Random Politics & Religion #00

(CNN)Song lyrics that glorify violence are hardly uncommon. But a prosecutor in California says one rapper's violent lyrics go beyond creative license to conspiracy.

San Diego-based rapper Tiny Doo has already spent eight months in prison, and faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted under a little-known California statute that makes it illegal to benefit from gang activities.

The statute in question is California Penal Code 182.5. The code makes it a felony for anyone to participate in a criminal street gang, have knowledge that a street gang has engaged in criminal activity, or benefit from that activity.

It's that last part -- benefiting from criminal activity -- that prosecutors are going after the rapper for.

Tiny Doo, whose real name is Brandon Duncan, faces nine counts of criminal street gang conspiracy because prosecutors allege he and 14 other alleged gang members increased their stature and respect following a rash of shootings in the city in 2013.

Prosecutors point to Tiny Doo's album, "No Safety," and to lyrics like "Ain't no safety on this pistol I'm holding" as examples of a "direct correlation to what the gang has been doing."

No one suggests the rapper ever actually pulled a trigger.

In fact, Duncan may rap about violence but he's got no criminal record.

Duncan told CNN's Don Lemon he's just "painting a picture of urban street life" with his lyrics.

"The studio is my canvas. I'm just painting a picture," he said. "I'm not telling anybody to go out and kill somebody."

He denied any involvement with any gang but said the prosecution has him concerned about future creative expression.

"I would love to continue to rap," he said. "But these people have you scared to do anything around here."

Prosecutors say lyrics aren't the only evidence they have. At Duncan's preliminary hearing, they presented social media posts that they say prove Duncan is still a gang member.

CNN Legal Analyst Mark Geragos says the district attorney may be trying to send a message "that you shouldn't glorify or glamorize gang activity."

"The problem is you're going to run straight head-on into the First Amendment," he said. "If they don't have anything other than the album, this case I don't think would ever stand up."

If this sticks, there will be a lot of rappers who would face the same punishment.

If it sticks, there will be a lot of journalists and news stations facing the same punishment.

So today ends the time to pay to save those 2 japaneses hostages of isis.

Its pure ***, asking 200m. How can goverment pay money to terrorist? It would just incentivate more and more kidnaping. But on the other side, how can inocent people that were just doing their jobs to be killed like that?

There is no peaceful solution for this situation...

Sure there is. Release the two hostages or we will drop a nuclear bomb on you.

If a nuclear bomb hit near you, you would instantly be at peace. There is nothing more peaceful than a nuclear bomb.

Erase every city that ISIS has taken over. The civilians there have either been assimilated, killed or will live a life of virtual captivity and misery forever regardless. It's humane. History will forget.

I say we stick with conventional warheads and blow up the dome of the rock. We'll give them advance warning to clear it out and stuff....

then if that doesn't work we blow up mecca. and we just keep destroying landmarks until we find one they really care(d) about.

Sorry Nik, not evil enough. You still ain't got nothin' on Lex Luthor.

What, your weather machine broken or something?

Yeah... /scoffs
like I want the whole justice league up my ***....

you gotta think these things through man....

Yeah... /scoffs
like I want the whole justice league up my ***....

you gotta think these things through man....

So, release the hostages or we'll kill the hostages for you, in a really spectacular way!

So where are you going to send your nuke?

So where are you going to send your nuke? Should have nuked Boston right after the bombings, just to be sure they wouldn't get away

I would have to agree with Kara.

Let them kill the hostages first before dropping a nuke on them at least.

(not really, I don't want to deal with that fallout ***)

If this sticks, there will be a lot of rappers who would face the same punishment.