Drill Music Used As Evidence In Unemployment Fraud Case

Members of the Woo Gang located in Brooklyn were arrested for unemployment fraud. The New York Post reports that they stole $4.3 million from an unemployment program provided by Covid-19 relief program. They used personal information from 800 people to submit unemployment claims worth $20 million. A complaint filed against the Woo Gang tipped of law enforcement.

Members of Woo Gang
Credit: New York Post

The Eastern District of New York will use drill music lyrics in a music video as evidence. Prosecutors reference specific lyrics believed to reference the fraud. In the video ‘Trappin,’ money and expensive gifts are being flaunted. The gifts are believed to be bought with the stolen money in question.

Lyrics Used As Evidence

As previously reported by FM Hip Hop, a Louisiana judge allowed rap lyrics to be used against a rapper in a court case. Because of this 2012 court case it opened up the door for other courts to use the same approach against other rappers. Prosecutors are going to use song lyrics against the Woo Gang.

A Focus On Drill Music

Drill music is receiving a lot of attention as of late and this court case is adding to the anti-drill music movement. Tdott and Nas Blixky were killed within 24 hours of each other at the beginning of February. The mayor of New York City Eric Adams called out drill music for its violent lyrics. Eric Adams call against drill came after the murder of C-Hii Wvttz added to the body count. But if drill music was the major cause for violence then the mayor would not have to make ask his son to inform him about the murder music.

Learn about the history of drill music

Eric Adams Credit: ABC News

A Call To Remove Drill Music

Eric Adams believes that websites that allow drill music to promote violence has a responsibility. In return, they should be responsible and remove music promoting violence from their platforms. Eric directly calls out Twitter for banning Donald Trump from its website but not music that promotes violence.

Eric Adams met with rappers after he blamed drill music for helping create a rise in violence. The meeting took place in a city hall office on that following Tuesday. The New York City mayor and rap artist posted a video on social media.

Eric Adams Drill Rap Meeting: NYC Mayor in Late-Night Talks With Rappers – NBC New York

Adams promises “we’re going to roll out something together”

Adams doesn’t make it clear what they’re going to roll out but I’m sure it has something to do with removing the violence associated with drill website.

Drill Across The Ocean

Drill music isn’t only getting negative publicity in the United States. London criminalizes drill music with strict laws . YouTube removed drill music videos from their site after a request from London Police. The laws in London are more strict against drill music than laws currently in place in New York City. Eric Adams could use the London approach but for now, it’s just talking.

A Change In Environment

Politicians are blaming a sub-genre of rap for the violence in America. They want to create laws that regulate drill music. When laws regulate drill music then nothing stops all forms of rap from also being regulated. Rap artist use rap as an escape from the violence they rap about. Even if politicians remove drill music from the internet the environment the drill artists grow up in will remain the same. Politicians must create laws to change the environment where violence is high.

Xavier “Writer X” Griffin | Facebook @WriterX93|Twitter @WRITER_X_713