Author Topic: Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...  (Read 5563 times)

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Offline Stealth

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
I don't know if any of you have heard about the lyrics of the new Jadakiss song, but it's causing quite a stir down here on the radio and even on TV to some point.  In his song "Why" he makes points such as Halle Berry getting an Oscar because she got "popped" by a "white man", and how Bush is responsible for the two towers incident, all stated in the form of a question.  many other statements too.

Many say it's his rights as a citizen of the United States to voice his opinion, others say it shouldnt' be allowed because it's slander.  What do you think?

Here's a link to the lyrics:
http://www.lyricstop.com/w/why-jadakissfanthonyhamilton.html
If you'd like a link to the song, PM me.

 

Offline aldo_14

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
To be honest, I can barely understand a word of that.

But, music is as valid a form of expression as books, Tv, art, movies, etc - including politics.  If it is slander, then sue the bloke - if he loses, then maybe ban it depending on the terms of the judgement.  But otherwise is just censorship of a political view, which is wrong.

 

Offline Stealth

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
but see, what people are saying, is even if it IS wrong, and he gets sued and loses, it's still permanently damaged that person's reputation.

it's like if someone is accused of rape, and the whole community finds out about it, and he goes through a bunch of court cases and is eventually determined to be innocent... it's still permanently damaged his life, because people will never look at him the same again after he's been accused (not even convicted) of rape.

 

Offline aldo_14

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
Well, the system works on a basis of preusmption of innocence (in legal terms).  So should people.  Granted, they don't - but you can;t regulate peoples thoughts either.

Likewise, how much damage could/would song lyrics actually do? Generally speaking, I don't think they're regarded as a valid source of information by most people....i.e. they won't form opinions based on them, although they may reinforce their own.

I think, though, the crux is that you need to have total freedom of expression in art - even if that means stuff which is libellous, or in some way 'dangerous' (or just plain crap), gets through.  Society sets clear boundaries in what is acceptable - and there is a legal system which enforces these.  The risk of censorship is that you filter out the statements that pose valid questions - that's more dangerous than allowing the odd bit of slander to slip out, IMO.

NB:   I recently read somewhere a not that there isn;t much art being done which tackles modern issues of conflict - i.e. there's not a Guernica for Iraq, etc.  Maybe music is becoming the new medium?  Or maybe it always has been? (since Vietnam, at the least)

EDIT: oh, RE the rape analogy - I think a comparison is, is it better to persue every rape accusation, or to only persue those which seem valid?  This is itself an issue - false accusal is not exactly unheard of - but the single risk is the danger posed when you ignore that one true case that didn't sound real.  I think.

 

Offline Rictor

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
I've got no idea who Jadakiss is, a rapper presumably, and I gave up on trying to read those lyrics halfway through, but I think its absolutely great that mainstream music (rap, hip-hop, pop etc) actually has something to say once in a while instead of just being a money-making machine. I'm glad that at least for every 1000 Britneys and DMXs, there is one intelligent musician who has a message, who is in essence producing real art, instead of cookie-cutter crap thats is popular but is meaningless.

Those who want to censor art deserve to be laughed at. I once saw a video of a Bush conference, where a reporter asked if Howard Dean's recent accusations that Bush was in some way responsible for 9/11 border on hatespeech. Censorsip of any kind, especially of art, it wrong. Once it becomes a crime to express yourself and circulate an alternate view of thing, such as condemning Bush or anyone for that matter, we cross the line into the world of telescreens and the thoughtcrime.

 

Offline Night Hammer

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
Jadakiss is one of my favorites, but he crossed the line with that song, if he doesnt like how Bush runs things he can get the **** out, that goes for the rest of those damned liberals too.
Stop... Hammertime :hammer:

 

Offline Rictor

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
Please tell me that was flamebait and/or satire, so I can rest easy.
« Last Edit: July 13, 2004, 08:01:33 pm by 644 »

 

Offline jdjtcagle

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
His right to speak, even of it goes against the country!!!
Not saying I agree, but it is his right as a citizen, to hate bush...
Hell we all (MOST) do.
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Offline IceFire

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
The fine line of free speech and slander.  Criticism of what they do politically...shouldn't be a problem.  Thats how democracy and free speech works.  Criticism and attack on the person...thats a little different.

Honestly...countries aren't like discussions.  You don't like whats being said...move along.  You don't like how the country is going...you don't just leave you try and make it better.  The way that democracies are supposed to work is that some individual rights are protected so that it doesn't become a society where the leader is always right no matter what they do and anyone who speaks out is removed or silenced.  Thats a dictatorship and I think some people have forgotten...
- IceFire
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Offline jdjtcagle

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
Quote
Originally posted by Night Hammer
Jadakiss is one of my favorites, but he crossed the line with that song, if he doesnt like how Bush runs things he can get the **** out, that goes for the rest of those damned liberals too.


What!?
ROTFL!!! :lol: :lol:

Wake up!!
1stly: our homes are hear
2ndly: You CAN'T go anywhere to get away Bush types. Nowhere!!!
3rdly: Why did you start this argument!? No offense but that was just... :wtf:
"Brings a tear of nostalgia to my eye" -Flipside
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I'm an Apostolic Christian (Acts: 2:38)
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Official Interplay Freespace Stories
Predator
Hammer Of Light - Omen of Darkness
Freefall in Darkness
A Thousand Years

 

Offline Stealth

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
i personally think he has the freedom to speak about whatever he wants, but that doesn't make it right.  it's wrong.  and a lot of people have lost respect for him and more importantly his music.  i know a lot of people that used to like him say they don't anymore because of this incident

 

Offline Kamikaze

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
Quote
Originally posted by Night Hammer
Jadakiss is one of my favorites, but he crossed the line with that song, if he doesnt like how Bush runs things he can get the **** out, that goes for the rest of those damned liberals too.


Uhhh, right. Do you know why the country you're so in love with is a democratic republic? Do you know what that means when it comes to how people run the country? I hope you're not mixing up a democratic republic and a theocracy.
Science alone of all the subjects contains within itself the lesson of the danger of belief in the infallibility of the greatest teachers in the preceding generation . . .Learn from science that you must doubt the experts. As a matter of fact, I can also define science another way: Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts. - Richard Feynman

 

Offline Lonestar

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
To express ones emotions and views should always be allowed and never should it be allowed to censor those views.

Freedom of speech is more then just a catch phrase isnt it? Even if its factless and baseless, it should still be allowed. If it has no base or facts to stand on people can laugh at the pathetic attempt, but if there are facts and points to be made it should be heard even if a few people think its harmful.

Truth Hurts.
« Last Edit: July 13, 2004, 09:34:02 pm by 46 »

 

Offline Stealth

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
yeah i don't really care much for this issue, but there's some things he says in the song that doesn't really qualify as "emotions and views", such as Halle Berry only getting an Oscar because she slept with a white guy.  Freedom of speech would be saying what you think or believe in, not stating something that's blatantly not true.


i for one think he had the right to say it, sure, but it's slander at the same time, and it's pointless, and he's made the biggest mistake of his career with that song.

 

Offline Lonestar

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
Quote
Originally posted by Night Hammer
Jadakiss is one of my favorites, but he crossed the line with that song, if he doesnt like how Bush runs things he can get the **** out, that goes for the rest of those damned liberals too.


You can have your hitleristic views, heck your republican country is heading towards naziism anyhow its not a wonder you say what you say. Its interesting to finally see the truth come out of republicans.

{sarcasm}
Lets ban peanut butter. It kills more then Marijuana does yearly, it should be considered a terrorist act to even possess the stuff! ROFL

{/sarcasm}

 

Offline Ace

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
Quote
Originally posted by Night Hammer
Jadakiss is one of my favorites, but he crossed the line with that song, if he doesnt like how Bush runs things he can get the **** out, that goes for the rest of those damned liberals too.


The Corps is mother. The Corps is father. :p
Ace
Self-plagiarism is style.
-Alfred Hitchcock

 

Offline Stealth

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
hey.  be nice.  respect his opinion ;)


EDIT:

Quote
Freedom of speech is more then just a catch phrase isnt it?


i'm sure when the "bill of rights" was written, and "Freedom of Speech" was talked about, they didn't intend it to mean that people could go slander, and tell blatant lies about others.  i think it was more intended that they could speak up about the government and what they thought was wrong and should change ;) :D
« Last Edit: July 13, 2004, 09:42:12 pm by 594 »

 

Offline Knight Templar

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
Yes, all republicans are EEEEVIILLLL!!

And normally, I'd say it would be slander/libelous, but he's an artist (even if all he does is talk about his nine wit niggaz and hoes and ****ing) so it should technically be some sort of art... at least, as much as anyother piece of music.

It's not like Jadakiss is a news service or anything.
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Offline Stealth

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
yeah i don't think it's too damaging really, the only person he's hurt with those lyrics is himself.  but a lot of people still think it's wrong to go and say something that's not true in a song that's going to be played on the radio to thousands of people, whether or not he's an 'artist'.

 

Offline Knight Templar

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Jadakiss' song. is it 1st amendment rights? or slander...
He's an artist though, not an official source. So it should be a bit different. If the New York times came out and said Halle Berry is a slut, that'd obviously be different. But he's supposedly an artist, and although I don't have the legal books in front of me, that makes it a bit different.

Theoretically though, it should be treated a bit differently. If you had everyone or group who was portrayed as bad in a movie ***** and complain about everything (movies would fall under the same cvategory of art as music) then things would suck.
Copyright ©1976, 2003, KT Enterprises. All rights reserved

"I don't want to get laid right now. I want to get drunk."- Mars

Too Long, Didn't Read