On July 27, Democrats introduced the Restoring Artistic Protection Act to limit the use of lyrics and artistic expression as evidence in criminal cases.
The act follows the arrests and charges against Atlanta rappers Young Thug and Gunna this year, as prosecutors are using their lyrics against them.
The introduction of the bill comes after Gunna was denied bond for a second time on July 7, and he remains in custody on racketeering charges. In his case, charges were based on his lyrics.
If the bill is passed, prosecutors in criminal cases and lawyers in civil cases will be restricted from using song lyrics against musicians.
United States Rep. Jamaal Bowman, said: “Our judicial system disparately criminalizes Black and brown lives, including Black and brown creativity. We cannot imprison our talented artists for expressing their experiences nor will we let their creativity be suppressed.”
