Ride Out

Album: not on an album (2009)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In 2007, the 16-year-old Christopher Horton and 20-year-old Brian Dean were shot dead in Newport, Virginia for no apparent reason, although the double murder was thought to be gang-related. In March 2009, the rapper Twain Gotti uploaded a video of his song "Ride Out" to MySpace where it remained until 2011 before coming to the attention of the police investigating the double murder. The song was considered as a confession, or more likely a boast.

    Gotti was charged (under his real name Antwain Steward), but the prosecution decided not to play the song to the jury, probably because it has no connection with the crime; for one thing, it alludes only to one murder, not two.

    Steward took the stand in his own defense. Although cleared of the most grave charges, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison for firearms offences. He was convicted on the basis of two eyewitness identifications made four years after the crime, which begs the question, should the defense have introduced a certain Ernest Hogan song to give the jury something to think about?

    One academic critic says rappers are creating characters, not writing diaries, and in view of the stunningly large number of offenses prosecuted on the basis of such lyrics, he might just have a point. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Colbie Caillat

Colbie CaillatSongwriter Interviews

Since emerging from MySpace with her hit "Bubbly," Colbie has become a top songwriter, even crafting a hit with Taylor Swift.

Emilio Castillo from Tower of Power

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

Rock Revenge Songs

Rock Revenge SongsMusic Quiz

John Lennon, Paul Simon and Lynyrd Skynyrd are some of the artists who have written revenge songs. Do you know who they wrote them about?

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," Kiss

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," KissSong Writing

After cutting his teeth on hardcore punk videos, Paul defined the grunge look with his work on "Hunger Strike" and "Man in the Box."

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat WorldSongwriter Interviews

Jim talks about the impact of "The Middle" and uses a tree metaphor to describe his songwriting philosophy.

David Gray

David GraySongwriter Interviews

David Gray explains the significance of the word "Babylon," and talks about how songs are a form of active imagination, with lyrics that reveal what's inside us.