Afroman, the crypto token launched by “Because I Got High” rapper Afroman, has skyrocketed in value after police in Ohio did not sue him over a collection of music movies he made mocking officers who raided his residence.
A jury sided with the rapper — actual title is Joseph E. Foreman — on Wednesday, concluding a three-year defamation lawsuit launched by police in Adams County.
The authorized motion stemmed from a police raid on Foreman’s residence again in 2022 that resulted in a damaged door, confiscation of money, and a search that failed to search out any proof of suspected drug trafficking and kidnapping.
The Pump Enjoyable cryptocurrency “Afroman,” (ticker image $FRO) was launched six months in the past, proper earlier than Foreman promoted the token on his Instagram account.
Police sued Foreman over a collection of music movies he launched mocking the raid.
A livestream that confirmed Foreman eating out was uploaded alongside the crypto token. It pumped to a market cap of $38,000 earlier than falling again to $12,000 on the day of its launch.
Nonetheless, throughout the 2 days main as much as Foreman’s defamation trial victory, the crypto’s market cap pumped 4,685% to a excessive of $335,000. FRO’s market cap is now over $175,000.
Lawsuit referred to as music movies ‘humiliating’
Foreman was in a position to seize footage of the raid along with his residence safety cameras, and in response, he created a collection of music movies mocking the police deputies in numerous outlandish methods.
One music referred to as “Lemon Pound Cake” mocked an officer who was recorded on the lookout for a cut up second at Foreman’s lemon pound cake on the kitchen counter.
“Why You Disconnecting My Video Camera” centered on, for those who hadn’t already guessed, the officers disconnecting his cameras in the course of the raid.
“They ran up my driveway with guns and hate, to steal my buns, they just couldn’t wait, I know you want me dead, or in the slammer, but why you unhooking my video cameras?” Afroman sang.
Others have been extra graphic. One titled “Randy Walters Is A Son Of A Bitch” joked about Afroman sleeping with the spouse of one of many officers, and the way the officer wouldn’t pay to restore his damaged door.
Lots of the movies have been performed within the courtroom whereas the officers watched.
The officers claimed the movies induced them “humiliation, ridicule, mental distress, embarrassment and loss of reputation.”
In deposition footage, one officer claimed the movies partly induced his ex-wife to depart him. Nonetheless, when his ex-wife testified in courtroom as the one protection witness introduced by Foreman, she stated the music movies by no means affected her marriage or her life.
He additionally argued that the officers wouldn’t pay for the damages they induced in the course of the raid, and so he created the music movies in an try to recoup these losses.
Foreman additionally argued his proper to free speech whereas wearing a crimson, white, and blue go well with adorned with the American flag.
After the decision was handed down, Foreman filmed himself celebrating and shouting, “Yeah! We did it America!… Freedom of speech! Right on, right on, god bless America!”
The rapper had already uploaded a music earlier than the trial’s previous couple of days, singing his personal rendition of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
His model is named the “Batteram Hymn Of The Police Whistle Blower.”
It goes, “Mine eye has seen the corruption of the Adam county cops. Stealing money, stealing cake, when they make their traffic stops. First they screw you, then they sue you, play games, then dismiss your claims. The proof’s on the internet.”
Protos has reached out to Foreman for remark and can replace this piece ought to we hear something again.
