Before a jury hears Yella Beezy’s music, his lawyers want a judge to decide whether the songs should be treated as art or evidence.
The Dallas rapper, who has pleaded not guilty, is charged with capital murder in the 2020 shooting death of fellow rapper Mo3. Prosecutors allege Yella Beezy arranged a murder-for-hire plot.
During a Thursday hearing, rap scholar Erik Nielson warned that jurors may treat lyrics like a personal diary even when they belong to a carefully created character.
“He plays a character named Yella Beezy,” Nielson told the court.
Nielson, a University of Richmond professor who studies the use of rap lyrics in criminal cases, compared performers to professional wrestlers.
“You stay in character even when you’re not in the ring,” he said.
State of TX v. @YellaBeezy214:
— Bryson “Boom” Paul (@brysonboompaul) July 17, 2026
8:45 AM Yella Beezy enters the courtroom with spouse, 2 family members and security guard, he takes a seat behind attorneys. He enters the courtroom with same calm demeanor as Thursday.
Mo3’s mother isn’t present in the gallery yet but three… pic.twitter.com/8wAGIURxhU
He testified that he could not recall Yella Beezy directly mentioning Mo3 in any song prosecutors hope to introduce. Nielson also cited research suggesting people interpret violent lyrics more literally when they are identified as rap.
“If they’re saying, ‘I did this or I did that’ … it can sound like straight confession,” he testified.
Dallas homicide detective Eric Barnes offered a different account of how investigators use music. Barnes said detectives do not begin with songs, but may compare lyrics with witness statements, wiretaps, social media posts and physical evidence.
“No investigation I conduct starts with rap music,” Barnes said.
The ruling will determine whether jurors hear Yella Beezy’s songs alongside the other evidence prosecutors plan to present.