The American legal system has, historically, had something of a problem with Hip Hop. The genre, which often aims to present a realistic portrayal of life in impoverished urban areas, has been deemed "explicit" for its sometimes profane lyrics and harsh depictions of every day occurrences in the artists' neighborhoods of origin. The art form, born in the South Bronx in the late 1970's, has now become extremely mainstream, influencing not only music, but fashion, vernacular and popular culture as well. Thus, fandom of Hip Hop is not only extremely common, but rather innocuous. This was not the opinion of Itawamba Agricultural High School in Fulton, Mississippi, where senior, Taylor Bell, was suspended and sent to a different school for posting a Hip Hop track online. Now, in a brief sent to the Supreme Court, a wide array of rappers, including T.I. and Killer Mike have defended the genre, and its protection under the First Amendment.
According to the New York Times, the brief reads, "The government punished a young man for his art - and, more disturbing, for the musical genre by which he chose to express himself." The artists go on to describe the historical significance of Hip Hop, its merit for protection under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, and the positive effects it can have on the community it aims to represent. According to the Times, Killer Mike said, "Anyone who is learned in law is capable of separating art and lyrics, whether you agree with them or not, and actual human behavior. I think the courts understand it when it's Johnny Cash. I think they understand it when it's Robert Nesta Marley."
The issue of free speech in musical content has been brought to the Supreme Court before, resulting in the "parental advisory" sticker.
