Episode #291 — Unequal Justice: Inside the Fight Over Free Speech in Music

This episode features Simon Tam of The Slants and Prof. Erik Nielson, co-author of "Rap on Trial," who both have been instrumental in combating First Amendment right violations against minority musicians. Simon's fight to get his all-Asian band the right to their name saw thousands of pages of evidence denied, along with a footnote stating that – had they been Caucasian – there'd be no issue. Erik has researched how the Rap genre is singled out, identifying 800+ documented legal cases using Rap lyrics as evidence against young men of color. Hear from the pair on the results of their efforts, along with their concerns about freedom of speech in general.