As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial

Play trailer

1:28

As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial

2024

1h 36m

Documentary

Music

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

87%

Tomatometer

15 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

AS WE SPEAK: RAP MUSIC ON TRIAL follows Bronx rap artist Kemba as he explores the growing weaponization of rap lyrics in the United States criminal-justice system and abroad. His exploration reveals how law enforcement has quietly used artistic creation as evidence in criminal cases for decades. Since the 1990s, more than 700 criminal court cases have used rap lyrics as evidence against defendants, and with the recent criminal trial of rapper Young Thug, this issue has become more mainstream and in the public eye. The film doesn't ask whether someone is innocent or guilty; it asks whether lyrics can be used for conviction.

Watch on Paramount+

Stream Now

Ben Kenigsberg

New York Times

02/28/2024

The staged material is a bit heavy-handed, but “As We Speak” makes a powerful case for the necessity of being free to make art, and for public awareness that art rarely qualifies as legal evidence.

Go to Full Review

Dwight Brown

DwightBrownInk.com

02/02/2024

3/4

An integral part of any good documentary’s mission is exposing wrongs and spreading the word. In that way As We Speak… is a very good doc.

Go to Full Review

Niani Scott

RogerEbert.com

02/02/2024

"As We Speak" successfully explores diasporic issues that need to be changed from the ground up.

Go to Full Review

Abe Friedtanzer

Cinema Daily US

07/26/2024

B+

As We Speak doesn’t have all the answers but does spotlight the crucial work being done to enshrine protections for artists that both cover their free speech and shield them from the possibility of their artistic work being misappropriated against them.

Go to Full Review

Manuel Betancourt

FilmWeek (LAist)

03/22/2024

A fascinating documentary about something that I didn't know much about.

Go to Full Review

JK Sooja

Common Sense Media

03/11/2024

One of the most compelling pieces of evidence is a study done by Adam Dunbar out of the University of California, Irvine, that shows how people view rap music as a genre versus other musical genres.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Omar A

03/05/2024

So informative and very well done!

See more

matt

@DoughB0y 02/29/2024

Just another insufferable film about professional victims crying wolf about oppression.. again.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

J.M. Harper

Director

Kemba

Self

Sam Widdoes

Producer

Peter Cambor

Producer

Sam Bisbee

Producer

J.M. Harper

Producer

Rule of Two Walls

100%

%

Rule of Two Walls

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Rule of Two Walls

Daughters

100%

91%

Daughters

Watchlist

Born to Play

100%

%

Born to Play

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Born to Play

Us Kids

87%

100%

Us Kids

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Us Kids

Surveilled

%

%

Surveilled

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial: Trailer 1

1:28

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

AS WE SPEAK: RAP MUSIC ON TRIAL follows Bronx rap artist Kemba as he explores the growing weaponization of rap lyrics in the United States criminal-justice system and abroad. His exploration reveals how law enforcement has quietly used artistic creation as evidence in criminal cases for decades. Since the 1990s, more than 700 criminal court cases have used rap lyrics as evidence against defendants, and with the recent criminal trial of rapper Young Thug, this issue has become more mainstream and in the public eye. The film doesn't ask whether someone is innocent or guilty; it asks whether lyrics can be used for conviction.

Director: J.M. Harper
Producer: Sam Widdoes, Peter Cambor, Sam Bisbee, J.M. Harper
Distributor: Paramount+
Production Co: District 33, Park Pictures, Strike Anywhere
Genre: Documentary, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 27, 2024
Runtime: 1h 36m

Most Popular at Home Now