Drake, Mary J. Blige, Morgan Wallen, Dozens More Artists and Companies Unite to ‘Protect Black Art’ and Restrict Use of Rap Lyrics in Court
To “Protect Black Art,” a group of professionals from the arts, business, and law published an open letter in the New York Times and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution encouraging lawmakers to restrict the use of the artistic expression as evidence against criminal defendants.
In particular, it demands an end to the insensitive practice of considering rap lyrics to be confessions.
Many artists, songwriters, industry heads, and companies have signed the letter. Public records contain more than 500 rap-related cases, and experts say this is merely the top of the iceberg.
State and federal lawmakers have introduced the RAP (Restoring Artistic Protection) Act headed up by Hank Johnson and Jamaal Bowman in the U.S. Congress. The current “Protect Black Art” petition has 65,000 signatures.
- If movie lines are not used in criminal charges, should rap lyrics?
