California Signs Landmark Rap Lyrics Bill: How Will This Benefit Gunna, Young Thug?

The State of California is inking a new landmark legislation preventing prosecutors from using rap lyrics as evidence in court.

California follows the suit of New York, which has introduced the Rap on Trial Bill, which also protects artists from the same legal practice.

In the past months, rappers have pushed back and called for lawmakers' help to grant them protection from prosecution to use their creative works as evidence against them as a basis for the indictment, arrest, and even conviction.

Recently, Gunna and Young Thug's arrest in Georgia marks the biggest case so far to have used their lyrics as a basis for indictment in the massive Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) case they are embroiled in.

California Rap Lyrics Bill Heads to Governor Newsom

After the California State Senate unanimously approved AB 2799, also known as the California Rap Lyrics Bill, the landmark legislation that would help rappers in legal heat, now heads the table of Governor Gavin Newsom.

Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is expected to sign the bill into law, further protecting artists in the state from unjust prosecution.

According to Billboard, the California Rap Lyrics Bill, should it be turned into law, would effectively ban rap lyrics from the court proceedings until only the prosecuting lawyers can provide direct evidence that it is important to the facts of the case.

Notable, the California Rap Lyrics Bill prevents the prosecution from "injecting racial bias" into play to sway the jury or strengthen the case against the convicted. So far, most, if not all, prosecuted rappers whose lyrics were used against them in court are African-American; thereby, racial bias is very imminent.

The New York version of the law was passed in the Senate but failed to make it past the State Assembly. (via NME)

How Will California Rap Lyrics Bill Help Gunna, Young Thug?

The California Rap Lyrics bill could not directly help Gunna and Young Thug since they were prosecuted in a different state, Georgia.

But, should the bill finally be inked into law in one of the biggest states in the country, this could put pressure on lawmakers and grassroots leaders across the nation, especially in Georgia, to follow suit.

Meanwhile, Congressmen from Georgia and New York introduced the RAP Act Bill in Congress last July. Should this turn into full-blown federal law, this promise limits the admissibility of evidence of an accused "creative or artistic expression" against them in a criminal proceeding and for other legal purposes.

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California, Rap, Young Thug