A New Orleans rapper, who scored a hit in 1999, must now clear the lyrics of upcoming songs with the U.S. government, following a court ruling.
Rapper B.G. (a.k.a. Baby Gangsta), whose “Bling Bling” rose to number 36 on the Billboard charts 25 years ago, must provide federal officials copies of upcoming songs before they’re promoted or produced, according to a ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Susie Morgan, who oversees the Eastern District of Louisiana. If the lyrics in those songs are “inconsistent” with the terms of the singer’s rehabilitation, it could affect his supervised release.
B.G. (real name Christopher Dorsey) was sentenced in 2014 to 14 years in jail for two counts of firearm possession and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. He was released last September and will spend the next three years under federal supervision.
He has resumed his music career and held a concert in February with another rapper who has felony convictions. Per the terms of his release, he is required to refrain from associating with convicted felons—and B.G. was re-arrested.
As it turns out, B.G. had gotten permission to work with the other rapper, but the lyrics they spat made authorities question B.G.’s commitment to rehabilitation, which is what forced the ruling last Friday.
Prosecutors had asked the court to prohibit B.G. “from promoting and glorifying future gun violence/murder” in any songs performed during his supervision. The court viewed that as a free speech violation, however.
"To address the legitimate concerns expressed by the Government, the Court will impose a special condition that the Defendant provide the United States Probation Office with a copy of the lyrics of any song he writes, in advance of his production or promotion of such song," the judge’s order read. "The Government may, if it deems necessary and appropriate, file another motion for leave to file a rule to show cause why the Defendant's conditions of supervised release should not be modified because the Defendant's conduct is inconsistent with the goals of rehabilitation."
