Ruling leads to claims that BG’s right to free speech unfairly challenged in another case putting rap lyrics on trial

A US federal judge has refused prosecutors’ request to prohibit the maker of the 1990s rap classic Bling Bling “from promoting and glorifying future gun violence/murder” in songs and at concerts while on supervised release from prison, saying such a restriction could violate his constitutional right to free speech.

But the artist known as BG must provide the government with copies of any songs he writes moving forward, ahead of their production or promotion – and, if they are deemed to be inconsistent with his goals of rehabilitation, prosecutors could move to toughen the terms governing his supervised release.

He had to return to court in his hometown of New Orleans after prosecutors asked Judge Morgan to require him to refrain “from promoting and glorifying future gun violence/murder” as well as threats against people who cooperate with the police in songs and at concerts, among other requests.

  • TemutheeChallahmet [none/use name]
    ·
    5 months ago

    Yeah without a doubt the ruling is based on racism, but I wish people didn't just treat a rapper who heavily contributed to the corrosive materialism and misogyny in hip hop for his own gain to the tune of millions of dollars as some dissident poet or something. Most of popular hip-hop is reactionary and attempts to make poor black people feel personal shame for being poor, and this is literally the guy who pioneered "Bling Bling."

    We love talking about CIA conspiracies but CIA could not have asked for a better psyop to fracture black solidarity and social mobility than the Cash Money Records brand of rap music. Even their in-house producer, Mannie Fresh, sometimes asks if they ruined rap music. And again, I am saying this as somebody who has listened to most of the stuff they've put out.