Prosecutors used hip-hop lyrics to help sentence a man to death: ‘This only happens to rap music’

Key Points:

• James Broadnax, a Black man on Texas death row for over 16 years, faces execution on April 30, largely based on violent rap lyrics prosecutors presented as evidence of "future dangerousness" during his 2009 capital murder trial.
• Prosecutors selectively used Broadnax’s rap lyrics depicting violence to portray him as a gang member and threat, while ignoring more peaceful writings, influencing the jury despite his abusive childhood and lack of prior violent offenses.
• Rap industry veteran Kevin Liles and other prominent artists have joined Broadnax’s Supreme Court appeal, arguing that using rap lyrics as literal evidence violates free expression and disproportionately targets Black artists due to racial bias.
• Studies and legal experts highlight that rap lyrics are uniquely criminalized compared to other musical genres, with prosecutors often misinterpreting artistic expression as autobiographical threats, contributing to wrongful convictions and death sentences.
• Broadnax’s legal team also challenges the exclusion of Black jurors in his trial and presents new evidence suggesting his co-defendant was the shooter, seeking a stay of execution amid growing calls for justice and reform in the use of art as evidence.