You're listening to Rough Translation on NPR, I'm Gregory Warner.

Today we are dropping something very special in the feed for you.

It's an excerpt from an episode from NPR's new series,

Louder Than a Riot about the intersection of hip hop and the justice system.

And we wanted you to hear it not only because it is an incredibly riveting tale,

but also because it reminds us of something we are always trying to do here at Rough Translation.

Exploring how words and ideas cross context and are translated or mistranslated

or even manipulated to take on different meanings.

Last week we introduced you to Stella Nyanzi.

A Ugandan activist sent to prison for the poem she posted about the country's president

on Facebook. Today another story about someone's art being used against them in court.

Now just a note before we get any further, there is explicit language in this episode.

It might not be the best lesson with small kids or if you're at work.

Louder Than a Riot follows the case of Mac Phipps, a rapper who was accused of shooting an audience member

at a Louisiana club in 2001. Another man confessed to the crime, but when this episode picks up the story,

Mac is in jail and waiting for trial. Mac had started his career as a politically conscious rapper,

but switched his style and his persona when he joined the record label No Limit and took on the

stage name the camouflage assassin. Here's Louder Than a Riot host, Sydney Madden and Rodney Carmichael.

Mac sitting in a jail cell. He's been charged with a murder of Baron Victor Jr.

Even though someone else confessed to shooting Baron that night,

Mac was the one headed to court to fight for his freedom.

But to understand what Mac was about to be up against next,

...