Rap lyrics being used against a defendant in court has been an on-going issue for decades. Now, California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed the “Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act” which prohibits the use of lyrics in court.
The California Senate and Assembly unanimously approved the measure in August. The state follows New York in prohibiting prosecutors from entering rap lyrics, which might feature threats, violent or sexual content, as evidence.
While these states have prohibited the use of lyrics, other states are yet to follow suit. There has been scrutiny in Atlanta Georgia where rappers Young Thug and Gunna face indictments with their lyrics being used as evidence in court.
Harvey Mason Jr, CEO of the Recording Academy said upon the bill:
“Today we celebrate an important victory for music creators in the state of California. Silencing any genre or form of artistic expression is a violation against all music people. The history that’s been made in California today will help pave the way forward in the fight to protect creative freedom nationwide.”
Back in May 2022, New York’s State Senate approved a similar bill to limit prosecutors’ use of song lyrics, more specifically rap lyrics, alongside other forms of creative expression. California has become the first state in the nation to limit the use of rap lyrics in a trial.
