California moves to block use of rap lyrics as incriminating evidence in court
Accompanied by rappers Killer Mike and Meek Mill, California governor Gavin Newsom okayed a law today that curtails the use of rap lyrics as "evidence"
Aux News Killer Mike
Accompanied (virtually) by rappers Killer Mike, Meek Mill, Too $hort, Ty Dolla $ign, YG, E-40, and Tyga, California governor Gavin Newsom signed a new bill into law today, curtailing the use of rap lyrics as evidence in criminal cases in the state. That’s in contravention of a pretty standard tactic used in court cases against musicians, and especially Black musicians, where lyrics focused on illegal activities—delivered, like much of rap, in first person, and from an adopted persona—get trotted out in court as though they’re some sort of poorly thought out musical confession to actual crimes.
Case in point: The recent RICO indictment (in Georgia, mind you, not California) against rappers Young Thug and Gunna, where lyrics from the two performers’ musical careers were entered into evidence against them. We’re not qualified to report on the specifics of the actual case, mind you, but we’re pretty sure that Johnny Cash was never asked to answer, in a court of law, for that time he confessed to shooting a man in Reno for the cruel and frivolous reason of merely wishing to watch him die.
The California law in question carries the title the The Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act, and was pushed for in part by the Black Music Action Coalition, which is also stumping for federal legislation to achieve similar purposes on a national scale. Per BMAC co-chair Willie Stiggers, “The signing of AB 2799 (The Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act) into California law is a huge victory for the artistic and creative community, and a big step in the right direction towards our federal legislation – The RAP Act (Restoring Artistic Protection Act) – preventing the use of lyrics as the sole basis to prosecute cases. The Black Music Action Coalition applauds Governor Newsom for his willingness to stand with Artists and defend our First Amendment right to freedom of speech.”
9 Comments
Came to post this; you beat me to it m8 lol
How was this ever allowed? Even ACTUAL confessions–delivered directly to law enforcement agents—are only admissible when given under narrow circumstances.
People don’t know what art is. No idea.
rap original Kool & The Gang the blonde captain who died in her sleep a thousand years ago on the timeship in the movie Planet Of The Apes Ambien ambient noise the sound of the ocean whale song someone who lives on the ocean where people go whale watching the boat fire that killed twenty seven people off Santa Barbara took a Ambien took another by mistake died in her sleep dropped her joint house burned down what killed her Ambien smoke inhalation fire Tesla automobile the doors wouldn’t open we could hear her screaming as she burned to death she looks like Joan of Arc Ford to New York Drop Dead Ford Mustang e New York New York to Los Angeles California The Cannonball Run Burt Reynolds Catherine Deneuve the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco Haight Ashbury psychedelic hypnotic analgesic it says so right there on the fucking packet under side effects may cause drowsiness do not operate heavy machinery while under the influence of this pharmaceutical Martin Shkreli the movie Martin all wrapped up in barbed wire in a wooden Psycho house expensive record collector obscure handgun collector Predator starship skull wall gun eight shot stainless steel Smith & Wesson revolver famous forever
Forget it, Jake. It’s Georgia.
Not a new thing for anyone who remembers C-Bo https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-mar-04-mn-25431-story.html
I wanted to make a sarcastic joke about how it must be fun living in Georgia, but then I remembered I live in Tennessee, and the joke’s really on me.
I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but Johnny Cash didn’t actually shoot a man in Reno just to watch him die. That was just made up for the song.