is it legal to...

[Corporate Thug]

make death threats in a song? i hear song with people saying i'm gonna kill you person X.

is this legal?

 

[Rogue]

Ah, the irony of it all. A guy with the name of shady06 asks about songs with threats in them and the legality of it.

Truth be told, if the intended victim takes issue with it, then yes, it is quite possibly illegal.

 

[HappyPuppy]

I'm not sure, but songs/singing is a form of art and I don't think an expression of art can be illegal.

If said death threat in a song was against the Pres. of the U.S. you might get a visit from the Secret Service, though. You know, just to be sure.

 

[jdini76]

I would say its legal unless the person presses charges. or unless its the president you are singing about. They don't like things like that!

 

[Corporate Thug]

so person X can press charges??

 

[IGBT]

aaaha...so your listening to rape music again...

 

[Rogue]

Yes shady, Ja Rule can sue you for the things you say about him in your music.

 

[FoBoT]

its "art"

 

[jdini76]

Originally posted by: shady06
so person X can press charges??

Sure why not?

There's no law, to my knowledge, that says you can't

IMO if somebody has written a song that say they are going to kill me then I would say that is a threat, and I have the right to protect myself by pressing charges.

 

[Ness]

You also have to think that it could be illegal because it can place someone's life at risk...

as in, if someone such as eminem made a "artistic/ranting death threat", his over-zealous fans could listen to what he says and not see that when he says it, it's to vent himself, and suddenly masses of fans have it out for the person...

Kinda a crap example, but do you see what I'm saying?

Just because the person has no intention to really the other person, doesn't mean that it can't be the cause for someone else to do it. Music is certainly a big influence on our culture.

 

[hdeck]

Originally posted by: Rogue
Yes shady, Ja Rule can sue you for the things you say about him in your music.

lol

 

[MustangSVT]

i think it is legal since Mike Tyson said some nasty stuff but nothin happened about it..

wait.. something did happen he got his a$$ handed to him