The thug youthMusic has been called to music as jury selection for his trial begins this week with the judge reciting some of his words in court.
Consequently 11 districtOn Wednesday (January 4), prospective jurors watched a three-hour video of Judge Oral Glanville reading the sweeping indictment that saw 28 Young Stoner Life (YSL) affiliates arrested under Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) charges.
The reading included selected lyrics from Thugger's 2016 single "Slime Shit," which prosecutors sought to include as evidence, and described the music released by the YSL crew as "overt acts of conspiracy furtherance," WSB-TV reports.
In a clip that appeared on social media, Glanville can be seen reciting the song's hook, which hears Young Thug rap: "Hey, that sticky shit, hey/Y SL shit, hey/Killin' 12 fuck, hey/Fuck the shit in jail, hey/...white brick cooking, hey, hey/ […] I'm not new to this, and hey, I'm so honest about this, I brought a whole slime on my hennid lick."
Judge Glanville also read out lyrics from the actual song verses by Lil' Duke, Peewee Roscoe and Yak Gotti, including: "Slime or slimming/ […] In VIP, I got that gun on my hip / You pray 'that you live / I pray 'that I hit / […] Hey, this sticky shit/fuck it, fuck the police (damn it), high speed."
The thug youth The lawyers filed a motion last November asking for the songs to be disqualifiedLyrics, music videos and social posts were part of the evidence at trial.
The judge at Young Thug's trial recites his words from "Slime Sh*t" out loud during the court session. pic.twitter.com/nctL4Z4k0c
- Say cheese! (SaycheeseDGTL) January 6, 2023
Acceptance and use of these poems/poetry/art vs [Young Thug] At his next trial it would be a violation of the constitution and an abuse of discretion, deeply biased and unconstitutional.” “Moreover, the use of these words/poetry/art/speech against [Young Thug] Racist and discriminatory because the jury will be severely poisoned and prejudiced by these words/poetry/art/speech.”
However, the claim defends Their use of words in the courtroom Because they believe Thug's words are "to maintain, protect and enhance the company's reputation, authority and territory". [YSL]. "
The use of Young Thug's music in this trial arrives at a time when the topic of rap lyrics as forensic evidence is at the forefront of many conversations across the country.
In September 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed on Artistic Expression Decriminalization Act (AB 2799)effectively banning rap lyrics from being used as evidence in court and making California the first state to pass such a law.
the The New York Senate attempted to pass a similar bill In May last year but failed to obtain approval from the State Council. Weeks later, 300 Entertainment CEO Kevin Liles and Atlantic Records COO Julie Greenwald launched a petition titled "Rap on Experiment: Protecting Black Art,” which focused on the way prosecutors continually attempted to use hip-hop lyrics in the courtroom.
The petition clearly states how Young Thug, Jonahand YSL Collective fell victim to this prosecution tactic during the ongoing RICO case.
"In the indictment, Fulton County prosecutors argue that words such as 'ready for war like Russia' are an admission of criminal intent," the petition states.
In November 2022, Warner Music Group, Sony Music, and Universal Music Group wrote an open letter published as an op-ed in New York times and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution titled Art on Trial: Protecting Black Artwhich included signatures from artists such as 50 centsAnd J ColeAnd Travis ScottAnd Post MaloneAnd Alicia KeysAnd Megan Thee Stallion and more.
YFN Lucci's trial for murder and robbery has been delayed due to petty thuggery
The message has also been supported by other major companies including Spotify, TikTok and YouTube Music. The contents of the letter called on the plaintiffs to stop using rap as evidence in trials, and for lawmakers at the state and federal levels to limit the amount of such work that could be used against the defendants.
“In courtrooms across America, the trend for prosecutors to use the creative expression of artists against them is occurring at an alarming pace,” the letter reads. “Rappers are storytellers, creating entire worlds filled with complex characters who can play hero and villain. But more than any other art form, rap lyrics are mainly used as confessions in an effort to criminalize creativity and black art.”
Noting the "apparent disregard" for freedom of speech, the letter continued: "Using lyricism against artists in this way is un-American and simply wrong."
2 chainsAnd John legendAnd Killer MikeAnd Mary J Blige He also signed the letter. in january, Jay-Z, Kelly Rowland, and Meek Mill They did the same when they supported banning rap lyrics as evidence in criminal cases.
Jury selection for the Young Thug trial is expected to last five to six weeks. As part of the process, prospective jurors were asked to fill out a 250-question questionnaire to help the court determine their eligibility.
While Several members of the YSL crew have accepted plea bargains On the RICO case, 13 more will be tried alongside Thug.
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