“Artists of all kinds should be able to create without the fear of unfair and prejudicial prosecution,” Newsom said according to Complex. “California’s culture and entertainment industry set trends around the world and it’s fitting that our state is taking a nation-leading role to protect creative expression and ensure that artists are not criminalized under biased policies.”

Artists like Meek Mill, YG, E-40, Too $hort, Ty Dolla $ign, Killer Mike, and Tyga were on the Zoom call while Governor Newsom spoke. Other community leaders from the Black Music Action Coalition and Songwriters of North America were also in attendance along with advocates from the music industry like Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., REFORM Alliance’s Jessica Jackson, and 300 Entertainment's Kevin Liles. Liles has also been pushing the effort heavily since his artists Young Thug and Gunna are currently awaiting trial for their RICO case.

Not only does the new bill apply to musicians, but it also extends to creatives in art, film, poetry and literature. A similar bill was proposed in New York but failed to pass in the State Assembly. There's also an effort to ban the use of rap lyrics in court at a federal level.

AB 2799 goes into effect in California in January 2023.

Eric Rosado