Tayvon Etefia, 28, and Emmanuel Popoola, 28, were convicted of murdering Keanu Harker, 18, in Enfield, north London, on June 26, 2025. The murder was part of a gang war between the Get Money Gang (GMG) and the 3×3 gang, sparked by a social media row.
Drill Rapper's Lyrics Used as Evidence in Murder Trial
Tayvon Etefia, the 28-year-old drill rapper, boasted about stabbing his rivals "on sight" in a song just six days before the murder. His lyrics, which included the line "Any green boy gets chinged [stabbed] on sight," referred specifically to 3×3 members.
Photo: dailymail.com
Etefia and Popoola were found guilty of murder after prosecutors presented the lyrics as evidence of the ongoing gang war. The Metropolitan Police said the tactic helped convict both men of murder before they were jailed for minimum terms of 28 years each.
Campaign Against Using Drill Lyrics as Evidence in Court
Photo: dailymail.com
A group of lawyers and academics is lobbying ministers to make lyrics inadmissible in court, arguing that it criminalises creativity and unfairly penalises young black men. However, detectives and families of victims fear any prohibition will lead to dangerous offenders escaping punishment.
Keanu's mother, Kristen Harker, said the use of drill lyrics as evidence "can help bring justice to victims and their families." She added, "If music is being used to glorify real violence, it shouldn't be ignored. If it can help bring justice to victims and their families, then it should be taken seriously."
Photo: dailymail.com
Experts Weigh in on the Use of Drill Lyrics in Court
Baroness Shami Chakrabarti said, "We're in a ridiculous position at present where somebody's musical taste is somehow prejudicial." She was referring to the fact that a person's musical taste can be used as evidence against them in court.
Photo: dailymail.com
In another case, a rap video filmed on a killer's mobile phone was used to secure justice for a murdered 15-year-old. Rene Graham was gunned down during a family 'fun-day' at Emslie Horniman's Pleasance Park in July 2024.
Source: Daily Mail
Related Stories
I was kept in cells from 7am to 6pm without food and water- Okatakyie Afrifa
The Nigeria Problem: How Ghanaian Artists Navigate a Market That Doesn’t Return the Favour
Child Stars of Ghanaian TV: Where They Are Thirty Years Later
From Ghana to Nollywood: The Ghanaian Actors Who Crossed the Border and Stayed
The Ghanaian Artists Who Won BET Awards: A Full Record
