Snoop Dogg‘s Tremendous Bowl efficiency has been used as key proof in Younger Thug‘s RICO trial.
Younger Thug is presently on trial for allegedly conspiring to violate Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations (RICO) Act, together with seven additional drug- and gang- associated felonies.
His case has been considerably notable for the use of his rap lyrics to accuse him of his YSL gang affiliation in trial. Utilizing lyrics in felony trials has been broadly criticised “as a handy solution to inject racial bias and confusion into the felony justice course of.”
Within the newest developments of Thugger’s trial, witness and YSL co-founder Trontavious “Tick” Stephens has been testifying on behalf of the prosecution and was cross-examined by Younger Thug’s lawyer, Brian Metal.
Metal used Snoop Dogg’s Tremendous Bowl efficiency to show that Younger Thug is solely an entertainer, not a gang member. In keeping with HotNewHipHop, he confirmed Snoop Dogg’s crip stroll dance (related to the Crips) to show that gang tradition is embedded into rap tradition and didn’t essentially indicate gang affiliation.
Beforehand, movies of tennis celebrity Serena Williams doing the crip stroll on the Wimbledon Championships have been proven to show the identical level.
Stephens additionally claimed that Younger Thug’s identify was an acronym for ‘Really Humble Underneath God’. He cited the track ‘Dropping Jewels’ for example of Thug speaking about God, however didn’t recall any particular strains when pressed.
He was additionally questioned on whether or not Thugger’s track ‘Pushin P’ referenced Percocet; Stephens stated he couldn’t give a transparent reply with out listening to the track.
Rap lyrics on trial:
What number of Younger Thug songs say he’s actually humble below God?
Trontavious “Tick” Stephens recognized Thugger’s track “Droppin Jewels” right this moment. DA Adriane Love emphasizes the track doesn’t really say God. pic.twitter.com/b6cl9DDd1s
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) January 22, 2024
Rappers have beforehand come to Younger Thug’s protection, with Fats Joe claiming he has lied in “95 per cent” of his songs. He additionally referred to as the RICO case a “travesty”: “Should you actually wanna put these gents in jail they usually’re actually criminals, use actual proof, use actual info.”
He in contrast the trial to Arnold Schwarzenegger, claiming that the actor ought to “be in jail for 20,000 years” for killing “10,000 individuals in films”.
For a primer on why utilizing rap lyrics as proof is unjust, learn NME‘s report on UK-based motion Artwork Not Proof, who’re campaigning for the restriction of rap lyrics as proof. We heard from considered one of Younger Thug’s key witness specialists, Dr Erik Nielsen, together with different business specialists to know how rap lyrics have been used to create lots of of years of injustice in opposition to younger Black males.