Meek Mill is making a case for why rap lyrics should not be used in Young Thug‘s RICO trial – or any trial.
Taking to Twitter/X on Tuesday (December 12), Meek noted that rappers help each other write lyrics while in the studio, so no one — even the people who were there — can be completely certain who wrote what at the end of the day.
AD LOADING...
“It should be impossible to charge thug and lucci for lyrics because in the studio we all give eachother lines and don’t remember who said what after a high night in the studio,” he wrote. “I have done it with both of them … they both gave me lyrics b4… we all do this!”
You can view his post below.
Upon news last month that prosecutors will be allowed to present Young Thug’s work as part of their case, Meek Mill noted that the development had him scared.
“Locking us for rapping got me scared to do a interview free Jeff free lucci.”
AD LOADING...
Since the summer, the Atlanta City Council has been working toward restricting the use of lyrics in criminal cases, which has been a recurring practice in court proceedings that involve rappers.
The ongoing YSL RICO trial once again brought attention to prosecutors leveraging Hip Hop songs to incriminate artists. To that point, District 12 council member Antonio Lewis passed a resolution in July to “ensure fair and just legal proceedings.”
AD LOADING...
Regarding the initiative, Lewis said: “Our resolution is a significant step toward rectifying an issue that has disproportionately affected individuals within marginalized communities. We must protect the freedom of artistic expression while ensuring that evidence used in criminal trials is relevant, reliable, and does not perpetuate bias.
“By urging the Georgia General Assembly to address this matter, we are fostering a more equitable and just criminal justice system for all.”
AD LOADING...
Lewis and his supporters have pointed out that rap lyrics are often misrepresented in court, and propose that they shouldn’t be used as evidence.
Regardless, Meek Mill thinks Young Thug will beat his RICO case because of how “messy” the process has been in the courts. Fans will have to wait to at least 2024 to find out, however, as the trial was recently delayed until the top of the year after one of Thug’s co-defendants was stabbed while in jail.
AD LOADING...
Just after court proceedings began on Monday (December 11), Judge Ural Glanville announced that there had been a “medical issue” with “one of our participants,” and that the trial was done for the day.
Not long afterwards, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Fox 5 Atlanta that Shannon Stillwell had been stabbed at some point over the weekend. He has reportedly been hospitalized.
His attorney, Max Schardt, gave a statement to WSB-TV reporter Michael Seiden that said: “Our first concern is Shannon’s health, and we hope to speak to him shortly. I will provide any more additional details when appropriate. Thank you.”
Stillwell, who was arrested alongside Young Thug and 27 others in May 2022, was previously stabbed in July 2022, according to jail officials.
AD LOADING...
He faces several charges including murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, as well as conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
