This article reflects on the ability of juries to use hip hop lyrics as evidence in court trials. In several cases, the prosecutor of a trial has used the defendant’s hip hop lyrics as supportive evidence towards a crime that had allegedly been committed. This has helped lock up many rappers over the years, including the likes of Lil Boosie and C-Murder. The prosecutors claim that since the suspect has been caught writing lyrics that suggest a violent nature, they are likely to have committed the crime. However, the article suggests that such practice is not always just because it is presented to the jury and judge with considerable bias.
It is true that a person’s poetic creations, in the form of hip hop lyrics, can often reflect the personal nature of the artist. However, as all forms of art, it is up to the reader to interpret the lyrics. Although hip hop lyrics can often seem straightforward, they are often metaphoric and not spoken from the point of view of the artist. In addition, hip hop culture tends to feature a considerable amount of violence and criminal affiliation. Such lyrics, however, are often a misrepresentation of the artist. Many hip hop “emcees” often rap about such subjects due to the presence of such factors in the many urban neighbourhoods that are often home to hip hop artists. It should also be noted that most judges and lawyers come from more “well-off” backgrounds, and have not been exposed to the urban culture that is often featured in hip hop. This prevents them from interpreting the lyrics in the manner that the artist meant for them to be understood, and can form a biased misrepresentation against the artist. An artist’s lyrics should be able to be used in court to form some representation of their character, but this must be done carefully. Similarly, lyrics should not be able to be used as the main source of evidence that would incarcerate an individual.
No comments:
Post a Comment