Lyrics On Trial: Mac Phipps (Pt 2)

Louder Than A Riot

NPR

Music History, Music, Society & Culture, Music Interviews, True Crime

4.4 • 3.1K Ratings

🗓️ 15 October 2020

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

"A bullet in your brain." What right does the justice system have to decide whether a rapper's words are imagination or intent to kill? In this continuation of Mac Phipps' story, police pressure witnesses, while prosecutors use the artist's own lyrics to build a murder case against him. And Mac isn't the first: From a century-old folk tune to Ice-T's "Cop Killer," we examine the history of policing Black creativity to reveal a phenomenon that's become common practice in courtrooms — using lyrics as Exhibit A.

Transcript

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0:00.0	A warning before we begin.
0:01.6	This podcast is explicit in every way.
0:04.6	Last time, on louder than a riot.
0:06.8	He was always like the best free-style in the city.
0:10.2	I need wheels.
0:12.5	And the next thing we know,
0:13.8	Matt getting inside of No Limits.
0:15.3	Keeps the flag his man confidential.
0:17.1	The crew can cop stole him.
0:18.2	No Limits was really kind of doing like,
0:19.8	you know, just New Orleans,
0:21.4	gangster music.
0:22.8	There was a bit of an odd peg for Matt.
0:26.2	We did a few shows at the club,
0:28.6	where it's said these.
0:29.3	People were getting a little routier.
0:31.6	And the next thing you know, it was like a pie.
0:34.8	I had like four police members,
0:36.7	three of the officers, one with a shotgun.
0:39.6	Come run, charge and run and have me.
0:42.1	Tell them about, get on the ground, get on the ground, get on the ground.
0:45.4	Me and my head, I'm thinking,
	...

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