Art Not Evidence share spoken word film opposing use of rap lyrics in court cases

Campaign group Art Not Evidence have shared a powerful spoken word film as part of its ongoing campaign against the use of rap lyrics in UK court cases.

Featuring poet Ty'rone Haughton, the film questions the use of lyrics, "often fictional, exaggerated and shaped by artistic convention" in criminal trials — claiming they are "routinely misread by the state as literal truth" by prosecutors.

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Entitled 16s to Life, Haughton's piece contains the lyrics: “Ever since we pulled up to the docks, they want to put us on a dock and slap us with a sentence," with the film taking place across a court room and prison settings.

"When creative expression is stripped of its artistic and cultural context, it becomes dangerously easy to misinterpret metaphor as motive," a statement from Art Not Evidence reads. "16s to Life shows why treating rap as literal truth leads to injustice, not understanding.”

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The project was created with the help of the Stephen Lawrence Foundation at De Montfort University, where Haughton is an alumni. In a statement, the foundation said: “Creative expression does not exist in a vacuum." 

"When art is removed from its cultural and social context, it can be dangerously misunderstood, with real consequences for individuals and communities," the Stephen Lawrence Foundation continues. "This film powerfully reminds us why institutions must approach creative work with care, understanding and responsibility.”

You can watch 16s to Life via YouTube below.

Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, follow her on Twitter