According to Rolling Stone, JAY-Z is leading a group of celebrities in a push to eliminate rap lyrics being used to incriminate people, and to treat them exclusively as artistic expression.
Meek Mill, Big Sean, Fat Joe, Yo Gotti and Killer Mike, Kelly Rowland and Robin Thicke are a few names of the stars who have supports JAY in this effort. The hope is to have a New York state law that will prevent prosecutors from trying to use rap songs as evidence of alleged crimes.
The “Rap Music on Trial” (S.7527/A.8681) is the name of the bill that has been shared in a letter with signatures from a host of celebrities. The group in protest is urging state Gov. Kathy Hochul and her constituents to pass the bill.
The legislation aims to limit the admissibility of a defendant’s music or other “creative expression” as evidence shown to a jury.
The bill would force prosecutors to provide “clear and convincing evidence” that a defendant’s creative expression, such as a rap song, is “literal, rather than figurative or fictional.”
