Over 100 artists signed a letter published in the New York Times on Tuesday calling for an end to the use of music lyrics in criminal trials across America. The document was drafted by WMG, but was also cosigned by Sony Music Group, SiriusXM, Spotify, TikTok, and others.
Among the artists to put their names on the letter are 50 Cent, Lil Baby, J. Cole, Jack Harlow, John Legend, Killer Mike, Alicia Keys, Camila Cabello, Christina Aguilera, Coldplay, DJ Khaled, Drake, Future, and many more.
"In courtrooms across America, the trend of prosecutors using artists' creative expression against them is happening with troubling frequency," the piece begins. "Regardless of the medium - music, the visual arts, writing, television, film - fans implicitly understand that creative expression is rooted in what artists see and hear; it's a reflection of the times we live in. The final work is a product of the artist's vision and imagination."
The letter continues: "Rappers are storytellers, creating entire worlds populated with complex characters who can play both hero and villain. But more than any other art form, rap lyrics are essentially being used as confessions in an attempt to criminalize Black creativity and artistry."
From there, the letter addresses the upcoming trials of Young Thug, Gunna, and the rest of YSL. The crew is awaiting trial in a high-profile racketeering case, which is expected to use rap lyrics as evidence.
By the end of the letter, the group praised the work of Governor Gavin Newsom for recently signing a bill addressing the issue into law in California. They also noted the work of Rep. Hank Johnson and Rep. Jamaal Bowman in the U.S. Congress, who introduced the RAP (Restoring Artistic Protection) Act.
Check out the “Art on Trial: Protect Black Art” letter here.
[Via]
