![]() ![]() ![]() “There's the New Jersey case with Vonte Skinner, there's one in Massachusetts, and even a case in Mississippi,” Nielson says. And there have been instances in multiple states where rap lyrics were introduced in criminal cases. In 2021, the Court of Appeals of Maryland ruled that rap lyrics are admissible evidence. What we're trying to do is to make sure that we're protecting free speech, artistic integrity, and artistic expression.”Īlthough Bill S7527 will provide a form of protection for artists in New York, in other states across the nation, rap lyrics remain in the crosshairs. It's a standard that would make prosecutors provide clear and convincing evidence that this creative expression is literal. “Hip-Hop artists are saying things that are specifically artistic and those things should not be utilized in court in order to create a perception that someone has a propensity to act in a certain way. “It doesn't mean that if you overtly admit to a specific offense on a rap lyric that it cannot be utilized against you,” Sen. Bailey provides more insight into the details of the bill. The bill does not completely shield rap lyrics from being used in court, but it forces prosecutors to prove that lyrics are “literal, rather than figurative or fictional.” This is an art form that is unfairly targeted.” “It's important, not just in terms of protecting artists' expression, but it's important in terms of where we're from, which is the birthplace of Hip-Hop. “We looked at the lyrics of rap music being unfairly utilized against many individuals for simply exercising their right to creative expression,” Sen. Jamaal Bailey, Senate Bill S7527 also received support from prominent artists such as Jay-Z, Killer Mike, and Meek Mill. One week following the indictments of Young Thug and Gunna, the New York State Senate passed a bill that limits the use of lyrics as evidence in criminal cases. There is no case that epitomizes the injustice of this more than Mac’s case.” Louisiana was one of the places where you could be convicted over lyrics. The prosecutor spliced lyrics from different songs together as if they were the same lyric to try to make him sound dangerous. It became clear that authorities targeted him because of his career as a rapper and his association with No Limit. “There was nobody who believed that he was actually guilty of this crime. “Phipps’ case was absolutely shocking to me,” Nielson shares. He served 21 years behind bars before being granted clemency in 2021 for a murder he did not commit. Mac was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 30 years in prison. During court proceedings, prosecutors used Mac’s lyrics in an attempt to establish a narrative of him being inherently violent. Following a fatal shooting at a nightclub in Slidell, Louisiana, Mac was indicted on a second-degree murder charge. ![]() However, one of the most egregious cases of rap lyrics being used in court came during the 2001 murder trial of No Limit Records artist McKinley “Mac” Phipps Jr. Snoop and his bodyguard, McKinley Lee Jr., were eventually found not guilty. During the case, the prosecutor played Snoop’s song “Murder Was the Case” for the jury. In 1993, Snoop Dogg faced life in prison after being charged with 1st-degree murder. However, the First Amendment does not protect prosecutors from using it as evidence if it is such.”īut when it comes to art serving as evidence in a crime, rap stands as the only entertainment medium where prosecutors use elements of the artform to secure a conviction. ![]() When asked during a press conference if the defendants’ lyrics should be protected by the First Amendment, Willis responded by saying, “I believe in the First Amendment, it’s one of our most precious rights. Included in the indictment are lyrics from the song “Anybody” where Young Thug raps, “I never killed anybody but I got something to do with that body.” Nine of Young Thug’s songs are listed in the indictment and could be used in the trial as proof of alleged gang activity and connection to crimes that were committed. The 56-count indictment filed by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis could derail the once-prosperous careers of both Atlanta-based artists, but the case could also have an overall impact on Hip-Hop and how rap lyrics are used as evidence in a court of law. ![]()
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