How do you guys feel about prosecutors using rap lyrics in indictments?

[marikomorose]

so NOTHING is off limits to you?

pretty much.

You can use that rationale for literally any piece of evidence.

"The cops shouldn't be able to use this text message as evidence. What if they didn't send it at all?"

"Cops shouldn't be able to use this blood evidence. What if they didn't drop the blood there at all?"

I just don't agree w/ censoring art (this is an attempt to). I'd advise prosecutors to stop being lazy & not attempt to lean on rap lyrics as a crutch to not do their job.

Songwriting is highly imaginative, so you could be investigating someone something that lived and died in their mind.

 

[moonman818]

pretty much.

I just don't agree w/ censoring art (this is an attempt to). I'd advise prosecutors to stop being lazy & not attempt to lean on rap lyrics as a crutch to not do their job.

Maybe I'm confused, but are ya'll saying that rappers are being convicted based on their lyrics and no evidence?

 

[marikomorose]

Maybe I'm confused, but are ya'll saying that rappers are being convicted based on their lyrics and no evidence?

I’m not saying that anyone is being convicted. I was responding to the thread title.

I’m against song lyrics being used as judicial evidence. Use the songs to find and or build judicial evidence.

 

[DCAllAfrican]

I get the idea of not wanting to censor art, but that doesn't mean said art should be free of consequence. (See Chappelle thread for a 100+ page convo on this topic)

 

[marikomorose]

The type of art they’re prosecuting doesn’t go without consequences.

 

[moonman818]

I’m against song lyrics being used as judicial evidence. Use the songs to find and or build judicial evidence.

Is this not what they’re doing?

If you’re caught admitting to crimes that’s evidence.

 

[DCAllAfrican]

I guess I am just confused as to why you (or anyone) believes someone that DOES commit a crime shouldn't have their lyrics used as evidence.

Again, nobody told you to out it over a beat.

 

[Present]

1994 Crime Bill all over again...y'all trust them folk if you want too

 

[marikomorose]

Is this not what they’re doing?

If you’re caught admitting to crimes that’s evidence.

Find clues to the evidences not use songs as evidence.

 

[letsgetit22]

Find clues to the evidences not use songs as evidence.

But if Johnny was killed on 29th street and you make a song saying I lit up Johnny with the Johnny on 29th street, shouldn't a prosecutor be able to use that as evidence?
Also, aren't they only able to use lyrics as additional evidence and not necessarily the main or only evidence?

 

[smedroc]

Need to start opening up some of these crime scenes as installations so the art can TRULY be appreciated

 

[ace]

I’m not saying that anyone is being convicted. I was responding to the thread title.

I’m against song lyrics being used as judicial evidence. Use the songs to find and or build judicial evidence.

Bruh the lyrics are only there to support the evidence that's already been collected.

Like in thugs case, he says in a song "I ain't kill nobody, but I got something to do with that body" then it comes out that he allegedly paid for the rental in Big Nut's murder. The lyrics don't make the case but it strengthens the argument. Nobody goes to jail off lyrics, you still need proof, eye witnesses, etc…

 

[marikomorose]

Bruh the lyrics are only there to support the evidence that's already been collected.

Like in thugs case, he says in a song "I ain't kill nobody, but I got something to do with that body" then it comes out that he allegedly paid for the rental in Big Nut's murder. The lyrics don't make the case but it strengthens the argument. Nobody goes to jail off lyrics, you still need proof, eye witnesses, etc…

He could’ve been talking about Sex.

 

[finessence]

He could’ve been talking about Sex.

Explain him renting a car (in his name) from Hertz, that was used during the commission of a crime…..

He either gotta snitch or own up to being an accessory

 

[703 hwy]

Jay Z and Meek Mill want a bill against rap lyrics to basically save these rappers from their own stupidity. I get it but come on man if you’re self snitching you just gotta eat that. The police are doing their job it’s just getting a whole lot easier. Instead of looking for the needle in the haystack they’re directing you right to it. Clout is a hellavu drug.

 

[Rootin4EverybodyBlack]

I’m not about to defend these ****** being idiots. Some of these rappers get VERY specific in their lyrics just for clout. If they had any talent or bars this wouldn’t be a problem…

 

[wayniac211]

Man, this reminds me of Brotha Lynch's homie X Raided. That dumbass killed someone, wrote a song about it with details that only the murderer/police knew, AND he put the damn murder weapon on the cover of his album!

X-Raided - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

That song had nothing to do with the murder though.

 

[ahat]

 

[heelsandeers]

A lot of oddly placed faith in judges/juries to get it right. Black people make up something like 50% of wrongful conviction exonerations in the US

In a perfect world there would be no problem with using rap lyrics in court. In reality the discriminatory effects out weigh whatever value they provide to a jury

 

[finessence]

Jay Z and Meek Mill want a bill against rap lyrics to basically save these rappers from their own stupidity. I get it but come on man if you’re self snitching you just gotta eat that. The police are doing their job it’s just getting a whole lot easier. Instead of looking for the needle in the haystack they’re directing you right to it. Clout is a hellavu drug.

If you let n_ that look like this rob you, you deserve it

 

[VARNELL HILL]

I’m not about to defend these ****** being idiots. Some of these rappers get VERY specific in their lyrics just for clout. If they had any talent or bars this wouldn’t be a problem…

 

[Raji Lowenthal]

Which also makes the, "Vlad is the feds" comments funny because dudes go on THERE talking about their personal affairs.

Snitching on yourself is cool, snitching on others is a problem it seems.

 

[finessence]

Snitching on yourself is cool, snitching on others is a problem it seems.

….. uhhh.. yeah. It’s called TAKING your charge. That’s the point. Own up to your wrongdoing or charge while not implicating anyone else. That’s exactly the gist of “not snitching”…

“Officer, that was my gun and my weed. Those are my pills also” and keep quiet about anyone else. That’s how it’s supposed to go

When you’re in front of those people, you aren’t supposed to discuss anyone except yourself.

That’s why most people are better suited for the civilian life because they don’t know what the hell to do when law enforcement puts that pressure on them. Especially this younger generation. There are more crash dummies than kingpins in every hood. It’s always been that way.

 

[Raji Lowenthal]

….. uhhh.. yeah. It’s called TAKING your charge. That’s the point. Own up to your wrongdoing or charge while not implicating anyone else. That’s exactly the gist of “not snitching”…

“Officer, that was my gun and my weed. Those are my pills also” and keep quiet about anyone else. That’s how it’s supposed to go

When you’re in front of those people, you aren’t supposed to discuss anyone except yourself.

That’s why most people are better suited for the civilian life because they don’t know what the hell to do when law enforcement puts that pressure on them. Especially this younger generation. There are more crash dummies than kingpins in every hood. It’s always been that way.

Then whats the problem with lyrics as evidence?

 

[finessence]

Then whats the problem with lyrics as evidence?

When did I ever say I disagreed with lyrics as evidence? You must’ve not have seen my posts in here. I’m not a detractor or in disagreement with it