Jay-Z and Meek Mill urged New York lawmakers to stop using rap lyrics in court

Jay-Z and Meek Mill are supporting a proposed New York state law that would prevent lyrics from being used in trials.

Rappers have also joined other artists, including Fat Joe, Big Sean, Kelly Rowland and Robinsick in pleading with lawmakers to sign the Rap Music Trials act (S.7527/A.8681) and turn it into law.

A letter by people from Jay Z's lawyer Alex Sparrow and University of Richmond Professor Eric Nielson explained, "Reform is desperately needed. ”

The letter said the police and prosecutors believed that the lyrics should be interpreted literally—in the words of one prosecutor, rather than acknowledging rap music as an artistic expression as an 'autobiographical journal'—although the genre was rooted in a long tradition of storytelling with the privilege of figurative language, was full of exaggeration, and employed all the same poetic means we find in more traditional poetic works. ”

The letter continues: "This tactic effectively deprives rap music of its artistic status and, in the process, gives prosecutors a dangerous advantage in court. ”。“ By using rapping lyrics as rhyming confessions for illegal acts, they are often able to obtain convictions, even in the absence of other evidence. ”

Senator Brad Hoyleman (D-Manhattan), Senator Jamaal Bailey (D-TheBronx) and Congressman Katarina Cruz (D-Queens) were first nominated in November and passed the New York Senate Code Committee on Tuesday. The Rolling Stones cast a unanimous vote in the Senate

The bill aims to limit the admissibility of defendant music as evidence during criminal trials. Under the draft legislation, the bill would require prosecutors to provide "clear and convincing" evidence that the defendant's creative work was "literal, not figurative or fictitious."

"Our lyrics are a form of creative self-expression and entertainment — just like any other genre." We want our words to be recognized as art, not weaponized, for conviction in court. Fat Joe told reporters

"I hope the governor and all lawmakers in New York take our letter into account, protect our artistic rights, and make the right decision to pass this bill." He added.

In a statement, Senator Bailey said the new bill would require prosecutors to present "a strong factual connection between art and the facts of the case," rather than their music to create a theory.

"Presuming a defendant solely on the basis of musical genre or creative expression runs counter to our fundamental rights and perpetuates systemic racism in the criminal justice system, which conflates discrimination with crime through hip hop and rap," the senator added Tuesday.