Tory Lanez, the Canadian rapper serving a 10-year sentence for shooting fellow artist Megan Thee Stallion, is recovering after being stabbed 14 times in a California prison.
Prison officials confirmed that Lanez, 32, was attacked by another inmate early Monday morning at California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi, about 75 miles north of Los Angeles.
The incident occurred at around 7:20 a.m. in a housing unit inside the high-security facility. Pedro Calderón Michel, a spokesman for the state’s corrections department, told The New York Times that staff acted swiftly to provide medical assistance before Lanez was transferred to a local hospital.
Details of his injuries were shared on the rapper’s official Instagram account later that evening. The post claimed he was stabbed in the back, torso, head and face, and that both of his lungs collapsed. He was temporarily placed on a breathing machine but is now stable and breathing independently.
“Despite being in pain, he is talking normally, in good spirits, and deeply thankful to God that he is pulling through,” the post read.
The department has launched an investigation but declined to comment on the motive or identify the attacker.
Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, was convicted in 2022 on three felony charges, including assault with a semi-automatic firearm. He was sentenced to a decade in prison in August 2023.
The shooting, which took place outside a Hollywood Hills party hosted by reality star Kylie Jenner in 2020, dominated headlines and sharply divided public opinion in the music industry.
According to court testimony, Lanez fired at Megan Thee Stallion—born Megan Pete—after an argument inside a vehicle. She said Lanez told her to “dance” as he opened fire, injuring her foot. She later underwent surgery to remove bullet fragments.
Lanez has consistently denied the shooting, claiming he was wrongfully convicted. He did not apologise at sentencing and maintains his innocence.
The case sparked a storm of controversy across the hip-hop world, with several artists, including 50 Cent and Iggy Azalea, weighing in publicly—some even writing to the court to request a lighter sentence for Lanez.
Before his imprisonment, Lanez had enjoyed commercial success, earning seven top 10 albums in the U.S. within seven years. From behind bars, he recently teased the release of a new album, Peterson.
As of Tuesday evening, prison authorities said the rapper remained in a secure medical ward. His legal team has not yet released a statement.
The attack raises fresh questions about inmate safety in California’s sprawling prison system, which houses over 90,000 people. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said it would not release further details until its investigation is complete.
