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Hip Hop and the Law Course Research Guide

Useful resources for Professor Ivory's Hip Hop & the Law course.

Overview

This is a topic that crosses the boundaries between different areas of laws, as well as different disciplines, so think creatively about how to approach your research. You can often find useful stuff under Entertainment Law or Media Law, and you will often find that Sports Law materials are included with these as well, because it tends to raise similar issues. In addition to these categories, it might also help to think in terms of more general legal topics, such as: 

  • Contract issues related to representing musicians and other entertainers. 
  • IP issues which might arise when copyrighted works are improperly used. 
  • Tort issues related to the liability of sports leagues for undiscovered brain trauma. 
  • Constitutional issues raised by the use of lyrics in criminal prosecutions. 

Much of your research for the course will focus less on traditional legal research tools, and more on effectively managing and processing news and other current awareness sources. Many of the sources included in the guide will help with this aspect of your research. Similarly, your research into cases might be less focused on the reported cases that were your focus in 1L Research Methods and more on tracking the developments of ongoing litigation. 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the State of Georgia, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. Georgia State University College of Law and the authors of the works contained on this website do not assume or accept any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, currentness, or comprehensiveness of the content on this website. The content on this website does not in any manner constitute the issuance of legal advice or counsel. The information on this website is intended to provide resources that may aid the research of the topics presented, and are in no way a comprehensive list of sources one should consult on the topics presented. Please note that case law, statutory law, and administrative law may be modified and/or overturned. Additionally, because the laws vary between jurisdictions, the laws referred to herein may or may not be applicable to the law within the reader’s jurisdiction.