Article

From Slavery to Hip-Hop: Punishing Black Speech and What’s “Unconstitutional” About Prosecuting Young Black Men Through Art

Authors: Donald F. Tibbs (Drexel University, Thomas R. Kline School of Law) , Shelly Chauncey (Drexel University, Thomas R. Kline School of Law)

  • From Slavery to Hip-Hop: Punishing Black Speech and What’s “Unconstitutional” About Prosecuting Young Black Men Through Art

    Article

    From Slavery to Hip-Hop: Punishing Black Speech and What’s “Unconstitutional” About Prosecuting Young Black Men Through Art

    Authors: ,

Options

Abstract

This Article, by Professor Donald F. Tibbs and third-year law student Shelly Chauncey, both from the Thomas R. Kline School of Law at Drexel University, addresses the disproportionate targeting and convictions of the African American community through the lens of the “hip-hop” generation. Tibbs and Chauncey show how the prosecutorial use of rap videos and lyrics serves to criminalize Black males within the larger context of policing Black speech in American law. The authors argue that this process is rooted in racial bias toward young Black men and serves no legitimate place in their prosecution.

Keywords: criminal justice system, hip-hop, African American, Supreme Court, racial bias, hyper-policing, hyper-criminalization

Downloads:
Download pdf
View PDF

Published on
01 Jan 2016
License
All rights reserved