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In September, Toronto rapper Top5 was released from prison after the Crown stayed the charges against him. Much of the prosecution’s case focused on the rapper’s lyrics and social media posts. However, a judge ruled that Top5’s social media posts, music videos and lyrics were inadmissible as evidence, recognizing that much of what he posted was part of his artistic persona.
Today in The Conversation Canada, Jabari M. Evans from the University of South Carolina writes about Top5’s trial and how the legal system continues to criminalize rap music. Evans was asked by the defence to serve as an expert witness in the trial. He says the judge’s ruling was groundbreaking and significant for rap and hip-hop artists who have long been subjected to legal scrutiny based on their work.
“Using rap music as evidence in criminal trials is not just a legal issue but a cultural one. It speaks to how society views Black art and Black lives,” Evans writes. “By treating rap lyrics as confessions, the legal system perpetuates harmful stereotypes about Black men as inherently violent or criminal.”
Also today:
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Ibrahim Daair
Culture + Society Editor
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Toronto rapper Top5 appearing in his music video ‘Movie’ featuring the rappers Why G and Bundog. The Crown recently stayed murder charges against Top5 after a judge ruled his lyrics and social media content could not be used as evidence.
(YouTube/Top5)
Jabari M. Evans, University of South Carolina
Hassan Ali, a.k.a Top5, was released after a judge dismissed social media evidence in the case. By treating rap lyrics as confessions, the legal system perpetuates harmful stereotypes about Black men.
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A displaced Palestinian boy carries bread as he walks between tents in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, on Oct. 18, 2024.
(AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Charles Z. Levkoe, Lakehead University; Martha Stiegman, York University, Canada; Sarah Rotz, York University, Canada; Tammara Soma, Simon Fraser University
The destruction of food systems in Gaza and Canada is part of a larger effort of land dispossession and capitalist accumulation. The fight for food sovereignty is about justice and self-determination.
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Thai police stand in front of the entrance to a cave complex where 12 boys and their soccer coach went missing in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand in July 2018.
(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Amélie Cloutier, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM); Andrew Webb, École nationale d'administration publique (ENAP)
In moments of crisis, unconventional leaders can make all the difference. Exploring their crucial role can redefine how we view leadership and crisis management.
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Actors Adam Pearson and Renate Reinsve attend the press conference of ‘A Different Man’ at the Berlinale, in February 2024.
(Gerald Matzka/dpa via AP)
Billie Anderson, Western University
The film illustrates in nuanced ways how the true challenge lies not in the body itself, but in the societal structures that dictate what is considered an acceptable life.
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One-third of patients with irritable bowel syndrome aslo have disordered eating habits and perceptions about food that may cause symptoms in and of themselves.
(Shutterstock)
Caroline Seiler, McMaster University
Diet plays an important role in human health, but how it does so — especially among those with gastrointestinal diseases — becomes complicated by the emotional and psychological aspects of eating.
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San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa speaks at a news conference after an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Santa Clara, Calif., on Oct. 27, 2024. Bosa publicly wore a MAGA hat after the game.
(AP Photo/Eakin Howard)
Noah Eliot Vanderhoeven, Western University
NFL defensive lineman Nick Bosa proudly donned a MAGA hat after a recent game. Will the NFL respond to his violation of league rules the same way it did to Colin Kaepernick?
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La Conversation Canada
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Vue du lac Massawippi dans les Cantons de l’Est, le 17 octobre 2024.
La Presse canadienne/Graham Hughes
Beatrix Beisner, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
Un lac ou une rivière n’est pas une entité isolée. Ils font partie d’un bassin versant beaucoup plus vaste et dynamique. La santé de l’ensemble de ces systèmes devrait être une priorité absolue.
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Donald Trump lors d’un rassemblement à l’aéroport régional Arnold Palmer le 19 octobre à Latrobe, en Pennsylvanie.
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Ronald W. Pruessen, University of Toronto
Trump n’est pas le premier président américain à avoir menti ou à s’être considéré au-dessus des lois, mais il est dans une ligue à part en termes de narcissisme et d’appétit insatiable pour le pouvoir.
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Culture + Society
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Damián Tuset Varela, UOC - Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
By producing AI simulations of deceased people, private companies can leverage grief for profit.
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Environment + Energy
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Jamie Goldenberg, University of South Florida; Emily P. Courtney, University of South Florida; Joshua Hart, Union College
Terror management theory explores the lengths our minds will go to to deny existential threats. Psychologists explain what that can mean for climate denial.
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Science + Tech
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Tirth Vaishnav, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
Collisions between birds and planes peak at the end of the breeding season when fledglings join flocks. For these young birds, avoiding foreign objects in the flight path may be a learned behaviour.
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