Rap artists of color are being criminalized by prosecutors misinterpreting their lyrics and not recognizing it as an art form for free speech.
For some rappers, their music is an artistic alternative to the violence seen in communities of color, where they can shine a spotlight on issues of police brutality, poverty, violence, and mass incarceration. However, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors are using rap music lyrics against rappers themselves, as a method to connect criminal intent in cases of drug abuse, gang violence, and murder.
Recently, California passed Assembly Bill 2799 — also known as the Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act — preventing prosecutors from criminalizing Black and brown artistic expression. How will laws like this protect the civil liberties of artists of color and prohibit racial bias within the criminal justice system?
This week on Basic Black, we discuss how courts are using rap lyrics against rappers of color. Host Callie Crossley will be joined by: Renée Graham, associate editor and opinion columnist for The Boston Globe’s op-ed page; Michael P. Jeffries, professor and Dean of Academic Affairs at Wellesley College; Danielle Scott — aka “Queen D.” — an MC and professor in the Ensemble Department at Berklee College of Music; and Traci Griffith, director of the Racial Justice Program of the ACLU Massachusetts.
Watch the latest episode of Basic Black tonight at 7:30 p.m. on GBH 2 or live at the stream below. You can also watch on the GBH News YouTube channel. Subscribe to get notifications for future premiere episodes.
