The Grammy-nominated rapper Afroman won a defamation lawsuit filed by seven Ohio sheriff’s deputies who sued him over music videos in which he used home security footage to mock their raid of his home.
“We did it, America! Yeah, we did it! Freedom of speech! Right on! Right on!” the 51-year-old rapper, born Joseph Foreman, shouted outside the courthouse after the Wednesday evening verdict. He later posted the clip to social media.
The case tested the limits of parody and the license artists can take in social commentary directed at public figures. The deputies sought nearly $4 million in damages collectively.
“No reasonable person would expect a police officer not to be criticized. They’ve been called names before,” defense lawyer David Osborne said in closing arguments for the rapper, know for his breakout 2000 hit, “Because I Got High.”
The Adams County deputies claimed they were subjected to public harassment over the viral videos, which garnered over 3 million views on YouTube. The footage depicts officers raiding Afroman’s home while humorously searching for items like 'lemon pound cake'.
Afroman defended his artistic expression on First Amendment grounds, stating that the diss tracks were created to recover damages from the raid, which included a broken gate and door. He testified that the raid traumatized his children, aged 10 and 12 at the time.
In court, wearing a patriotic suit, he emphasized that the whole incident was a mistake on the police's part. He noted, “If they hadn’t raided my house, there would be no lawsuit. I would not know their names.”
His lyrics directly addressed the police: “Did you find what you were looking for? Would you like a slice of lemon pound cake?” showcasing the absurdity of the raid.
Deputies claimed that Afroman’s videos ridiculed them, affecting their personal lives, while his defense argued that exaggeration is typical in social commentary.
Afroman lives in Winchester, about 50 miles outside of Cincinnati.
