New York’s state Senate has passed the “Rap Music on Trial” bill

by

Jay-Z, left, and Meek Mill make an announcement of the launch of Dream Chasers record label in joint venture with Roc Nation, at the Roc Nation headquarters on Tuesday, July 23, 2019, in New York. (Photo by Greg Allen/Invision/AP)
Reading Time: < 1 minute

New York’s state Senate has passed the “Rap Music on Trial” bill that will not ban song lyrics from being used as evidence in court. However, it would limit the use of “creative expression” as evidence of a crime.

According to Pitchfork, on May 17, Senate Bill S7527 “would not ban prosecutors from presenting lyrics or other material to a jury, but would require them to show that the work is “literal, rather than figurative or fictional.”

Meek Mill, Killer Mike, Fat Joe, Robin Thicke, and other artists have each publicly supported the bill.

In Jan. 2022, Jay-Z’s lawyer issued a letter to state lawmakers urging for the bill to be passed.

Click ▶️ to listen to Clay Cane’s AURN News report:

advanced divider
advanced divider