B.G.’s Song Lyrics Must Be Approved By Probation Officers, Court Decides
B.G. wasted no time getting back to work following his 12-year prison stay. Evidently, however, not all of the artist’s legal woes are behind him just yet. Recently, it was reported that he must now submit all of his song lyrics to his probation officers for approval. The proposal was first made earlier this year. At the time, the government argued that his recent lyrics didn’t line up with his goals of rehabilitation.
In response, his legal team made it clear that they saw this as a violation of his First Amendment rights. “As to the Government’s request for Mr. Dorsey to provide U.S. Probation (and the government) with lyrics ‘for any song that he may write, in whole or in part, while on supervised release,’ it is respectfully submitted that this request is overly broad and violates the First Amendment and due process,” his attorneys wrote in May.
B.G. Faces Even More Legal Woes After 12-Year Prison Stay
Rapper B.G. (Christopher Dorsey) of the Hot Boys at Echo Studios in Atlanta, Georgia on April 5, 2007. (Photo by Julia Beverly/Getty Images)
“It is respectfully submitted that requiring Mr. Dorsey to submit his mental impressions and lyrics for any song that he may write, whole or in part, would constitute a prior restraint. It is respectfully submitted that Mr. Dorsey should be permitted to write and express his own thoughts without fear that he needs to provide all lyrics to U.S. Probation and the Government,” they also added. His lyrics will be kept under seal to prevent any possible copyright infringements, and the documents will be given back to him once his supervised release is terminated.
What do you think of B.G. now having to submit all of his song lyrics to his probation officers for approval? Do you think this is a violation of his creative freedom or not? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
About The Author
Caroline Fisher is a News Writer at HotNewHipHop from Chicago, Illinois. She started at HNHH this year, and has since spent her time writing about all that is newsworthy in the world of hip-hop. With a drive for hunting down the hottest stories, she enjoys documenting new developments in culture and entertainment. She also has an appreciation for hip-hop and seeks to cover the most important trends and shifts.
She has a Bachelor of Arts which she received at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Having graduated in 2022, she majored in English with a concentration in Media, Rhetoric and Cultural Studies.
Specializing all things music, pop culture and entertainment, some of her favorite musical artists include Snoop Dogg, OutKast, and Nicki Minaj. When she’s not writing about music she’s also a fan of attending shows, watching the latest movies, staying up-to-date with current events, photography, and poetry.