McKinley Phipps, better known as rapper Mac formerly of No Limit Records, is opening up about his career was derailed when his lyrics were used against him in court.
According to Erik Nielson, author of “Rap On Trial,” rap lyrics have been used in more than 500 criminal cases since 1991.
Rap is the only genre of music where lyrics are used in court against the artists.
In February 2000, Mac’s world came crashing down when a 19-year-old got shot at one of his shows and later died.
McKinley Phipps admits he pulled out his gun as he made his way to the door and it was “probably the biggest mistake I ever made.”
He later learned because people saw him with the gun, they believed he was the shooter.
Mac was charged with first-degree murder despite a member of his entourage confessing to the shooting.
Prosecutors used lyrics from his single, “Murda, Murda, Kill, Kill,” featuring Mystikal, and “Shell Shock” where he raps, “Ya f**k with me, he’ll give you a bullet in yo brain” to paint him out to be a cold-hearted killer.
Mac was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
After serving 21 years of the 30-year sentence, McKinley Phipps was granted clemency and released from prison.
“I can definitely say that I’m more conscious of the messages that I want to convey to the audience. I would never censor myself, but I do value my words more.”
In October 2022, Mac released Son of the City, his first project since his release from prison.
“I don’t have too many songs, if any, about prison life because the whole time I was in prison I was imagining myself free.”
Watch Mac’s featuring on “CBS Mornings” below.
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