May 15, 2017
SHARE
CANADALAND
#183 Why Your Rap Lyrics Could Land You In Prison
When it comes to rap, where does artistic licence end and confession begin? According to prosecutors in at least 30 cases from the last decade, it starts when the artist is charged with a crime and the lyrics are parsed for clues to a case or for proof of bad character. Many of these defendants are convicted of their crimes, but should their music be a permissible tool? What is the threshold? And does the practice intentionally or unintentionally tap into the unconscious biases of jurors with the fate of young black and indigenous men in their hands? This roundtable discussion on the inclusion of rap as criminal evidence brings together three experts: University of California, Irvine criminologist Adam Dunbar, University of Toronto sociologist Jooyoung Lee, and lawyer Hilary Dudding, whose case, R. v. Campbell, could effect future trials in Canada. They join guest host Omar Mouallem for the episode.
Omar Mouallem
Russell Gragg
Producer

When it comes to rap, where does artistic licence end and confession begin? According to prosecutors in at least 30 cases from the last decade, it starts when the artist is charged with a crime and the lyrics are parsed for clues to a case or for proof of bad character.

Many of these defendants are convicted of their crimes, but should their music be a permissible tool? What is the threshold? And does the practice intentionally or unintentionally tap into the unconscious biases of jurors with the fate of young black and indigenous men in their hands?

This roundtable discussion on the inclusion of rap as criminal evidence brings together three experts: University of California, Irvine criminologist Adam Dunbar, University of Toronto sociologist Jooyoung Lee, and lawyer Hilary Dudding, whose case, R. v. Campbell, could effect future trials in Canada.

They join guest host Omar Mouallem for the episode.

More from this series
 It was an awful time. And to also be told, “You were unethical by using this facilitation letter." It was, it was like I was in some kind of nightmare. -Investigative Reporter Laura Robinson
July 6, 2026
The Theresa Kielburger lawsuit, Jesse’s union negotiating tactics, a new JSP.
July 2, 2026
Today, we’re headed to “Bovine University” to figure out what’s at the heart of an Ontario law, and why animal rights activists are unhappy about it.
June 29, 2026
 Things that are misleading, like “mystery illness,” I hope are lost from the general vocabulary in the public media sooner rather than later. -Dr. Michael Coulthart
June 22, 2026
“Nothing about this World Cup is uniting the world. If anything, it's dividing it further.” -Karim Zidan
June 15, 2026
“ If you don't know who Cohere is, you will.” -Mark Carney
June 8, 2026
School prisons, inappropriate relationships, teen pregnancy rates, and the mysterious Bioscience building in Edmonton.
June 4, 2026
“There were people who came in here to tell me I'm a dog. But there are lots of other people who are here having a conversation and lots of other people who made it possible for us to continue to have the conversation.” -Chrystia Freeland
June 1, 2026
all podcasts arrow All Podcasts
CANADALAND