Darren John, better known by his stage name Avalanche the Architect, is appealing to poetic license to defend himself against some pretty serious charges. He was slapped with criminal harassment and threatening death because of his rap lyrics. "It's really rap being under attack, because I've never heard of this before," said Darren John.
"If this was a heavy metal group that did this, I don't think it would happen," he said. "I'm not going to accept anything except absolute exoneration."
The lyrics in question are from a song titled "Got Yourself a Gun."
John was charged with two counts of uttering threats to cause bodily harm or death, and one count of criminal harassment. The lyrics to the song "Got Yourself a Gun" allegedly stem from a falling out with Sonia Harry, who stopped booking him for rap and hip-hop gigs.
Harry, who is involved with hip-hop herself, feels John's lyrics "crossed the line" and made her fear for her safety. "This is direct. He says my name. He's got guns blowing off, saying direct threats that he's going to shoot me," she said.
"How am I supposed to feel as a 5-foot-2 girl, having this guy that's a giant hulk saying this about me?"
The words in the song in question, read out by John to a Star reporter, include a lewd, eight-line tirade ending with the word "Sonia," portraying her as a prostitute. There are also parts of John's song that refer to a series of violence. These include, "You're beefin' with a veteran, one in your head, you will need Excedrin" — as well as "June 23, there will be no show. You'll end up missin', you'll be a no-show."
Harry said she recently moved "out of province," where she started a venture called Project Phoenix, a "music meets charity" organization that sets up events to raise money for battered women.
John's trial is slated to begin in April.
Source: thestar.com
