Rapper B.G. ordered to have all future songs approved by US government

Prosecutors have requested to prohibit New Orleans rapper B.G. “from promoting and glorifying future gun violence/murder” in songs and at concerts while on supervised release from prison, and are saying such a restriction could violate his constitutional right to free speech.

Instead, the artist must provide the government with copies of any songs he writes ahead of their production or promotion and, if they are deemed to be inconsistent with his goals of rehabilitation, prosecutors could move to toughen the terms governing his supervised release.

The ruling came Friday June 28 from US district court judge Susie Morgan.

The case involving B.G., also known as Christopher Dorsey, recently prompted discussions about an American musician’s rights to free expression under the country’s constitution with federal authorities’ obligation to enforce the supervised prison release plan which he accepted.

Megan Thee Stallion, Jay-Z, Coldplay and Christina Aguilera have condemned prosecutors’ practice of using rap lyrics as evidence in US criminal courts, saying it disproportionately targets black artists.

Dorsey fell under scrutiny from federal probation officers after he performed at a concert in Las Vegas, Nevada, alongside fellow rapper Boosie, and after releasing an album with Grammy-nominee Gucci Mane, titled Choppers & Bricks.

People on supervised release are generally required to “refrain from … associating unnecessarily with” those who have prior felony convictions, among other conditions, according to officials.

Both Boosie and Gucci Mane – under their respective legal names, Torence Hatch Jr and Radric Davis – each have prior felony convictions, prosecutors have said.

They also said Dorsey did not get the necessary clearance to produce this work, which they argued also undermined his goals of rehabilitation.

The prosecutors cited lyrics that spoke about men who are serving sentences of life imprisonment after being linked to multiple murders in a drug dealing and gang-violence racketeering case.

Dorsey’s attorneys said that those monitoring him at the halfway house he was staying in had provided him with the necessary permission, and the musician was soon freed from custody on his own recognisance.

He then had to return to court in his hometown after prosecutors asked Judge Morgan to require him to refrain “from promoting and glorifying future gun violence/murder” as well as threats against people who cooperate with the police in songs and at concerts, among other requests.

Prosecutors contended these lyrics echoed some of the conduct leading to Dorsey’s prior imprisonment and “are inconsistent with the goals of rehabilitation”.

Dorsey’s attorneys, Billy Gibbens and David Chesnoff, argued that preemptively ordering their client to avoid certain subject areas amounted to “an unconstitutional prior restraint of free speech”.

But Judge Morgan said prosecutors’ concerns over Dorsey’s goals of rehabilitation were “legitimate” and would have the artist turn his lyrics over to the government before putting out or promoting any songs he planned to use them in.

Morgan also reiterated that Dorsey must not work with people previously convicted of felonies unless given permission to do so, among other special conditions.

B.G., short for Baby Gangsta, was part of Cash Money Records’ Hot Boys group alongside other prominent New Orleans rappers such as Lil Wayne and Juvenile.

His collabroative album with Gucci Mane, Choppers & Bricks, was released in December 2023. The duo recorded a music video for one track off the album, 'Cold', featuring Mike-Will-Made-It.