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In Defense of Violent Rap
As the investigation into Diddy has ramped up, it is increasingly vital that we preserve the ability to distinguish between cruel words and bad deeds. (Photo illustration by The Free Press)
Diddy’s lyrics describe real cruelty—but it is the acts we must prosecute, not the words.
By Kat Rosenfield
06.05.24 — Culture and Ideas
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Some time ago, a writer named Nancy Crampton-Brophy wrote an essay titled “How to Murder Your Husband.”

Two years ago, she was sentenced to life in prison for, well, guess what.

It was the kind of story where the headlines—and punchlines—wrote themselves. But if, like me, you happen to be a crime novelist, the whole thing was less hilarious than infuriati…

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Kat Rosenfield
Culture writer, novelist, and podcaster. On Twitter at @katrosenfield.
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