was filed, on the morning of December 3, 2024, federal marshals executed a search on Johnson's room at a Minneapolis apartment where he was staying at and placed him into custody.[1] That afternoon, Johnson had posted bond and was released from jail that same day. When he heard from his attorney that same afternoon confirming that his charges were federal charges as part of a grand jury indictment[1], he would post to his Instagram story advocating for his fans to call for him to be "free"[14][unreliable source?] and took to a Discord community server to announce that he had been "federally indicted [that] morning."[15][unreliable source?] From there, word of his arrest spread quickly around underground music communities over the following days and his mugshot and charges would subsequently be published and circulate on social media.[16][better source needed] On December 16, 2024 after Johnson was released on bond, he went live on Instagram maintaining that he was innocent of the charges, and stating that he would continue to release music in spite of his criminal case.[9][3][4] On January 20, 2026, Johnson entered a plea agreement. On May 19, 2026, Johnson announced on Instagram that he was sentenced to 36 months in prison. Johnson surrendered and began his sentence on July 28, 2026, and is currently incarcerated at Federal Prison Camp, Duluth.[1]
Influences and artistry
[edit]Johnson's music has been described as pluggnB, rage, and trap-inspired.[6] Many of his songs are about his drug habits and relationships.[17]
Discography
[edit]Studio albums
[edit]| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Losing Myself |
|
| Shine Forever |
|
| Get Rich Or Die Sippin' |
|
Mixtapes
[edit]| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| SH!NE |
|
| Heavenly Ascension |
|
Extended plays
[edit]| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Lovesick |
|
| Tearscape |
|
Singles
[edit]| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Loser" | 2021 | Non-album single |
| "Snow Keep Fallin" | 2022 | |
| "See U In H3ll" | ||
| "Loose Ends" | ||
| "By Myself" (with Lawsy) | ||
| "Won't Stop" | ||
| "Tell Me" | ||
| "How Deep Is Your Love" | 2023 | |
| "How It Goes" | ||
| "Falling 4 You" | Tearscape | |
| "Lie Once, Lost Trust" | Non-album single | |
| "Too Bad" | ||
| "Hop Out" (with Summrs) | ||
| "Str8 Like Dat" | 2024 | |
| "Snakes" | ||
| "Dork" | Shine Forever | |
| "Date Night" | ||
| "Go Spin" | 2025 | Non-album single |
| "Sex Talk" | ||
| "Fast Money"[18] |
Tours
[edit]- Lil Shine Farewell USA Tour (with Goonie)[1]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Medithi, Vivian (June 25, 2026). "Lil Shine's last days outside". The Fader. Archived from the original on August 2, 2026. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
- 1 2 "Three Twin Cities Men Indicted in Narcotics Fraud Conspiracy". United States Department of Justice. www.justice.gov. December 20, 2024. Archived from the original on February 1, 2025. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Wilson, Angela (December 23, 2024). "Lil Shine Accused of Hacking DEA System to Order 'At Least 300 Pints' of Prescription Drugs". MSN. Archived from the original on August 2, 2026. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
- 1 2 Moore, Sam (December 21, 2024). "Minnesota Rapper Lil Shine Hit With Federal Charges For Hacking DEA In Drug Fraud Ring". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on August 2, 2026. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
- 1 2 3 McCoy, Joe (December 18, 2024). "3 MN men facing federal charges for allegedly stealing doctors' identities to illegally buy and sell opioids". kare11.com. Retrieved October 18, 2025.
- 1 2 3 Nevares, Gabriel Bras (December 24, 2023). "Lil Shine & Summrs "Hop Out" & Get Woozy On New Single: Stream". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
- ↑ "Good morning. Today is a very special day, a day we are called to celebrate. Happy birthday to our dear friend Lil Shine. Thank you for being you and I speak for everyone when I say we are blessed to have you around for another year ❤️🎂". Instagram. February 18, 2025. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
- ↑ Cai, Will (February 27, 2025). "Underground rap is more alive than ever". 34th Street Magazine. 34th Street Magazine. Retrieved February 16, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Horvath, Zachary (January 11, 2025). "Lil Shine Vows To "Shine Forever" On Third Project". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on August 2, 2026. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
- ↑ Johnson, Laura (May 16, 2026). "This Week's New Releases: Drake, Lady Gaga and Maluma". Stereoboard. Stereoboard. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
- ↑ Cole, Alexander (May 15, 2026). "Get Rich Or Die Sippin' - Album by Lil Shine". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
- ↑ White, Andrew (May 16, 2026). "Drake, LUCKI, BNYX, Quando Rondo, Kenny Mason and More: New Hip-Hop Music to Stream". Complex. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
- ↑ Roshka, Marty (June 2, 2026). "Album Review: Get Rich Or Die Sippin'". WKNC 88.1 FM. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
- ↑ Jake (December 3, 2024). "lil shine locked up ?". X (formerly Twitter). Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
- ↑ SWITCHBLADE (December 3, 2024). "(3 photos showing Discord)". X (formerly Twitter). Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
- ↑ Underground Sound (December 6, 2024). "FREE LIL SHINE". X (formerly Twitter). Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
- ↑ Medithi, Vivian (January 16, 2025). "The best new rap mixtapes for snow days". The Fader. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
- ↑ Cole, Alexander (November 2, 2025). "Fast Money - Song by Lil Shine". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved June 10, 2026.