If you’ve spent any time on SoundCloud or followed the "free Tay-K" movement over the last few years, you already know the story. A teenager drops a song called "The Race" while literally running from the cops. It blows up. It goes platinum. Then, the law finally catches up. But now that the dust has settled on his second major trial in 2025, everyone is asking the same question: how old will tay k be when he gets out of prison?
Honestly, the numbers are pretty grim. We aren't looking at a few years in a minimum-security facility. We are looking at a timeline that spans almost an entire human life.
The Math Behind the 80-Year Sentence
In April 2025, a Bexar County jury handed down an 80-year sentence to Taymor McIntyre (Tay-K) for the 2017 murder of Mark Anthony Saldivar. This wasn't his first conviction, either. He was already serving 55 years for the 2016 death of Ethan Walker.
Here is how the math works for his release. The judge ordered these sentences to run concurrently. That’s a legal term that basically means he serves both sentences at the exact same time rather than one after the other. If they were consecutive, he’d essentially never see the sun again.
Because the 80-year sentence is the longer of the two, it's the one that dictates his timeline. Under Texas law, for a murder conviction, an inmate typically has to serve at least half of their sentence before they are even eligible to apply for parole.
$80 \text{ years} / 2 = 40 \text{ years}$
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Tay-K was born on June 16, 2000. By the time 2026 rolls around, he’ll be 26 years old. If we look at the 40-year minimum requirement from the start of his initial incarceration and credit for time served, the calendar starts to look very different. He’s been in custody since mid-2017.
He will be at least 57 years old before he can even think about a parole hearing.
Breaking Down the Parole Eligibility
Parole isn't a guarantee. It’s a "maybe."
Texas is notoriously tough on violent crimes. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles looks at everything: behavior behind bars, the severity of the crime, and victim impact statements. During his 2025 sentencing, the judge was very clear about the impact on the Saldivar family. Those things carry weight for decades.
If he is denied parole at 57, he could stay in until he’s 70, 80, or until the full 80 years are up. If he serves the full 80 years from his 2017 arrest? He’d be 97 years old. Basically, "how old will tay k be when he gets out" depends entirely on his behavior and a board of strangers in the year 2057.
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Why "The Race" Changed Everything
It’s rare to see a music video used as evidence in a murder trial, but "The Race" was a special case. He recorded it while he was a fugitive. He posed with a "Wanted" poster of himself.
The song was a massive hit. But it also acted as a confession in the eyes of the prosecution. It painted a picture of someone who wasn't just a bystander, but someone who "did the race" to avoid the consequences of a violent home invasion.
The Two Different Cases
People often get confused because there were two distinct murders.
- The Ethan Walker Case (2016): A home invasion in Mansfield, Texas. Tay-K was 16. He was convicted of murder and aggravated robbery in 2019 and got 55 years.
- The Mark Anthony Saldivar Case (2017): This happened while he was on the run. A dispute over a camera ended with Saldivar being shot in a Chick-fil-A parking lot. This resulted in the 80-year sentence in April 2025.
The 2025 trial was actually a bit of a "win" for his legal team, even though 80 years sounds like a loss. He was acquitted of capital murder. If he had been convicted of capital murder, he would have faced life without the possibility of parole. Period. The 80-year sentence at least leaves the door cracked open for his senior years.
Life Inside the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Tay-K isn't just sitting in a cell waiting for 2057. He has been vocal on social media (likely through intermediaries) about his conditions. In 2023, he complained about being treated like a "feral animal" in maximum security.
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The reality of the TDCJ (Texas Department of Criminal Justice) is harsh. It’s hot. There is no air conditioning in many of the units. Gang violence is a constant threat. For a famous rapper, there is a target on your back from day one.
He’s spent a lot of time in administrative segregation—solitary confinement—for his own protection or because of disciplinary issues. This kind of isolation can change a person. It's a far cry from the viral fame he had as a teenager.
What This Means for His Music
Can he still release music? Technically, yes. We’ve seen artists like Drakeo the Ruler or Rio Da Yung OG release projects from behind bars.
But Tay-K’s situation is different. He’s in for the long haul. Most of his "unreleased" catalog has probably been leaked or released by now. Unless he’s recording over a prison phone—which sounds terrible—the "Tay-K 47" era of music is effectively over.
The Actionable Reality
If you're a fan or just a curious observer of the legal system, here is what you need to keep in mind about the how old will tay k be when he gets out situation:
- Track the Appeals: His lawyers, the firm Hunter, Lane, and Jampala, have already signaled they are appealing the 80-year conviction. An appeal could theoretically reduce the sentence or lead to a retrial, though the odds in Texas are slim.
- Monitor the Texas Parole Board: While his first hearing is decades away, changes in Texas sentencing laws (like "Second Chance" legislation) could eventually shift his eligibility.
- Understand the Credit for Time Served: He has already spent nearly 9 years behind bars (as of 2026). This time is deducted from the 40-year minimum for parole eligibility.
The takeaway? Unless a major legal miracle happens during the appeal process, Taymor McIntyre will spend the prime years of his life—his 30s, 40s, and 50s—behind bars. He went in a boy and, if he ever leaves, he will be an elderly man.