Media Coverage
The use of rap lyrics in criminal cases has been featured prominently in a variety of news media outlets. Some examples:
Rap v United States, The Progressive Magazine, Dec. 2022.
Sidebar: Rap Lyrics, Criminal Prosecutions and the First Amendment, Courthouse News Service, Sept. 2022.
California Bill Could Restrict The Use of Rap Lyrics in Court, The New York Times, August 2022.
Should Rap Lyrics Be Admissible in Court, Smithsonian Magazine, August 2022.
UCI Experts Produce Guide for Defense Attorneys Fighting Use of Rap Lyrics in Trials, UCI News, 2021.
Rap on Trial: Will Keep It Real Put You in Jail?, Legal Talk Today, August 2021.
UC Irvine Profs Talk ‘Rap On Trial,’ Criminalization Of Black Art, Law360, July 2021.
Nipsey Hussle’s Death Capped a Notably Violent Week in Los Angeles — 26 shootings, 10 homicides, Washington Post, April 2019.
Rap is Art. So Why Do Some Academics Still Feel as if They Need to Defend It?, Chronicle of Higher Education, July 2018.
Rap on Trial: How an Aspiring Musician’s Words Led to Prison Time, Hidden Brain, NPR, March 2018.
Experts Decry Increasing Use of Rap Lyrics in Criminal Trials, Courthouse News Service, September 2017.
In Canada, Prosecutors are Using Suspects’ Own Rap Lyrics to Win Convictions, Los Angeles Times, October 2016.
Rap Music Remains Uniquely Threatening, Pacific Standard Magazine, September 2016.
Murder Was the Case: Feds Using Rap Music as Evidence in Major New Orleans Gang Trials, Genius, May 2016.
Rap Lyrics are Being Used as Evidence in a “Criminalization of Culture”, BuzzFeed, March 2016.
Killer Mike is defending rap as an art form to the Supreme Court. Here’s why, Vox, December 2015.
UC Irvine hip-hop professor seeks poetic justice, The Orange County Register, December 2015.
The Rap Bias, Orange Coast Magazine, October 2015.
Gangsta Rap is Still Protected Speech, The Orange County Register, September 2015.
What the Supreme Court Didn’t Say About Rap, Time, June 2015.
What Happens When Lyrics Are Treated As Evidence?, Huffington Post Live, April 2015.
Amicus: Rapper’s Intent, Slate, December 2014.
Will The Supreme Court Protect Online Threats?, Huffington Post Live, December 2014.
Killer or Artist? Why Rap is on Trial, ReasonTV, November, 2014.
New Jersey High Court Rules Lyrics Inadmissible in Rapper’s Case, New York Times, August 2014.
Anything You Can Spit Can Be Used Against You, NPR, August 2014.
Hip-Hop Is on Trial in America, Vice Magazine, May 2014.
Rap Lyrics Take the Stand, Studio 360, April 2014.
Legal Debate on Using Boastful Rap Lyrics as a Smoking Gun, The New York Times, March 2014.
Justice Is Served, Black Hollywood Live, March 2014.
Should Rap Lyrics Be Allowed as Evidence in the Courtroom, CBS News, March 2014.
Your Rap Lyrics Can Be Held Against You in a Court of Law, Mother Jones, March 2014.
Rap Lyrics in Court, KCRW, Feb 2014.
Should Rap Lyrics Be Used As Criminal Evidence?, Huffington Post Live, January 2014.
New Jersey Supreme Court to decide if rap lyrics can be used as evidence, CBC Radio, January 2014.
Rap Lyrics as Evidence, On the Media, NPR, January 2014.
UCI Experts Produce Guide for Defense Attorneys Fighting Use of Rap Lyrics in Trials, UCI News, 2021.
Rap on Trial: Will Keep It Real Put You in Jail?, Legal Talk Today, August 2021.
UC Irvine Profs Talk ‘Rap On Trial,’ Criminalization Of Black Art, Law360, July 2021.
Nipsey Hussle’s Death Capped a Notably Violent Week in Los Angeles — 26 shootings, 10 homicides, Washington Post, April 2019.
Rap is Art. So Why Do Some Academics Still Feel as if They Need to Defend It?, Chronicle of Higher Education, July 2018.
Rap on Trial: How an Aspiring Musician’s Words Led to Prison Time, Hidden Brain, NPR, March 2018.
Experts Decry Increasing Use of Rap Lyrics in Criminal Trials, Courthouse News Service, September 2017.
In Canada, Prosecutors are Using Suspects’ Own Rap Lyrics to Win Convictions, Los Angeles Times, October 2016.
Rap Music Remains Uniquely Threatening, Pacific Standard Magazine, September 2016.
Murder Was the Case: Feds Using Rap Music as Evidence in Major New Orleans Gang Trials, Genius, May 2016.
Rap Lyrics are Being Used as Evidence in a “Criminalization of Culture”, BuzzFeed, March 2016.
Killer Mike is defending rap as an art form to the Supreme Court. Here’s why, Vox, December 2015.
UC Irvine hip-hop professor seeks poetic justice, The Orange County Register, December 2015.
The Rap Bias, Orange Coast Magazine, October 2015.
Gangsta Rap is Still Protected Speech, The Orange County Register, September 2015.
What the Supreme Court Didn’t Say About Rap, Time, June 2015.
What Happens When Lyrics Are Treated As Evidence?, Huffington Post Live, April 2015.
Amicus: Rapper’s Intent, Slate, December 2014.
Will The Supreme Court Protect Online Threats?, Huffington Post Live, December 2014.
Killer or Artist? Why Rap is on Trial, ReasonTV, November, 2014.
New Jersey High Court Rules Lyrics Inadmissible in Rapper’s Case, The New York Times, August 2014.
Anything You Can Spit Can Be Used Against You, NPR, August 2014.
Hip-Hop Is on Trial in America, Vice Magazine, May 2014.
Rap Lyrics Take the Stand, Studio 360, April 2014.
Legal Debate on Using Boastful Rap Lyrics as a Smoking Gun, The New York Times, March 2014.
Justice Is Served, Black Hollywood Live, March 2014.
Should Rap Lyrics Be Allowed as Evidence in the Courtroom, CBS News, March 2014.
Your Rap Lyrics Can Be Held Against You in a Court of Law, Mother Jones, March 2014.
Rap Lyrics in Court, KCRW, Feb 2014.
Should Rap Lyrics Be Used As Criminal Evidence?, Huffington Post Live, January 2014.
New Jersey Supreme Court to decide if rap lyrics can be used as evidence, CBC Radio, January 2014.
Rap Lyrics as Evidence, On the Media, NPR, January 2014.