Earlier this year, Adams County resident Joseph Foreman – better known to rap fans as Afroman – prevailed in a defamation lawsuit that local law enforcement filed against him.
Now, the rapper is turning the tables.
Afroman is suing one of the law enforcement officers who previously sued him, accusing him of malicious prosecution, abuse of process, intentional infliction of emotional distress and tortious interference with contract.
A home raid launches a legal battle
Before law enforcement raided his home in 2022, Afroman was known for his comedic, stoner rap tracks, including his breakout, Grammy-nominated song “Because I Got High.”
But once Adams County deputies kicked down his door and searched his home on suspicion of drug trafficking and kidnapping, Afroman’s songs took on a new focus: mocking the officers who took part in the unsuccessful search party.
He used home footage from the raid to ridicule officers, in songs like “Will You Help Me Repair My Door?” and “Lemon Poundcake”.
In a video produced for the latter, he sings over raid footage of an officer glancing at a pastry on the counter: “Mama’s lemon poundcake / It tastes so nice / It made the sheriff want to put down his gun and cut him a slice.”
These songs and other taunting social media posts prompted legal action. In 2023, seven deputies filed a lawsuit against Afroman for invasion of privacy and defamation.
A matter of free speech
Independent legal journalist Meghann Cuniff followed the trial closely. She said it was a classic question of free speech: Are these posts public parody or are they defamatory?
Adams County officers argued Afroman’s posts ruined their reputations. In court, deputy Brian Newland said the rapper calling him a pedophile caused him to leave the sheriff’s department and affected his personal life.
“I stopped going to my kids’ games for a little bit because everytime I showed up everybody would be looking at me or something would be said to me. Just to spare their embarrassment,” Newland testified in court.
Afroman’s lawyer David Osborne Jr. argued the musician’s actions were protected by the first amendment.
“What does this message send if we find that music and social commentary, while maybe not the most tasteful thing in the world, is silenced because [of] a public official?” Osborne Jr. argued in the courtroom.
In the end, the jury sided with Afroman. Journalist Cuniff said the whole case went viral – and not just for its implications on free speech.
“The appearance of Afroman in the red, white and blue suit that he wore,” she said, “that right there just got people's attention.”
Another chapter in the legal saga
Afroman’s patriotic suit might get another day in court. The rapper is launching civil charges against former deputy Brian Newland, one of the seven officers who sued him.
Afroman did not respond to a request for comment from the Ohio Newsroom, but in an interview with local TV station WCPO, the rapper said he hoped to hold law enforcement accountable and recoup attorney costs.
“I shouldn’t have to pay out a whole bunch of money because you raided me wrong in the first place,” Afroman said in the WCPO interview.
The lawsuit, filed by Afroman, is seeking at least $150,000 in damages, which includes at least $25,000 for attorney’s fees and costs.
Former deputy Newland’s attorney Robert Klingler declined an interview, saying in an emailed statement: “I’ve learned that anything I say about these cases only serves as material for Mr. Foreman’s social media posts. The response to Foreman’s claims will be made in our court filings.”
In order to prove malicious prosecution, one of the four civil charges, Afroman’s attorney will have to demonstrate that Newland didn’t think he had a case or willingly brought the case knowing it was false, said legal journalist Cuniff.
“I don't think overall he has much of a chance on that lawsuit because it's usually immunity for the police officers in the investigations,” she said.
The case will determine whether Afroman can keep riding his courtroom high.
