Campaign seeks curbs on use of rap lyrics as evidence in court cases

The number of appeals against convictions involving music lyrics has more than tripled since drill music became popular in the UK in the past few years, according to research shared with the Guardian.

- Diane Taylor

Lawyers, academics, artists, and people convicted in criminal trials where rap and drill lyrics have been used as part of prosecution evidence, are increasingly raising concerns that stereotyping is playing a part in these prosecutions.

They are part of a campaign called Art Not Evidence, which calls for limits on use of creative and artistic expression as evidence in criminal trials. It asks that rap music in particular not be used to unfairly implicate individuals in criminal charges and that it be used only where it is directly linked to an alleged crime.

Campaigners want to ensure expert witnesses on this form of music in criminal prosecutions are independent, as opposed to police officers who are part of the prosecution case, along with procedural safeguards against stereotyping.

Dr Abenaa Owusu-Bempah, an associate professor of law at the London School of Economics and a leading authority in this area, shared research data with the Guardian on court of appeal cases involving rap and drill used as part of prosecution evidence between 2005 and 2025.