Rap lyrics have been used by prosecutors in the U.S. for decades as alleged evidence in criminal cases, helping put rappers behind bars. But it wasn't until lyrics were used in the indictment of ...

The rapper's indictment in Georgia spotlighted the controversial practice. The indictment of rapper Young Thug on gang-related charges in May 2022 sparked a movement in the music industry against the ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about the business and law of music. Two men were convicted in federal court on Tuesday in Brooklyn of murdering Jason ...

A federal judge in New York has dismissed Drake's defamation case against his record label, Universal Music Group, stemming from a rap battle with Kendrick Lamar. Judge Jeannette Vargas determined the ...

Donald Trump had been hailed in hip-hop lyrics for decades. No longer. Barring Kanye West, it's not news that the vast majority of hip-hop artists -- from underground rappers to icons like Jay Z, ...

In a long-awaited decision sure to draw scrutiny, a Georgia judge ruled Nov. 9 that prosecutors will be allowed to admit rap lyrics as evidence at Grammy-winning artist Young Thug’s racketeering and ...

As district attorneys across the country have used rap lyrics to build criminal cases against artists with growing frequency since the early 2000s, state lawmakers are looking to implement a legal ...