Gordon Gault: Rap about killing must be considered ‘in context’ says expert

Rap lyrics about the murder of a 14-year-old boy, written by his accused killers, could be bravado rather than real-life evidence, a trial has heard.

Gordon Gault died in hospital six days after being fatally stabbed with a machete in Newcastle in November 2022.

Six youths, aged 16-18, deny murder.

Newcastle Crown Court has heard some of the accused allegedly wrote drill raps about the killing, but expert witness Francis Osei-Appiah said the songs had to be considered with caution.

The court has heard Mr Gault was killed as part of a feud between rival groups of youths who traded in "tit-for-tat violence".

Mr Osei-Appiah, who was jailed for almost 17 years for gang-related activities in London, "translated" some of the drill lyrics, slang and other messages found on the defendants' phones for the benefit of jurors.

Under cross-examination by the accused youths' lawyers, Mr Osei-Appiah said it was important to "contextualise" the words and phrases found on the phone and be "cautious" in considering their relevance to the victim's murder.

The expert witness said artists could choose words purely to make them fit a rhyme - and for songs to be effective, they would often deliberately choose dark, violent and bombastic language.

Mr Osei-Appiah said lyrics found in drill music were typically hyper-masculine, disrespectful and aggressive - allowing for no display of weakness or vulnerability: "That is what the fanbase likes," he told the court.

He said other genres of rap were used if an artists wanted to express sorrow, sadness and regret but "not (in) drill".

Under questioning by Jason Pitter KC, representing Carlos Neto, 18 - on whose phone some of the lyrics in question were found - Mr Osei-Appiah said drill lyrics did not necessarily reflect their author's "real life".

He said when drill music was brought "into the courtroom" as evidence, a "clear link" had to be established between any alleged offences and the lyrics which suggested they were "confessional".

Mr Pitter asked if young people who became involved in the world of drill music were typically "detached" from the wider world, with a "completely different" set of rules and sensibilities.

Mr Osei-Appiah acknowledged that such youths, like the defendants, often involved themselves in groups and came from a "totally different world" - suggesting they were "in their own bubble".

He said they lived by "their own street code" and for "most people that live like that, it is a criminal lifestyle".

Mr Osei-Appiah said becoming a successful drill artist could make someone a millionaire and offered an escape from the "bubble" - which was an aspiration of many young people.

He said some of the defendants' alleged lyrics were "very clever" and used a lot of metaphor and rhyme, adding the writers had "talent".

Two of the defendants, aged 16 and 17, cannot be identified. The remaining four, all aged 18, are:

The trial continues.

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