Detectives confirm Yella Beezy’s bar suspected of murder-for-hire

Yella Beezy’s rap lyrics became a major weapon for prosecutors after a detective testified they referred to paying for violence and putting money on someone’s head.

Yella Beezy walked into a Dallas courtroom Friday knowing his lyrics were about to become the prosecution’s main weapon.

Detective Eric Barnes took the stand and spent hours linking three songs to what prosecutors said was a murder-for-hire plot against MO3, who was killed in 2020.

Detectives singled out “Hitters,” “Keep It in the Streets” and “On Your Head,” claiming the songs contained references to paying for violence and putting money on someone’s head.

According to NBC DFW, Barnes testified that the songs supported the state’s theory that Yella Beezy masterminded the murder.

The detective’s testimony was about more than just music.

He testified that the alleged shooter, Kewon White, appeared on stage at a concert with Yella Beezy shortly before MO3’s death, indicating that White had the rapper’s trust.

Detectives also cited a history of conflicts between the two artists, including a concert where police had to intervene due to concerns for public safety.

Barnes made it clear that without the cooperation of witnesses, investigators must turn to social media and YouTube to build their case.

The defense is trying to prevent the lyrics from going to trial, arguing that the rapper uses fictional characters and exaggeration as part of a genre.

They brought in an expert to testify that these were stage roles, not confessions.

But Barnes countered that although Yella Beezy and MO3 have stage names, they are not playing characters.

Prosecutors are building a case that views the music as direct evidence of criminal intent rather than artistic expression.

The multi-day hearing has become one of the most significant pretrial battles over whether rap lyrics can be used against the artist in court, according to Fox 4 News.

The next preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, July 24, with the actual trial beginning on August 24.

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