50 Cent, J. Cole, Travis Scott and many more artists are showing support for a recent petition banning the use of rap lyrics in court cases.
On Tuesday (November 1), The Guardian reported a letter has been circulating titled Art on Trial: Protect Black Art, and it includes signatures from big-name artists such as 50, Cole, Scott, and others such as Post Malone, Alicia Keys, Megan Thee Stallion and more.
Alongside those signatures are the three major record labels, Warner, Sony and Universal, and companies such as Spotify, TikTok and YouTube Music supporting the new petition.
The letter was written by Warner, who also published it on Thursday alongside the New York Times and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The contents of the letter call for prosecutors to stop using rap as evidence in trials, and for legislators at the state and federal level to limit how much of that work can be used against defendants.
“In courtrooms across America, the trend of prosecutors using artists’ creative expression against them is happening with troubling frequency,” read the letter. “Rappers are storytellers, creating entire worlds populated with complex characters who can play both hero and villain. But more than any other art form, rap lyrics are essentially being used as confessions in an attempt to criminalise Black creativity and artistry.”
The letter continued, referring to the “obvious disregard” of free speech: “The use of lyrics against artists in this way is un-American and simply wrong.”
2 Chainz, John Legend, Killer Mike, Mary J Blige and more signed the letter. In January, JAY-Z, Kelly Rowland and Meek Mill did the same thing when they supported the prevention of rap lyrics being used as evidence in criminal cases.
The latest letter comes after Young Thug, Gunna and several other YSL members were arrested on RICO charges in May. Thug and Gunna had several of their rap lyrics used in an indictment for suspicion of gang involvement and other offenses, as they allegedly constituted “an overt act in furtherance of this conspiracy.”
Both artists have pleaded not guilty and remain in prison ahead of their trials despite multiple attempts by their legal team to have them released on bond.
Here’s a better way to deal with this, don’t snitch on yourself in songs. Easy as that!
Why? Stop rapping about guns, murder, and drugs then. Absolutely use those lyrics in court cases!
Nah. f*ck that petition, find something else to rap about or change careers.
It’s not surprising the likes of 50 cent, J Cole, Jay-Z etc back this petition. Not all rappers are criminals but a lot of criminals, rap. Across America violent gangs tied to illegal drug selling use the music business to launder money, these are not real artists and should not be treated as such. They deserve zero protection under free speech laws. If they’re out in the real world murdering people and engaging in RICO level activities, their words are fair game. They are the epitome of stupid.
All this murder themed music is wackjuice. Dudes need to find something else to rap about it these days. It’s really pathetic. Jay-Z and a lot these rich rap dudes still rapping about selling drugs and living in the past when they ain’t seen a crack vile in 40 years. They live in Beverly Hills man. Wake your ass up.
Our black men are out here killing each other, and harming our children and other innocent people while terrorizing the hood. Where’s the “stop the violence” rally and hit single “self destruction?? No where. These rich rap dudes don’t give a fuck about the real hood, they just want to co-sign bullshit to feel cool and support the “gangsta” mentality bullshit so they can continue to sell records and tour and fleece your pockets. Fuck them. Hiphop didn’t start out espousing hate, violence, and death. It started out as alternative party music north by soul, funk, disco and jazz. Sure, some good acts like Ice T and N.W.A. talked about that life but not to glorify it, or strictly profit from it, but tell a story and give both sides of the game, to warn the youth about the consequences of death and jail. Rapping about becoming a doctor, lawyer or a plumber just don’t sell records I guess, but instead of being logical, these clowns are advocating we not hold criminals responsible for their actions when they go on wax and admit to the crimes they do. For the record, 50 cent and Jay-Z had great runs but these dudes ain’t listening to these guys because they absent from reality. RIP Takeoff and all the others the culture lost because of senseless violence. Our poetry can be so much more but consumers did to change their expectations and the music has to evolve, not devolve. I’m disappointed by the elder rap artist taking the sides of criminals and “free speech” instead of the black community who has to live through the violence everyday and can’t afford private security.
Across America violent gangs tied to illegal drug selling use the music business to launder money, these are not real artists and should not be treated as such. They deserve zero protection under free speech laws. If they’re out in the real world murdering people and engaging in RICO level activities, their words are fair game. They are the epitome of stupid.
All this murder themed music is wackjuice. Dudes need to find something else to rap about it these days. It’s really pathetic. Jay-Z and a lot these rich rap dudes still rapping about selling drugs and living in the past when they ain’t seen a crack vile in 40 years. They live in Beverly Hills man. Wake your ass up.
Our black men are out here killing each other, and harming our children and other innocent people while terrorizing the hood. Where’s the “stop the violence” rally and hit single “self destruction?? No where. These rich rap dudes don’t give a fuck about the real hood, they just want to co-sign bullshit to feel cool and support the “gangsta” mentality bullshit so they can continue to sell records and tour and fleece your pockets. Fuck them. Hiphop didn’t start out espousing hate, violence, and death. It started out as alternative party music north by soul, funk, disco and jazz. Sure, some good acts like Ice T and N.W.A. talked about that life but not to glorify it, or strictly profit from it, but tell a story and give both sides of the game, to warn the youth about the consequences of death and jail. Rapping about becoming a doctor, lawyer or a plumber just don’t sell records I guess, but instead of being logical, these clowns are advocating we not hold criminals responsible for their actions when they go on wax and admit to the crimes they do. For the record, 50 cent and Jay-Z had great runs but these dudes ain’t listening to these guys because they absent from reality. RIP Takeoff and all the others the culture lost because of senseless violence. Our poetry can be so much more but consumers did to change their expectations and the music has to evolve, not devolve. I’m disappointed by the elder rap artist taking the sides of criminals and “free speech” instead of the black community who has to live through the violence everyday and can’t afford private security.
Across America violent gangs tied to illegal drug selling use the music business to launder money, these are not real artists and should not be treated as such. They deserve zero protection under free speech laws. If they’re out in the real world murdering people and engaging in RICO level activities, their words are fair game. They are the epitome of stupid.
All this murder themed music is wackjuice. Dudes need to find something else to rap about it these days. It’s really pathetic. Jay-Z and a lot these rich rap dudes still rapping about selling drugs and living in the past when they ain’t seen a crack vile in 40 years. They live in Beverly Hills man. Wake your ass up.
Our black men are out here killing each other, and harming our children and other innocent people while terrorizing the hood. Where’s the “stop the violence” rally and hit single “self destruction?? No where. These rich rap dudes don’t give a fuck about the real hood, they just want to co-sign bullshit to feel cool and support the “gangsta” mentality bullshit so they can continue to sell records and tour and fleece your pockets. Fuck them. Hiphop didn’t start out espousing hate, violence, and death. It started out as alternative party music north by soul, funk, disco and jazz. Sure, some good acts like Ice T and N.W.A. talked about that life but not to glorify it, or strictly profit from it, but tell a story and give both sides of the game, to warn the youth about the consequences of death and jail. Rapping about becoming a doctor, lawyer or a plumber just don’t sell records I guess, but instead of being logical, these clowns are advocating we not hold criminals responsible for their actions when they go on wax and admit to the crimes they do.
Across America violent gangs tied to illegal drug selling use the music business to launder money, these are not real artists and should not be treated as such. They deserve zero protection under free speech laws. If they’re out in the real world murdering people and engaging in RICO level activities, their words are fair game. They are the epitome of stupid.
All this murder themed music is wackjuice. Dudes need to find something else to rap about it these days. It’s really pathetic. Jay-Z and a lot these rich rap dudes still rapping about selling drugs and living in the past when they ain’t seen a crack vile in 40 years. They live in Beverly Hills man. Wake your ass up.
Our black men are out here killing each other, and harming our children and other innocent people while terrorizing the hood. Where’s the “stop the violence” rally and hit single “self destruction?? No where. These rich rap dudes don’t give a fuck about the real hood, they just want to co-sign bullshit to feel cool and support the “gangsta” mentality bullshit so they can continue to sell records and tour and fleece your pockets. Fuck them. Hiphop didn’t start out espousing hate, violence, and death. It started out as alternative party music north by soul, funk, disco and jazz. Sure, some good acts like Ice T and N.W.A. talked about that life but not to glorify it, or strictly profit from it, but tell a story and give both sides of the game, to warn the youth about the consequences of death and jail.
Across America violent gangs tied to illegal drug selling use the music business to launder money, these are not real artists and should not be treated as such. They deserve zero protection under free speech laws. If they’re out in the real world murdering people and engaging in RICO level activities, their words are fair game. They are the epitome of stupid.
All this murder themed music is wackjuice.
Our black men are out here killing each other, and harming our children and other innocent people while terrorizing the hood. Where’s the “stop the violence” rally and hit single “self destruction?? No where. These rich rap dudes don’t give a fuck about the real hood, they just want to co-sign bullshit to feel cool and support the “gangsta” mentality bullshit so they can continue to sell records and tour and fleece your pockets. Fuck them. Hiphop didn’t start out espousing hate, violence, and death. It started out as alternative party music north by soul, funk, disco and jazz. Sure, some good acts like Ice T and N.W.A. talked about that life but not to glorify it, or strictly profit from it, but tell a story and give both sides of the game, to warn the youth about the consequences of death and jail.
These young artist have warped the minds of our youth today.i believe that if what a rapper raps about such as murders selling drugs etc. Can be proven true based on his are her lyrics but not just those lyrics along then they should be held accountable, how sad and horrible must it be to a family member to have to not only lose someone but then here about it on the radio are worst confessed to and not be able to do anything about it. Is there nothing else to rap about other then the crime you have committed if that’s the case you’re in the wrong business.