A bill was passed in the New York Senate prohibiting prosecutors from using lyrics rappers use in their songs as evidence against them in a criminal trial. The bill now heads to the state assembly, where it will become law if it passes there.
Senate Bill S7527 (“Rap Music on Trial”) was passed by a 38-23 vote. This bill “limits the admissibility of evidence of a defendant’s creative or artistic expression against such defendant in a criminal proceeding.”

Earlier this year, People obtained a letter from Jay-Z’s Team Roc attorney Alex Spiro and University of Richmond Professor Erik Nielson that showed entertainers Jay-Z, Meek Mill, Killer Mike, Big Sean, Kelly Rowland, Robin Thicke, Fat Joe, and Yo Gotti signed the letter sent to lawmakers that states that