Afroman won in court earlier this week after a jury ruled in favor of the rapper, but with the latest twist, the story is getting weirder.
Earlier this week, Afroman turned a jury victory into a free speech masterclass after Ohio police lost a defamation lawsuit against him.
Seven Adams County sheriff’s deputies sued the rapper over his “Lemon Pound Cake” music video that mocked their 2022 raid on his home, but a jury this week sided with him on all 13 counts.
Translation: There is still free speech in America, and Afroman proved it in court. This is where it gets interesting.
Adams County, Pa., Sheriff Joshua Fetting had to post on social media on Thursday that “we are not arresting rapper Afro” after his office received calls from confused fans.
The wrong state police are being blamed for what Ohio representatives did.
Fitting joked that all the phone calls and “colorful language from accents across the county” were cute, but he needed people to double-check which state they were calling.
As early as August 2022, Ohio police officers knocked on Afroman’s door, looking for evidence of drug trafficking and kidnapping. They found nothing and no charges were filed, but his family was home.
His wife filmed the attack as Afroman’s two children, aged 10 and 12 at the time, watched armed police storm their house. Officers also allegedly took $400 in cash and damaged his property.
So Afroman did what he did best: he made music.
The Lemon Pound Cake album was released in 2023 and included songs such as “The Police Raid” and “Why You Disconnecting My Video Camera.”
The music video uses real home surveillance footage. A police officer has gone down in history after being distracted by a cake on the kitchen counter.
Representatives claim Afroman’s content violated their privacy and caused emotional distress. They asked for $3.9 million in damages and the removal of the video.
But Afroman’s lawyers argued that it was comedy and social commentary and was protected speech. The jury agreed. After less than a day of deliberation, they ruled entirely in favor of Afroman.
“I didn’t win, America won,” Avroman told reporters outside the court, wearing his signature American flag suit and white fur coat. “America still has free speech. It’s still for the people, by the people.”
The rapper insists the officers who searched his house and took photos of himself on his camera brought it upon themselves.
The trial lasted three days and caused a stir. One police officer testified that he received hundreds of pounds of cake from jokers at work.
Another said he had to resign because of Afroman’s accusations. But the jury did not accept the damages claim.
Afroman, best known for his 2000 hit “Because I Got High,” has released 18 studio albums and has a large following on social media. He’s also using his platform to produce a Joker Cop song!
View this post on Instagram
