When Rap Lyrics Become Incriminating Speech
The use of their songs in criminal cases has had dire consequences for hip-hop musicians.
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The use of their songs in criminal cases has had dire consequences for hip-hop musicians.
Complex Original In October 2017, Lawrence Montague, a Maryland man incarcerated while awaiting trial for murder and gun-related charges, rapped a verse containing the following lyrics over a jail phone to a friend: “I’ll be playin’ the block bitch And if you ever play with me I’ll give you a dream, a couple shots snitch It’s like hockey pucks the way I dish out this It’s a .40 when that bitch goin’ hit up shit” According to court records, Montague’s friend warned him about some of the lyrics, to which Montague replied, “I’m gucci. It’s a rap. Fuck can they...