Under the stage name T-Sav, Tyrel Hieu George Mahoney Nguyen drew on his experiences as a gangster to make music.

He may never win a Grammy, but the Surrey man's lyrics did help earn him two life sentences this week from a B.C. Supreme Court judge who found one of Nguyen's songs was essentially a thinly-veiled confession to the 2017 murder of gangster Randeep (Randy) Kang.

The music video — along with testimony from a key police witness — was part of a body of evidence that convinced Justice Miriam Gropper Nguyen was guilty of the first-degree murders of both Kang and university student Jagvir Singh Malhi.

Gropper also convicted the 24-year-old of the attempted murder of Kang's brother Gary and associate Camilo Alonso, who both survived the attack that ended in Randeep Kang's death.

Police applauded the convictions Friday, crediting a lengthy investigation that saw them use one of Nguyen's friends as an informant in an undercover operation spanning two provinces.

"This was a complex investigation," said Sgt. Timothy Pierotti of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.

"I'm incredibly proud of all those that worked on this investigation and persevered over the past seven years."

'He would have to become an agent'
According to evidence presented during the trial, Randeep Kang's murder arose from what was described as a "beef" between two Lower Mainland gangs — The Brothers Keepers and the Red Scorpions.

Malhi's death appears to have been a mistake. Police noted that he had no criminal involvement, but said some individuals in his life "were involved" in the gang conflict.