Hip hop icons including Jay-Z have spoken out against the state of New York for allowing rap lyrics to be used as evidence during criminal trials.<\/h2>\n
Jay-Z<\/a>, Meek Mill, Kelly Rowland, and Killer Mike<\/a> are among the artists who have signed a letter, pleading for New York\u2019s legal system<\/a> to introduce legislation that would prevent prosecutors from using lyrics from rap songs as evidence in court.<\/p>\n Under the proposed law, the only time rap lyrics could be presented to a jury is when there is \u201cclear and convincing proof\u201d<\/em> that the lyrics are describing a genuine crime.<\/p>\n The legislation is titled, \u2018Rap Music on Trial\u2019 and argues that creativity is stifled by the potential of a criminal conviction. The law was first proposed in November by state senators Brad Hoylman and Jamaal Bailey.<\/p>\n \u201cThe right to free speech is enshrined in our federal and state constitutions,\u201d<\/em> Bailey said. \u201cThe admission of art as criminal evidence only serves to erode this fundamental right, and the use of rap and hip-hop lyrics in particular is emblematic of the systemic racism<\/a> that permeates our criminal justice system.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n It\u2019s evident that there\u2019s racial prejudice involved, especially when you consider that every second white comedian\u2019s stand-up set revolves around taking drugs, or jokes about committing paedophilia.<\/p>\n In multiple prominent cases involving rappers, prosecutors have used the defendant\u2019s lyrics against them in court. In 2017, US rapper Tay-K was convicted for murder after his hit song, The Race<\/em> and the accompanying video were used as evidence to argue his guilt.<\/p>\n Drakeo the Ruler also had lyrics used as evidence during his murder trial, but he was eventually acquitted.<\/p>\n Abenaa Owusu-Bempah, a professor of law at the London School of Economics, has studied 30 appeal judgments between 2005 and 2020. Her research found that \u201cprosecutors can use lyrics and videos to tell a story of a dangerous rapper that reflects longstanding stereotypes about Black males as criminals.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n But if this legislation is passed, it could be huge for hip hop artists worldwide. Jay-Z\u2019s lawyer, Alex Spiro said, \u201cBy changing the law here, you do a lot of good for the cases that it affects, but you also send a message that progress is coming. We expect it will be followed in a lot of places.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Jay-Z\"](\"https:\/\/happymag.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Jay-Z.png\")