Opinion ID: 1285642
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 15

Heading: Admission of Ruckus lyrics.

Text: While appellant was incarcerated awaiting trial, prison officials seized from his cell a rap song entitled The Ruckus. Appellant stipulated he is the author. The lyrics read as follows: The Ruckus, Part I Ruckus, I believe you're a perpetrator, gold and platinum hater, cause me and J.D. is a force like Dark Vador. Who do you despise a strong enterprise? Do the greed in your eyes lead you to tell lies? Victimize me and Jermain Dupri, don't let me see or else there'll be death in this industry. Want let go, set it fo' sho', I get hype like Mike put yo' blood on the dance flo'. Blow fo' blow, toe to toe, with that no mo'. Like the 4th of July, I spray fire in the sky. If I hear your voice, better run like horses or like metamorphis, turn all y'all to corpses. No fingerprints or evidence at your residence. Fools leave clues, all I leave is a blood pool. Ten murder cases, why the sad faces? Cause when I skipped town, I left a trail [of] bodies on the ground. Your whole click ain't nothing but tricks, bitch pulling sticks, grown men sucking dicks. No one bring ruckus like King Justice, but toughest the So So Def most corruptest. The defense objected to the admission of this document as improper character evidence. After the trial judge ruled it admissible, appellant put up evidence that violent lyrics are common to rap music and suggested an innocuous explanation of the words having to do with appellant's role in the music industry. Further, appellant introduced the lyrics to two other songs he had written entitled I Love My Babies and Mama, Mama about family-related matters. Appellant contends he was unfairly prejudiced by the admission of the Ruckus document. While we agree this evidence should not have been admitted, we find no reversible error. The trial judge admitted these lyrics as an admission against interest under Rule 801(d)(2), SCRE, based on the song's reference to leaving no prints and bodies left in a pool of blood. We find these references too vague in context to support the admission of this evidence. The minimal probative value of this document is far outweighed by its unfair prejudicial impact as evidence of appellant's bad character, i.e. his propensity for violence in general. Unlike the letters to Virgil Howard which contain identifying details of the crimes committed, these lyrics contain only general references glorifying violence. Accordingly, the Ruckus song should have been excluded. See Rule 403, SCRE (although relevant, evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice). Where there is other properly admitted evidence of conduct demonstrating the particular character trait in question, however, there is no reversible error. State v. Brown, 344 S.C. 70, 543 S.E.2d 552 (2001). The two letters to Virgil Howard, which have the same tone, were properly admitted and demonstrate appellant's violent disposition. We find any error in the admission of the Ruckus document harmless.