RAP & Artistic Freedom

Before I ever thought about running for Congress, I was a rapper. Not for fame or money — but because it was the only place I ever felt fully heard.

Rap gave me a voice when I didn’t have one. In the booth, alone, no judgment — just truth. Hip-hop taught me how powerful words could be. Rapping helped me deal with trauma, stress, injustice, and it taught me peace. The studio became my therapy and my sanctuary. And I know I’m not alone.

Artists like Eminem, Tech N9ne, Marlon Craft, Ace Hood, Daddy Yankee, Johnny Cash, and so many others proved something powerful: music is America’s rawest voice. It’s where the unheard get to speak. That’s why I fully support laws like the Restoring Artistic Protection (RAP) Act — which prevents prosecutors from using rap lyrics as evidence in courtrooms.

This isn’t just about rappers. It’s about the First Amendment.

I will fight for a federal RAP Act to protect ALL artists — no matter the genre — from being criminalized for their creativity. What you create in the studio should not be twisted into a courtroom weapon. California and Louisiana have already taken the lead. Congress must follow.

As your Congressman, I will:

• Cosponsor and champion the federal RAP Act (H.R.2952)

• Work with the Recording Academy and artist-led advocacy groups to protect creative expression

• Defend First Amendment rights for all creators, especially those targeted by racial bias in the justice system

• Use my lived experience as an artist to bring cultural understanding into lawmaking

Music heals. Music teaches. Music tells our stories when no one else will.

Let’s stop criminalizing culture. Let’s protect the power of expression — because a country that silences its artists is a country that fears the truth.