Cam Kirk
Audio By Carbonatix
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Dallas Judge of Criminal District Court 7 Chika Anyiam ruled rap lyrics will be permissible as evidence in the high-profile murder-for-hire case of Markies Conway, better known as rap star Yella Beezy, according to an order filed on Monday. The order allows tracks by Dallas rappers Trapboy Freddy, Mo3 and Beezy himself to be presented to a jury. If convicted of orchestrating the murder of North Dallas rapper Mo3 in 2020 on Interstate 35E, Yella Beezy faces a maximum of a life sentence or the death penalty. He has been on bond since his arrest in March 2025.
The state and defense discussed various music pieces, social media posts and events connected to the alleged violent rivalry between rappers Mo3, Beezy, and Trapboy Freddy with the judge. The courtroom reviewed hospital footage of Beezy discussing his past beef with late Dallas comedian Roy Lee, footage of Mo3 being arrested in Frisco, Instagram Live footage of conversations between Beezy and Trapboy Freddy and more.
Among the nine admitted songs discussed by experts, the state and Beezy’s defense, Anyiam allowed three songs, including Mo3’s “2 Nineteen,” Beezy’s “Keep It In The Streets” and the Trapboy Freddy and Beezy collaboration, “On Ya Head,” to be heard by a jury. Anyiam’s decision follows a three-day pretrial hearing that began on July 16 and concluded on July 21, regarding whether music, social media content and interviews that suggest a feud between Beezy and Mo3 could be introduced to a jury.
Throughout Monday’s hearing, Beezy appeared calm. The hearing was also attended by his girlfriend, family members and a security guard. Beezy didn’t acknowledge the “Long live 3” chants upon his arrival. Mo3’s mother, Nichole Noble, and family also attended the pretrial hearing.
For expert testimony, Beezy and his team of attorneys have retained Dr. Erik Nielson, professor of liberal arts at the University of Richmond and co-author of the book “Rap on Trial.” Referring to artists as “actors,” Nielson said that rappers create their own hip-hop personas and initiate feuds to gain popularity. He added that he studied Dallas hip-hop and identified Mo3 as a “lesser-known” artist feuding with Yella Beezy for attention.
To counter Nielson’s testimony, the state, represented by criminal prosecutors Thomas Adams, Ricardo Vela and Sharonda Davis, called on detective Eric Barnes to testify to the severity of Yella Beezy and Mo3’s rivalry. Barnes claimed that the feud was “very real,” resulting in lives lost.
Barnes also said that based on lyrics in Beezy and Trapboy Freddy’s songs, he believed the former hired hitmen, also called “hittas,” to murder Mo3 in 2020. According to Barnes, Mo3 rapped about Beezy’s tollway shooting in “2 Nineteen,” and Trapboy Freddy rapped about hiring young people to kill people for $50,000 in “On Ya Head.”
“On Ya Head” producer Keise On Da Track feels uncomfortable about his music on trial.
“It’s a very weird feeling to see something I created be one of the topics of a very serious case that’s going on,” he told the Observer.
In addition to the music, Anyiam allowed only one media interview to be heard by the jury: a 2019 interview Beezy did with VladTV. However, she has allowed other elements to be mentioned to the jury, including the 2017 assault and 2018 death of Lee, the 2018 shooting of Beezy and the 2020 assault of Mo3’s manager, Benjamin Rainwater, which involved Beezy.
Both Beezy and Mo3’s Instagram footage after the 2019 Unruly Citizens festival will also be allowed to be seen by a jury, according to Anyiam’s order.
The prosecution filed a witness list of 150 names ahead of the Judge’s ruling on Monday. The list includes employees from the FBI and the Dallas Police Department, as well as people close to Mo3 and Beezy, such as Mo3’s mother, Beezy’s girlfriend D’Andrea Harris, alleged co-conspirators Devin Brown, Kewon White, Jerry Johnson and Trapboy Freddy.
Trapboy Freddy, whose real name is Devarius Moore, and his music were frequently mentioned throughout the pretrial hearing; however, the defense clarified that the longtime friend of Beezy is neither a co-conspirator nor has he ever been associated with the murder of Mo3. Barnes testified that Trapboy Freddy could be arrested in the future after being asked by the defense why the rapper has never been arrested in the five-year investigation.
“There’s no statute of limitations in a murder case,” Barnes told attorney Beezy’s attorney, Toby Shook, during the July 17 hearing.
The use of rap music in a trial continues as a larger nationwide discussion about musicians’ First Amendment rights. Artists like Pooh Shiesty, YNW Melly and Lil Durk are among those whose lyrics are being dissected in ongoing trials.
Beezy has maintained his music career while out on bond, as he’s allowed to go to the recording studio once a week for five hours; he has released five new songs, including his latest, “Cool With Me,” featuring Tonio Armani. Lil’ Wayne was set to executive produce Beezy’s long-awaited album before his arrest for Mo3’s murder.
Beezy has also addressed the upcoming trial and other legal issues in his new music. On “Let Me Vent,” he raps: “Fighting two cases, three lawsuits and I’m sitting at home on house confinement / If that ain’t strong how you define it / Solid, I don’t do no whining / They keep going to the blogs about me / Everybody wanna talk about me / And they gon’ have that dick look when I’m set free and I walk up out it.”
Beyond the music, the once proclaimed “Best Rapper from Texas” has been vocal about jealousy on social media. On July 19, he posted, “When the hate doesn’t work, they start telling lies!!!!” Then, on July 21, he posted, “Raise your hand if you know they are talking behind your back, but you don’t care.” On July 26, he tweeted, “Let a liar talk long enough, and they’ll eventually reveal the truth about themselves!!!”
Within hours of the judge’s order regarding his lyrics, Beezy posted on X, writing, “Anything they do & say on bad terms is what they wanted to do and say while things was good. They ain’t just “’hinking’ of shit cuzz they mad in the moment.. them feelings been there !!!!”
Beezy’s defense declined to comment on Monday’s ruling. As of press time, the state has not responded to our email on the judge’s order. The Yella Beezy murder trial is set to begin on Aug. 24.
