Nappy Roots Member and Co-Owner of Atlantucky Brewing Recovering From Injuries After Robbery and Kidnapping

Fish Scales, a member of Southern rap quartet Nappy Roots and co-owner of Atlantucky Brewing, is recovering in an Atlanta hospital after being ambushed during an attempted robbery near his Castleberry Hill brewery Wednesday night. He was then forced into his car and driven to his home in the city of Hapeville, the AJC reports.

Scales (born Melvin Adams) was walking with a brewery patron after closing Atlantucky Brewing for the night when the attempted robbery took place. The patron was shot after trying to get away from the two assailants. Scales was then kidnapped and later shot in the leg while escaping.

The brewery remains closed today, but should reopen Friday, August 19.

In a press release put out by Nappy Roots and Atlantucky Brewing, Skinny DeVille (born William Hughes) says Scales is currently in stable condition and hopes to return to work as soon as possible. Skinny DeVille, who co-owns Atlantucky Brewing with Scales, says they plan to increase security at the brewery for the safety of staff and patrons, stressing that this is the only incident at the brewery since opening earlier this year.

The suspects demanded money from the brewery during the robbery attempt. No money was stolen from the brewery, as Atlantucky Brewing doesn’t keep cash on site, and no damage was reported. Police are still looking for the two suspects.

“We are very appreciative of all the love and support we’ve received over the last couple of hours. I am beyond grateful that my brother, Scales, is recovering and is in his usual good spirits,” Skinny DeVille tells Eater. “I am so proud of all the work that we have done at Atlantucky and am thankful to serve Atlanta.”

Atlantucky Brewing opened in February at the Intown Loft Apartment complex on Northside Drive. The name is a nod to the group’s roots in both Georgia and Kentucky. Opening Atlantucky Brewing in Castleberry Hill was a deliberate decision by the group, due to the neighborhood’s strong ties to music, art, and Atlanta’s creative community and its close proximity to Atlanta University Center (AUC) — home to the historic Black colleges of Clark Atlanta University, Spelman, and Morehouse.

The brewery offers a selection of pale ales, IPAs, hefeweizens, and stouts on tap and features a prep kitchen hosting pop-ups from mostly Black-owned food businesses, as well as gallery space for local artists and a stage for live performances by Nappy Roots and other Atlanta musicians.

“We look forward to Scales’ speedy recovery and getting back to work while continuing to support Black business owners through their art, music, food, networking events and more,” Skinny DeVille goes on to say. “This has always been our mission in opening the brewery. Atlantucky has an amazing future ahead, and I can’t wait to see where it takes us. We’ll still be in action at Atlantucky while our head brewer, Scales, recovers!”

The rap quartet’s interest in craft beer began with home brewing while on tour. In 2017, Nappy Roots partnered with Atlanta brewery Monday Night Brewing to create the pale ale Front Porch and an Imperial rye stout called Humdinger. The group also collaborated with Hapeville brewery Arches Brewing to create Kentucky Mud nitro chocolate milk stout.

Updated, August 18, 3:30 p.m.: This story was updated with new comments from Atlantucky Brewing co-owner and Nappy Roots member Skinny DeVille.