Sketch of a Courtroom- Creative Commons
“It’s a rap” is a common phrase used when something is finished. “It’s a rap song” is my take on a recent New York Times opinion article that claims rap lyrics can be used on trail to convince a jury a man is guilty. The article talks about how some courts in the US have been using rap lyrics as evidence of a crime to prosecute rappers. Lawyers claim rap songs are confessions, especially when an artist talks about doing something like shooting someone then actually does it.
Something tells me there is a first amendment freedom of speech issue here. Can courts really do this?
Well, they have, and unfortunately there are a lot of misconceptions about rap. Some artists use an aggressive tone of voice and use language that they don’t always mean literally. Sometimes they use a choice word figuratively because it is another way of finishing a rhyming clause. That is a beauty and downfall of rap, utilizing figure of speech, word play, and synonyms.
These rapping tactics, however, also expose raps flaws. As a PR representative their is almost no way to truly defend your artist if they talk about brutal and gruesome scenes of violence other than saying, “chill, it’s just song.”
One of the best traits artists can have is to be transparent with their audience and fans. To a certain extent, when an artist sells his or her music it is because they sell their self well too.
If the artist is a company and the music they make is a product, you will only buy the product if you trust the company that manufactures it. In this case, if an artist has a PR representative and your artist decides to talk about killing someone, then that is the product your artist is selling and today it could potentially get your artist in major trouble with the US court of law. Then, it will be a rap for your artists career.
Overcast! 