This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Charis Kubrin, a renown specialist in criminology and law, shares with passion and mastery a story of Rap on trial that elucidates the fundamental issues our society faces in relation to freedom of speech, liberty, equality and justice.
Op-Eds/Features/Podcasts
Rap on Trial- Decriminalizing Artistic Expression, Look West podcast, April 2023.
Under the recently enacted Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act, written by Assemblymember Reginald Jones-Sawyer (D-South Los Angeles), artists, particularly rap music artists, will not have their work used against them in a courtroom in California as a sole way of connecting them with a crime. In this episode of the Look West podcast Assemblymember Jones-Sawyer sits down with Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, GRAMMY – Award winning hip-hop icon and Founder and CEO of Rock the Bells LL COOL J, and Professor of Criminology, Law and Society Charis E. Kubrin. In a very animated conversation they talk about why this new law is so important, what it means for creative expression and avoiding implicit bias in the treatment of artists, particularly young men of color.
Convicted for Rap Lyrics, Los Angeles Daily Journal 132(31):1., February 2019.
Rap on Trial: How an Aspiring Musician’s Words Led to Prison Time, NPR, May 2018.
A Potential Censorship or Criminalization of Rap Music, New York Times, December 2014.
Will Top Court Challenge Prosecution of Rap?, CNN, June 2014.
Rap Lyrics or True Threats? It’s Time for the High Court to Decide, Forbes, May 2014.
A New California trend — Prosecuting Rap, Los Angeles Times, April 2014.
Rap Lyrics on Trial, New York Times, January 2014.
Talks
Presentation at the UCI Center for Psychology & Law Rap On Trial event. For more information, please visit: http://psychlaw.soceco.uci.edu.
“New Tools for Challenging Rap Lyrics and Videos in the Courtroom.” Contra Costa Public Defenders, March 7.
“Rap Lyrics in Criminal Cases: Autobiographical Confessions of Illegal Behavior or Artistic Expression?” Fowler School of Law, Chapman University, February 24.
“When Your Client’s Art is Used as Evidence: AB2799, Rap and Freedom of Artistic Expression.” Los Angeles County Public Defender, Juvenile Services Division, May 2023.
“Rap Lyrics on Trial.” University of California of the Law, San Francisco, March 2023.
“New Tools for Challenging Rap Lyrics in the Courtroom.” Office of the State Public Defender, January 2023.
“Rap on Trial.” New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, April 2022.
“Rap on Trial.” Annual Meeting of the National Association of Public Defenders, March 2022.
“Rap on Trial: A Legal Guide for Attorneys.” Office of the State Public Defender, January 2022.
“Rap on Trial: A Legal Guide for Attorneys.” Minnesota Public Defender’s Office, October 2021.
“Rap on Trial.” Department of Art, Music and Theater, University of Illinois, Springfield, October 2021.
“Rap on Trial.” Centre for Evidence and Criminal Justice Studies, Northumbria University, February 2021.
“Rap on Trial.” Federal Public Defender’s Office, Central District of California, February 2018.
“Rap on Trial.” Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Montana State University, September 2017.
“Rap on Trial.” Pillars of the Community, DocumentMe Conference, San Diego, August 2017.
“Rap on Trial.” Department of Sociology, Dartmouth College, April 2017.
“Rap on Trial.” Los Angeles Institute for the Humanities, University of Southern California, March 2017.
“Rap on Trial.” Department of Sociology, University of Iowa, December 2016.
“Rap, Race, and the Reproduction of Inequality.” Museum of Man in conjunction with their exhibit, Race: Are We So Different?, May 2016.
“Rap Lyrics on Trial.” University of California, Irvine, School of Law, October 2015.
“Prosecuting Rap: Raising Public Awareness and Ensuring Fair Trials.” American Studies, University of Manchester, October 2015.
“Rap on Trial: ‘For Every Rhyme I Write, It’s 25 to Life.’” Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Georgia State University, August 2015.
“Rap Lyrics on Trial.” Appellate Judicial Attorneys Institute, April 2015.
“Rap Lyrics on Trial.” Pittsburgh Humanities Festival, March 2015.
“‘For Every Rhyme I Write, It’s 25 to Life’: Rap on Trial.” University of Colorado, Boulder, Department of Sociology, March 2015.
“‘For Every Rhyme I Write, It’s 25 to Life’: Rap on Trial.” University of Missouri, St. Louis, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, February 2015.
“Art or Confession? Using Rap Lyrics as Evidence in Criminal Trials.” Criminal Justice Research Center, Ohio State University, September 2014.
“The Threatening Nature of…Rap Music?.” TEDx OrangeCoast, September 2014.
“‘For Every Rhyme I Write, It’s 25 to Life’: Rap Lyrics Stand Trial.” American Sociological Association, August 2014.
“Rap on Trial.” Virginia DUI Drug Treatment Court Training: Advancing Recovery & Solutions, August 2014.
“Rap on Trial.” Rutgers University, School of Criminal Justice, April 2014.
“Rap on Trial.” Center for Psychology and the Law, University of California, Irvine, January 2014.