(New York) Will Young Thug’s song lyrics carry weight in his organized crime trial? The substantive proceedings begin on Monday in the case targeting this very influential figure in American rap.
The rapper from Atlanta is accused of criminal conspiracy and participation in the criminal activities of a gang. In support, alleged facts of murders, drug trafficking, car thefts…
He says he is innocent.
Along with around twenty people, he was indicted in May 2022 by a grand jury in Georgia, a state in the southeastern United States, for alleged membership in a branch of the “Bloods” gang identified as “Young Slime Life”, or YSL. Initials that correspond to those of his label founded in 2016, Young Stoner Life Records.
The arrest in May of the singer of “Best Friend”, “Hot” or “Check” was a shock for the influential Atlanta hip-hop scene of which he is a central figure.
At 32, the rapper has collaborated with the biggest names in rap and pop, from Drake to Travis Scott, including Dua Lipa and Justin Bieber.
Prosecutors rely, as evidence, on the lyrics of certain songs by Young Thug (meaning young thug), those of another rapper, Gunna – who made a plea agreement -, and a posthumous title of Juice WRLD, who died in 2019 of an overdose.
The trial hearings have so far been devoted exclusively to jury selection, an extremely arduous task that stretched over nearly 11 months.
The case is now entering the hard part, with at the heart of the case 17 extracts from Young Thug’s titles – which constitute, according to the prosecution, as many confessions to the crimes of which the rapper is accused.
His lawyers sought to exclude those lyrics from the exhibits, saying the use of verses could unfairly influence jurors.
An argument defended by many supporters of freedom of expression and players in the music industry, who fear that this practice harms the creativity of artists and disproportionately affects African-Americans.
“We are not talking about rap lyrics here, but gang lyrics,” retorted prosecutor Mike Carlson. “These are late-night confessions. »
This isn’t the first time hip-hop verses have landed in a courtroom. The defense, which insists that YSL is nothing more than an artistic label, called as a witness a specialist on the subject, professor at the University of Richmond, Erik Nielson.
In an interview with AFP at the beginning of the year, this expert affirmed that “this question of rap in the trials is only a new illustration of a system which insists on imprisoning young men of color” .
“If you have other evidence, don’t use the rap lyrics,” Mr. Nielson ruled. “And if you don’t have other evidence, don’t press charges. »
The trial, which is taking place in the same Atlanta court where former President Donald Trump will soon be tried, will feature hundreds of witnesses, including rappers T.I. and Killer Mike.