The age-old question of whether or not art imitates life has always been a compelling one. However, the more pressing matter in today's discourse is whether or not one should one's art be the reason they serve life sentences.
Congressmen Hank Johnson (D-GA) and Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) made their stance clear when they introduced the Restoring Artistic Protection Act (RAP Act) on Wednesday, July 27, 2022. The piece of legislation aims to protect freedom of speech and artists' creative expression.
While rappers fighting for their freedom is hardly a new phenomenon, all eyes are on the growing trend of high-profile cases where rap lyrics can be heard echoing through the court halls.
Between the newly introduced RAP Act, ongoing cases involving some of Hip Hop's most successful acts, and the general tone of today's music, there is a lot at stake for the culture as a whole. What changes will we see in the subject matter of today's music? How will this influence the way rappers are seen by corporate interests?
While we at theMSQshop lack the legal credentials to determine what is or isn't just in the court of law, it's fair to say that we are on the cusp of significant changes for artistic expression in general.
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