A groundbreaking expose about the use of rap lyrics to convict and incarcerate young men of colour.

The authors present a groundbreaking exposZ about the alarming use of rap lyrics as criminal evidence to convict and incarcerate young men of color. Today, an alarming number of aspiring rappers are imprisoned. No other form of creative expression is treated this way in the courts.urts.

Praise for Rap on Trial: 
“Rap on Trial offers captivating insight on how police, prosecutors, and judges silence and penalize Black music artists. It provides not only a rousing call to action but also a compelling blueprint for necessary change.”
—Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

“By highlighting race in this brilliant, well-researched argument, Rap On Trial takes its rightful place within the pantheon of groundbreaking works that unmask the built-in biases of our legal systems.”
—Michael Eric Dyson, author of Jay-Z: Made in America

“An illuminating, powerful, and disturbing exposé of how hip hop’s often raw, fantastical lyrics are taken out of context to criminalize black and brown youth. Rap on Trial is required reading for anyone who cares about justice and racial equity.”
—Robin D.G. Kelley, author of Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination

“An exceptional, nuanced look at how the state transformed an influential art form into a tool of mass incarceration. Rap on Trial is an essential reminder of the importance of First Amendment protections for the most vulnerable among us.”
—Anthony D. Romero, executive director, ACLU

“Nielson and Dennis have blessed us with a smart and engaging book that will make readers mad as hell. An essential read for activists, artists, hip hop heads, and all concerned about civil rights and civil liberties, Rap on Trial does it ‘for the culture.’”
—Paul Butler, author of Chokehold: Policing Black Men