The Breakfast Club - Fulton County DA Defends The Right To Use Rap Lyrics In Court In Light Of RICO Gang Indictment

Episode Date: August 30, 2022

Today's topic! Fulton County DA Defends The Right To Use Rap Lyrics In Court In Light Of RICO Gang IndictmentSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey guys, I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. own? I planted the flag. This is mine. I own this. It's surprisingly easy. 55 gallons of water,

500 pounds of concrete. Or maybe not. No country willingly gives up their territory. Oh my God. What is that? Bullets. Listen to Escape from Zaka Stan. That's Escape from Z-A-Q-A-S-T-A-N on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. As a kid, I really do remember having these dreams and visions, but you just don't know what is going to come for you. Alicia shares her wisdom on growth, gratitude, and the power of love. I forgive myself. It's okay. Have grace with yourself. You're trying your best, and you're going to figure out the rhythm of this thing. Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before.

Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's Teresa, your resident ghost host. And do I have a treat for you. Haunting is crawling out from the shadows, and it's going to be devilishly good. We've got chills, thrills, and stories that'll make you wish the lights stayed on. So join me, won't you? Let's dive into the eerie unknown together. Sleep tight, if you can. Listen to Haunting on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Jenny Garth, Jana Kramer, Amy Robach, and TJ Holmes bring you I Do Part Two, a one-of-a-kind experiment in podcasting to help you find love again. Hey, I'm Jana Kramer. I'm Jenny Garth. Hi, everyone. I'm Amy Robach. And I'm TJ Holmes. And we are, well, not necessarily relationship experts. If you're ready to dive back into the dating pool and find lasting love, we want to help. Listen to I Do Part 2 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Now, if you're just joining us, we're talking about Fulton County D.A. Fannie Willis. Fannie Willis. Now, yesterday, 26 alleged gang members were we're talking about Fulton County D.A. Fannie Willis. Fannie Willis. Now, yesterday, 26 alleged gang members were indicted for Atlanta area home invasions.

Also, kidnappings, armed robberies, shootings, and targeting people like Mariah Carey, Atlanta Falcons, Calvin Ridley, and the Real Housewives of Atlanta, Marlo Hampton. Well, she said this yesterday. I'm not targeting anyone, but however, you do not get to commit crimes in my county and then decide to brag on it, which you do that for a form of intimidation and to further the gang and not be held responsible. One of the lyrics used in this indictment, just one of the lyrics is me and my crew striking out, striking in all black. Send me the drop. We'll kick in the house. If we steal a car, we're going to take off the tag.

Well, they kick it indoors, committing home invasions. And now I'm using those lyrics that they're admitting to doing that. I'm going to continue to do that. People can continue to be angry about it. I have some legal advice. Don't confess to crimes on rap lyrics if you do not want them used or at least get out of my county. You have to tell me what that woman is saying wrong because I didn't hear one thing that she said wrong in that whole statement. And the problem with humans is they don't like to deal with the consequences of their actions. And we told you all just a little while ago that, you know, we number one, we don't want people committing crimes and we can talk about all of the different factors, all the different socioeconomic factors

that lead people to a life of crime. But if you are going to commit crimes, if you have committed crimes, why are y'all on social media bragging about said crime? Why are y'all on rap songs confessing to said crime and got the nerve to talk about snitches getting stitches when you out here self-incriminating yourself. I will never understand it. I don't get it. The dumbest thing ever. And she gave the perfect legal advice.

If you're going to commit these crimes, why are you getting on records bragging about them? Don't confess to crimes on rap lyrics. If you don't want me to use them or at least get out of my County, if you decide to admit your crime over a beat, I'm going to use it. And I totally agree. If you're dumb enough to commit a crime and then detail what you did and explain how you got away, how you steal cars, you change the plates, how you break into a crib, then if you're that dumb,

you deserve to sit down for a little bit. And how come there's so many OGs out here, you know, fighting, saying that, you know, rap lyrics shouldn't be used in court? Why aren't the OGs sitting these young brothers and sisters down and telling them, look, man, if y'all really out there in the street doing these things, if y'all have done these things, don't talk about them on your records. Why? You can't say, if you're trying to say that this woman, the DA, is targeting rappers,

but these rappers are making themselves obvious targets by bragging about what it is they've done and are doing. Well, not talk to them about not putting it in their lyrics. I think you talk to them about not doing the stupidest that they're doing, because they're going to get killed. You're going to run up in the wrong crib, and you're going to get killed. But that's why I said, number one, we don't want people committing crimes. Correct. You know what I'm saying? There's a lot of socioeconomic factors that lead people to committing crimes.

Number one is poverty, okay? But, yes, I agree. If they're going to do these things, why get on records and talking about them? And the other thing is, if it's not real, if it's just entertainment, if it's just art, then me, Leonard McKelvey, Charlemagne the God, I'm telling y'all, y'all should change the content of your art. Because all it's doing is getting you indicted and influencing the generation of kids to

do the wrong thing. Well, let's go to the phone lines. Kenny, good morning. Hey, what's going on, my man? Can you hear me? I can hear you, Kenny. What's going on? Talk to me, bro. Okay, let me take it off. Thank you, Kenny. Take it off Bluetooth, Kenny. Yeah, I took it off. hear me? I can hear you, Kenny. What's going on? Talk to me, bro. Okay, let me take it off. Thank you, Kenny. Take it off Bluetooth, Kenny. Yeah, I took it off.

This is what I wanted to say, bro. Now, I'm upset because it's like these district attorneys all over the nation. They pulling the Kamala Harris, basically. They throwing brothers under the bus. But we never see them indict these motorcycle gangs. We don't know what these motorcycle gangs be carrying. You don't say you'll see about 40 of them on the highway, all nine of them motorcycles, all across the country.

They be carrying meth, guns, anything to our communities, but we never, out of my own, I'm 46 years old, I ain't never seen them get indicted. I've never seen no motorcycle gang, who could claim anybody been indicted in his own, every radio station, every TV, or nothing, like they'll do crime.

You know what I'm saying? You go to any jail, you're going to see any race in there. So why are they only targeting our race? Well, my brother, I will say where you're right at is that you don't see it a lot because for whatever reason, these stories aren't sexy to the media. But man, those motorcycle gangs get indicted all

the time. They're not rapping in their lyrics. I don't think that's what I'm saying. There's no celebrity attached to the motorcycle gangs. If there was a celebrity in one of these motorcycle gangs, it probably would make more media news,

but these motorcycle gangs get indicted all the time. All the time. Hello, who's this? Google it. It's Chris. Hey, Chris. Good morning, Chris from Atlanta.

Oh, you're from Atlanta, so how you feel about what she said, Chris? Listen, I'm going to be honest with you. I think, you know, there's a perspective of freedom of speech, but you. I think, you know, there's a perspective of freedom of speech, but you got to realize

what was said in terms of violence and things of that nature back in the day was more storytelling than it is people actually clouting about actually doing these particular things. So I applaud Fannie for putting responsibility back in music, honestly.

And let's be real real too, my brother. I'm 44, so I was raised in the 1900s. I'm assuming you was raised in the 1900s too, right? Listen, here's the thing. Them niggas was lying. 90% of the rappers back then was lying their ass off. We used to say it all the time.

If rappers were doing half of what they said they were doing in their raps, they'd all be under the jail. The rappers were doing half of what they said they were doing in their raps, they'd all be under the jail. The difference between this generation and our generation, these little dudes is really out here living that life they rapping about. Allegedly. Allegedly. No, they are.

Oh yeah, it depends. I mean, some of them are. Some of them are allegedly. You're right. Alright, brother. Thank you, Kenny. Be safe out there. Thank you. She said nothing wrong. Some people are mad at her. But I think, like, she's cleaning Atlanta up.

And she's like, look, if you dumb enough to do the crime and put it in rhyme, you snitch it on yourself, I'm going to arrest you. That's all I want to know is, man, like, if you got to commit the crime, right, even though you don't have to, but I understand the socioeconomic conditions that lead people to do it. But if you do it, why do you get on social media and brag about it?

Why do you get on rap songs and talk about the crimes y'all have committed? And then you got the nerve to say that this woman is targeting rappers when the truth to the matter is the rappers are making themselves obvious targets by bragging about what it is they're doing or have done. Right. Well, let's go to the phone lines. Dre, good morning, Dre. Dre.

Yo, yo, yo. What's up, Dre? What's your thought, bro? Man, I feel like, can y'all hear me? Can we hear you? Yeah, I got my headset on. I feel like, I mean, I definitely understand where the district attorney coming from, but it's like, how can you put all your words, all a rapper's words,

and hold them accountable for that when there's clearly a lot of entertainment going on in it? Well, I think the DA and the law enforcement is smart enough to know when somebody's just rapping and when somebody's actually rapping and doing what it is that they say they've— and what they're rapping about. They're investigating. It's not like they just listen to your lyrics and say, oh, he said this. Let's go get him. Right.

I understand that, but if they don't—they got to at least have clear evidence, not just going off of what they say. But that's my I'm sure they do. That's what I'm saying. I'm sure they do. That's my point. I don't think they're just indicting these people just because of lyrics. That wouldn't make no sense. They couldn't win those type of cases.

But that's what she's saying. That's what she's going by right now. No, no, no, no, no. She's using both. She's saying that y'all are rapping about this, and then this is exactly what y'all are doing. This is what we're finding out y'all are actually doing out here in these streets. That's what she's saying.

Right, right, right. We got to have the evidence, though, for sure. Sure, for sure. I'm sure they do, my brother. All right, man. Have a good one. Yeah, because you couldn't just take somebody to court because of their lyrics.

That wouldn't hold up, would it? Not at all. Hello, who's this? You got to have a crime? Not at all. Hello, who's this? You got to have a crime to go with it. Hello? Hello? Hey, who's this?

Oh, this is Isaiah from Jersey. I'm back on. You said what, bro? This is Isaiah from Jersey. You hear me? Yeah, we can hear you. What do you think, bro? Oh, all right. So, like I said from the beginning,

I think it's a good thing that there's somebody in office, in position, that's letting them know that they're not above the law. I mean, if they were scared enough or bold enough to admit to their crimes in lyrics, it's good that somebody is letting them know that they won't be able to inflict that type of harm on the citizens of Fulton County or Atlanta. And somebody is finally putting them in their place. Now you have the freedom. Since America gave you the freedom to speak, you have the freedom to say what you want.

But that can and will be used against you in the court of law. And she just proved that. And I commend her for that. Okay. Well, thank you, brother. You're welcome. Let's take one more Okay. Well, thank you, brother. You're welcome. Let's take one more caller. Hello, who's this?

Yo, yo, yo. DJ Envy, what's good, boy? This your boy Old School from Miami, man. Old School from Miami. What's poppin', brother? What's going on, homie, man? Talk to us. Hey, listen.

That little topic that y'all was talking about, listen, me and my homeboys, we be on that same topic, you know what I'm saying? to us. that's going on out here, these crowds, they not getting solved. So, therefore, if you go drop a record and you talk about a crowd that was committed and then, you know, somebody done died or somebody done got hurt in that crowd, if they come back and grab you, hey, you deserve that. That's real. Yeah, because remember, when they read you, your random rights, it says you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do will be used against you.

That's right. Nobody else. You know what I'm saying? So, bro, if you go on a reckoning and then you go drop the lyrics and they charge you with it, you deserve that, bro. That's right. Because these niggas is not remaining silent. These niggas is going in the studio with beats and they loud as hell. I killed him.

I shot him. I kicked down his door. I beat up his dog and threw his girl on the floor. Robbed him of his chains. Robbed him of his car. Look at my face so you can know who I are. The guns in my mama house Under the bed Under the bed

All you have to look at Is the blanket Cause it's red Red Look what I was wearing On the night of the robbery I had on Nikes And a hoodie

And some pants sagging And the ass was out And Why you got an ass Got a bag Why you always go there with it Shut up Like you was going good

Like I was about to Blah blah blah blah But you The ass was out Like you always Gotta go there with it Listen Here's the moral of the story What is it A lot of this is our fault Shut up. Like, you was going good. Like, I was about to blab, blab, blab, blab, but the ass was out. Like, you always got to go there with it. Listen, here's the moral of the story. What is it?

A lot of this is our fault. Why? And the reason it's our fault is because so many rappers from our generation in the 1900s were lying. Lying their ass off. And it made a bunch of kids think the way to get in the game was to be the biggest criminal alive. And guess what? You know, you can't do that okay you can't be the biggest criminal alive and be a rapper at the same time but it's our fault because we should have never let rappers lie like that for entertainment all right because if it's just art

then we have to demand that some of these people change the content of their art because all it's doing is getting a bunch of people indicted and influencing a generation of kids wrong. That's right. Period. All right. And by the way, don't make the same mistake with this DA that y'all made with C. Dolores Tucker.

Because C. Dolores Tucker wasn't wrong. You know what I'm saying? As Snoop said when he was up here, they just didn't like C. Dolores Tucker's approach. Right. You know what I mean? But she wasn't wrong when she was telling people, they just didn't like see Dolores Tucker's approach. Right. You know what I mean? But she wasn't wrong when she was telling people to change the content of their music. Honorable Minister Louis Pratt comment telling us the same thing for years, change the content of their music.

Because once again, all you're seeing is a bunch of people getting indicted and you're influencing a generation of kids wrong. And if you're doing that just for the sake of entertainment, just for the sake of art, you're part of the problem, bro, and not the solution. Might as well be the same white man you claim is oppressing us all the time. Hey, guys, I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast Post Run High is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Had enough of this country? Ever dreamt about starting your own? I planted the flag. This is mine. I own this. It's surprisingly easy. 55 gallons of water, 500 pounds of concrete. Or maybe not.

No country willingly gives up their territory. Oh my God. What is that? Bullets. Listen to Escape from Zakistan. That's Escape from Z-A-Q-istan on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. As a kid, I really do remember

having these dreams and visions, but you just don't know what is going to come for you. Alicia shares her wisdom on growth, gratitude, and the power of love. I forgive myself. It's okay. Have grace with yourself. You're trying your best, and you're going to figure out the rhythm of this thing. Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, my undeadly darlings. It's Teresa, your resident ghost host. And do I have a treat for

you. Haunting is crawling out from the shadows, and it's going to be devilishly good. We've got chills, thrills, and stories that'll make you wish the lights stayed on. So join me, won't you? Let's dive into the eerie unknown together. Sleep tight, if you can. Listen to Haunting on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Daphne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese investigative journalist who on October 16th 2017 was assassinated. Crooks Everywhere unearthed the plot to murder a one-woman Wikileaks.

She exposed the culture of crime and corruption that were turning her beloved country into a mafia state. Listen to Crooks Everywhere on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.