This has become quite a hot topic as some argue rappers are being treated unfairly when their violent lyrics are taken seriously rather than as expressions of pure imagination. The NY Times published a lengthy article last week about the troubles of a pair of Atlanta rappers who police and prosecutors say aren’t just celebrities who make music but actual gang leaders who commit serious crimes.

Day after day, the young men came before a judge, handcuffed, clad in county jumpsuits and answering to their government names rather than their rap monikers: Slimelife Shawty, Unfoonk, Lil Duke and even the chart-topper Gunna, who is nominated for two Grammy Awards at next month’s ceremony in Los Angeles.

Each pleaded guilty to a racketeering charge, some to other crimes. And each agreed,in open court, that the famed Atlanta rap crew they were associated with — YSL,headed by the enigmatic star Jeffery Williams, or Young Thug — was not only a renowned hip-hop collective, but also a criminal street gang.

Maybe I’ve heard the name Young Thug at some point in the past few years. He’s been on Saturday Night Live and had some hit albums. I’m pretty sure I’ve never heard a single one of his songs. But clearly I’m not his target audience. Anyway, he’s a big deal in the rap world as is his Atlanta-based rival YFN Lucci. What has some people outraged is that Atlanta prosecutor Fani Willis is using rap lyrics by both artists in her prosecution documents, tying the music to real events.

Some have accused the prosecutor, Fani T. Willis — the aggressive district attorney for Fulton County, a Black Democrat who is best known for pursuing the criminal investigation into postelection meddling in Georgia by former President Donald J. Trump — of applying a “gang stereotype” to Atlanta’s rap community, and putting Black art on trial…

Ms. Willis has faced criticism for her hard-line approach to gangs, especially her office’s use of rap lyrics in indictments, which critics say raises First Amendment concerns.

“People can continue to be angry about it,” Ms. Willis said at a news conference announcing the racketeering indictment against Drug Rich, which also included lyrics. “I have some legal advice: Don’t confess to crime on rap lyrics if you do not want them used. Or at least get out of my county.”…

…the authorities argue that songs are no different than a text message or a confession, if the content can be tied to real-life events. (Prosecutors, for example, say that after YSL members fired on the home of YFN Lucci’s mother, Young Thug rapped, “I shot at his mommy, now he no longer mention me.”)

The shooting at Lucci’s mother’s house really did happen and everyone involved seems to think Young Thug or someone who is part of his YSL label/gang was behind it. Why shouldn’t police point to his own statement as evidence? The anger between the two rival Atlanta rap stars, Young Thug and YFN Lucci, started over a murder of a man who was friendly with both sides.

The battle with crosstown rivals YFN was sparked in 2015 with the murder of Donovan Thomas, known as Nut, a behind-the-scenes connector instrumental in the rap careers of YFN Lucci and Rich Homie Quan, a once-frequent collaborator of Young Thug.

In the aftermath of the killing, the authorities say, many in the city picked sides as retaliatory shootings spilled across Atlanta.

Prosecutors say Mr. Williams rented the car used during the fatal shooting of Mr. Thomas and then urged those involved to “lay low,” giving them cash and traveling with them to Miami, according to the guilty plea last month of a YSL founder charged in the case, Antonio Sledge.

So it sounds like prosecutors have more than just lyrics to support these cases. But the story goes on to mention that the younger rappers who have pleaded guilty in this case are now seen as “snitches” which could mean the end of their careers. It’s just one more connection between real life and the music they make.

I went looking for some kind of primer that could help explain the backstory to all of this and I found this clip from “Hip Hop Daily” which gives a 15-minute description of how these two rappers became enemies. This documents all the threats they’ve made against one another over the last few years along with several actual crimes including the murder of “Nut.” The current legal problems finally get mentioned in the last minute or so. Anyway, if you really want to know more about the fine line between rap artist and gang leader in Atlanta, I think this is a pretty good account.