The Rap Act WJBF (Newhouse PKG)

08/04/22
TRT: 1:49
(ANC INTRO)
RAP CONTINUES TO SPARK CONTROVERSY INCLUDING IN COURT. REPORTER
ADRIANA LOH IS IN WASHINGTON D-C TO UNFOLD WHY MUSIC IS LANDING ARTISTS IN
JAIL.
{TAKE PKG: TRT: 1:49}
(NAT SOUND: MUSIC VIDEO:03)
ADRIANA/VO: PROSECUTORS IN GEORGIA ARE USING LYRICS AND SOCIAL MEDIA
POSTS AS CRIMINAL EVIDENCE AGAINST ARTISTS GUNNA AND YOUNG THUG…THEY
FACE CHARGES FOR GANG-RELATED ACTIVITIES FOUND FROM THEIR SONGS.
(TAKE SOT: :12-:14)
Robinson Carrasco/ Music Video Director: “Huge rappers who almost seem untouchable.”
ADRIANA/VO: MUSIC VIDEO DIRECTOR, ROBINSON CARRASCO, HAS BEEN IN THE
INDUSTRY FOR SEVERAL YEARS. WITH THE TRIALS IN GEORGIA, HE FEARS ARTISTS
LIKE HIMSELF AND HIS CLIENTS WILL HAVE THEIR CREATIVITY SUPPRESSED.
(TAKE SOT: :25-:38)
Robinson Carrasco/ Music Video Director: “A lot of people who like to consider themselves
artists who want to make music grow up in these rougher areas are used to seeing a lot of
violence and that's what they want to make a song about. But now if they get penalized for that,
it kind of puts them in a tough spot, like now what am I supposed to do.”
ADRIANA/VO: CONGRESSMAN HANK JOHNSON TARGETS THE ISSUE OF FREE SPEECH
AFTER INTRODUCING THE RAP ACT.
(TAKE SOT: :43-:47)
Rep. Hank Johnson/ Georgia’s 4th District Congressman: “The Rap Act stands for Restoring
Artistic Protection Act.”
STAND-UP: THIS BILL AIMS TO PROTECT ARTISTS FROM HAVING THEIR LYRICS USED
AGAINST THEM DURING CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS.
(TAKE SOT: :54-1:11)
Rep. Hank Johnson/ Georgia’s 4th District Congressman: “We need to do more in the state of
Georgia to protect the First Amendment rights of artists, to freely express themselves without
fear that there content is going to be used against them at some point in the future.”
ADRIANA/VO: WHAT PROTECTION DO ARTISTS HAVE? FIRST AMENDMENT ATTORNEY,
SARAH PALMER, DISCUSSES HOW ARTISTS CAN EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS.
(TAKE SOT: 1:16-1:36)
Sarah Palmer/ First Amendment Attorney: “Protection for your ability to write music, to express
yourself, to release it, for other people to hear it. Those are all really important things that the
First Amendment provides a lot of protection for. It's what happens after that music is out in the
public and admits to criminal activity that your words can be used against you or restricted in
some way. So people need to be careful about that.”
ADRIANA/VO: MOVING FORWARD, CONGRESSMAN HANK JOHNSON ACKNOWLEDGES
HOW RAP IS STIGMATIZED AND HOPES OFFICIALS GAIN A NEW ATTITUDE FOR THE
MUSIC… AND THE CULTURE.
REPORTING IN WASHINGTON D.C….ADRIANA LOH…WJBF NEWS CHANNEL6.