Chattanooga-area rapper charged in Calhoun, Georgia, armed robbery

A Chattanooga-area rapper is facing charges related to an armed robbery at a check cashing business in Georgia’s Gordon County this week.

After a short foot pursuit in Calhoun, Taizion S. Vinson, 22, was arrested Tuesday by officers with the Calhoun Police Department and Gordon County Sheriff’s Office dispatched to the scene.

“It is rare for us to have armed robberies,” Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Robert Paris said in a phone call. “We work real hard to keep this place quiet.”

A firearm suspected to have been used in the robbery and cash stolen from the business was recovered, the Sheriff’s Office said.

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Performing under the name Slatt Zy, Vinson is a resident of Cleveland, Tennessee, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

He was charged with armed robbery and other offenses, the Sheriff’s Office said.

The Sheriff’s Office said Vinson was seen fleeing from the scene of the robbery and was apprehended by officers after a short foot chase in a wooded area nearby. Paris said Vinson is being held without bond in the Gordon County Jail.

Legal representation for Vinson could not be reached before deadline.

The investigation continues, according to Gordon County officials, and no one is believed to have been injured in the incident. On Friday afternoon, Paris said there were no updates in the case.

Vinson is a musician represented by Los Angeles-based Capitol Records and listed as part of 100K Management’s roster on the national recording artist management company’s website.

In 2020, Slatt Zy released an album titled “East Lake Project,” based on his upbringing in the Chattanooga housing project. Last month, he released a music video for a song called “First Day Out” that was set in a courtroom and jail cell.

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In 2017, there were no armed robberies in Gordon County, Paris said in a follow-up phone call. In 2018 there were two, and 2019 saw none. There were four in 2020; three in 2021, and one in 2022, Paris said.

He said the Sheriff’s Office doesn’t have 2023 armed robbery statistics compiled yet.

In Hamilton County, Vinson is facing charges of aggravated robbery, aggravated kidnapping and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony for an incident alleged to have taken place at the end of August. Charges were filed at the end of September.

Contact Andrew Wilkins at awilkins@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6659.