New Orleans rapper B.G., whose real name is Christopher Dorsey, will have to submit his lyrics for government review as a condition of his supervised release. U.S. District Court Judge Susie Morgan imposed this requirement on July 2, 2023.
B.G. was released in September 2023 after serving over a decade in prison. Prosecutors argued that his music, which often references violence and criminal activity, could hinder his rehabilitation.
They specifically requested that B.G. refrain from “promoting and glorifying future gun violence/murder” in his lyrics or performances.
The rapper’s legal team is concerned about the potential violation of his First Amendment right to free speech. The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) has also expressed concerns, arguing that the ruling sets a dangerous precedent.
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B.G came under the scrutiny of Government officers after he released an album with Gucci Mane. Gucci Mane, a fellow rapper, is also under supervised release. They are therefore subject to “refrain from … associating unnecessarily with” those who have prior felony convictions, among other conditions, according to officials. To which they both have faulted.
After being summoned by the New Orleans court, B.G was told that some of his recent lyrics echo the misconduct that led him to become arrested in the first instance. Furthermore, the prosecutors said his lyrics “are inconsistent with the goals of rehabilitation.”
Similar instances of rap lyrics being used as evidence in court
Other artistes like Jay-Z, Megan Thee Stallion, and Coldplay have expressed their disagreement with this practice of using rap lyrics as evidence in the United States (US) criminal court. They argue that this practice specifically targets Black artistes.
A prime example of this is the ongoing case of rapper Young Thug. Prosecutors sought to introduce lyrics from seventeen songs in his RICO trial, arguing they connected him to gang activity. Although the outcome regarding the lyrics’ admissibility is still ongoing.
The debate on rap lyrics in court is likely to continue as prosecutors seek ways to connect lyrics to criminal activity, while artistes fight to protect their free speech.
While the U.S government maintains this is necessary to ensure rapper B.G.’s successful reintegration into society. The decision has been met with a lot of questions and suspicions.
