Entertainment
Rap on Trial: Brooklyn Shooting Conviction Reversed Because DA Cited Defendant’s Song Lyrics
Brooklyn prosecutors shouldn’t have used a rap song as evidence in a murder trial, a New York state appeals court says, ruling that the lyrics have “inherent ambiguity” and the defendant was “deprived of a fair trial.”
In a decision Tuesday (Sept. 23), New York’s Appellate Division ordered a new trial for Idrissa Reaves, who was convicted of aiding in the 2016 murder of Nashon Henry. The grounds? That prosecutors had improperly cited his jailhouse rap song to help secure a guilty verdict.
The reversal centered on testimony from a supposed “slang expert” who had explained Reaves’ lyrics to jurors. The appeals court said the man had not been qualified to do so — and that he had conveniently interpreted each part of the song to support the state’s charges.
“The defendant was deprived of a fair trial based upon the improper admission of the rap song through a witness who was unqualified to offer expert opinion testimony regarding the meaning of the lyrics,” Justice Barry E. Warhit wrote, before adding that the expert’s interpretations always “ultimately evolved into opinions fitting precisely into the People’s factual theory of the case.”
The ruling is the latest in a years-long debate over whether rap lyrics should be used as evidence in criminal trials. Critics argue the practice threatens free speech by treating creative expression as a literal confession; others say it can improperly sway juries by tapping into biases against young black men. California enacted a law in 2022 restricting the practice; New York came close to doing the same but has not yet done so.
Though the current case does not involve a major artist, huge names in hip-hop have faced criminal prosecutions involving their music. Young Thug faced a high-profile gang case in Atlanta that focused heavily on his songs; Lil Durk is currently facing a case in which prosecutors initially cited his lyrics.
Reaves was charged over a fatal 2016 shooting in Brooklyn, in which prosecutors say he served as the getaway driver. While awaiting trial at Rikers Island, he authored a rap song that he performed over recorded telephone calls, which featured lines like “Boy always f—d up but he wanna drill a n—-.”
At trial, prosecutors wanted to use the song’s lyrics to show that Reaves knew the shooting was going to take place, a key requirement of proving that he committed a crime by aiding the shooter. And a judge ruled that they could introduce them as evidence — but only if they secured an expert who could testify about what the lyrics meant.
When the government couldn’t locate such an expert, the judge told prosecutors they had “ten minutes” to “get somebody” to be one. So they quickly turned to an investigator at the Brooklyn district attorney’s office without specific expertise on rap lyrics. The investigator had some training in “gang lingo,” the appeals court said, even though “this case did not involve gangs.”
On the stand, the witness “admitted to guessing” about the meaning of lyrics, conceded that songs are “not always literal,” and acknowledged multiple interpretations that “reflected the lyrics’ inherent ambiguity,” the appeals court said. But in his final opinion, he “invariably inculpated the defendant” in ways that were “in perfect accord with the People’s theory of the case.”
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The appeals court nodded to the ongoing legal debate over rap lyrics as evidence, saying that some courts have “cautioned” against it because it’s “difficult to distinguish between reality and fantasy.” However, the court added, many judges have still found it appropriate if a genuine expert can put the words in context.
In Reaves’ case, Justice Warhit said prosecutors had clearly not done so. And the supposed expert had gone even further than just speculating, the court said — including suggesting that the lyrics referenced crimes with which Reaves had not even been charged, like reading a lyric about “swipe” to mean using stolen credit cards.
“There was no charge in this case relating to the illegal use or possession of credit cards, and this testimony was entirely irrelevant to the issue of whether the defendant knew the shooter intended to kill the victim,” the appeals court wrote.
The ruling overturns the conviction and sends the case back to a lower court for a new trial. A spokesman at the Brooklyn DA’s office told Billboard they were “reviewing the decision.”
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It’s the final new music Friday (April 24) of the month, and everyone from Noah Kahan to Kehlani and Suki Waterhouse have put forth some of their best work as May waits just around the corner.
This week, Vermont’s favorite folk-rock singer-songwriter finally returned with a new album after four years of Stick Season, his breakout album that reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The Great Divide is 17 tracks of Kahan reexamining his worldview after struggling with his mental health in the years since he found fame.
And, as if taking cues from the success of first-ever Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit “Folded” (which reached No. 6 on the chart in January), Kehlani leans fully into classic R&B flavors in an intentional push to recenter the genre’s traditions. “All the R&B artists, we want R&B to be back,” the artist told Billboard ahead of being named Billboard Women in Music’s Impact honoree. “We want good, long songs. We want three verses and bridges and modulations and all the things – we want that too. We just didn’t think anybody else wanted it. I have an allegiance to the genre, and I’ll keep it there.”
On top of the bounty of new albums, several artists have released fresh singles — including Suki Waterhouse, who returns with “Tiny Raisin” shortly after announcing her next album, Loveland, as well as Hayley Kiyoko and Gigi Perez, who teamed up for heartfelt duet “Collide.” Plus, Dylan Gossett adds “My Boy” to the mix, written as a letter to his son.
But which release is your favorite this week? Let Billboard know by voting in the poll below.
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It’s been almost three decades since the LA-based casual wear brand Juicy Couture first hit store shelves, and the Hollywood-loved label has made its way back into the spotlight in recent years thanks to the Y2K trend resurgence and newfound love from influencers online.
Best known for its T-shirts, handbags and yes, those velour tracksuits (reportedly designed exclusively for Madonna at first), Juicy Couture pieces were seen on practically every major celebrity in the 2000s, from Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, to Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian. Musicians like Miley Cyrus, Nicole Scherzinger and even Beyoncé have also been spotted wearing Juicy Couture, and now, a new Amazon deal makes it easy for you to get into some JC as well.
LIMITED TIME DEAL
Juicy Couture Cap Sleeve T-Shirt (Five-Pack)
$38.24 $44.99 15% off
Amazon is selling a five-pack of Juicy Couture T-shirts right now for just $39. Part of the “Juicy Sport” line, the cropped T-shirts are made from a super soft and breathable “performance” fabric that features a touch of spandex for easy movement and stretch.
That makes the T-shirts as ideal for a workout or yoga session as they are for pairing with your everyday ‘fits. The crop top look leans into the Y2K aesthetic and Amazon’s website shows the shirts styled with shorts, leggings and mini skirts alike.
This Amazon deal gets you five Juicy Couture T-shirts for under $40. That brings the price of each tee down to less than $8 — a virtually unheard of deal for generic T-shirts, let alone a brand name pick.
We like the five-pack above, which gets you a T-shirt in two shades of pink (including a light pink with the signature Juicy Couture cherries), plus navy blue, gray and black. You can choose from other color combinations online. The tees are available in sizes small to XXL.
ALSO AVAILABLE
Juicy Couture T-Shirts (Three-Pack)
$29.74
Don’t need five T-shirts? Amazon also sells a three-pack of Juicy Couture tees for just $30, bringing the price of each individual shirt to under $10.
ALSO CONSIDER
Juicy Couture Queen of Everything Mini Duffle Bag
$45.09 $79.00 43% off
And if you need a bag to take to the gym (or for an overnight stay), we like this mini barrel-style duffle bag, on sale for 43% off. The two-tone bag measures approximate 8.2 x 4.9 inches in size, which is enough room for your wallet, keys, change of clothes and toiletries. Choose to carry the bag via the top handle or with the detachable shoulder straps.
All of the above picks are officially-licensed products sold through Amazon’s Juicy Couture storefront. As with all Amazon deals, the sale prices could end at anytime, so we recommend adding the deals to cart while they are still live.
Netflix is bringing us back to the ’80s, and it’s making sure we have the right music for the occasion.
On Wednesday (April 22), Billboard can exclusively reveal that an original soundtrack is coming this week for the brand-new animated spin-off series Stranger Things: Tales From ’85. The score album, composed by Brad Breeck (Gravity Falls, We Bare Bears), will be released globally Thursday (April 23) at midnight ET.
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 also arrives Thursday on Netflix, bringing viewers back to the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, in the ’80s and reuniting us with some of the original show’s main characters. And much like Stranger Things, music plays a large role in the new show.
“This collection bridges the gap between the eerie depths of the Upside Down and the vibrant, neon energy of the mid-’80s,” Netflix said in a statement.
Tales From ’85 will feature not only a brand-new version of the original Stranger Things theme song, but the first episodes also include a selection of ’80s hits from artists like Black Sabbath, Billy Idol, Cyndi Lauper and more. Needle drops throughout the series include “We Got the Beat” by The Go-Go’s, “A Forest” by The Cure and “We’ll Meet Again” by Vera Lynn, “Rebel Yell” by Idol, and Lauper’s Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Time After Time.”
If it’s anything like the original show, artists with songs played in the new series could see a bump in streams and chart placements in the aftermath of the show’s premiere. After featuring the songs in pivotal moments, Stranger Things brought Kate Bush‘s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” to a new peak of No. 3 on the Hot 100 in 2022, 37 years after its initial release, while Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” made its debut on the chart the same year, 36 years after it came out.
Fans can pre-save Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series) by Brad Breeck here, and find the full score track list below.
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series) by Brad Breeck track list
Flamethrower (artists: Brad Breeck feat. Brian Parkhurst)
Kids Riding Bikes
Big Snowstorm Coming
Someone In There
HIC Theme
I Just Saved Your Life
Strange Stones
Gotta Go Dark
How Long Is Detention
Sewer Chase (artists: Brad Breeck feat. Brian Parkhurst)
Towns
Clean Up
Investigating Pumpkins
Heaven Eleven
Nice Time Tonight
Storm the Gates
What Were These Things
Ground Rules
seluR dnuorG
Her Royal Nastiness
We Have To Try
Tales from ’85 End Titles (artists: Brad Breeck feat. Cooper Babbes)
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