Professor Caleb Mason wrote the Law Review article we’ve all been waiting for: a line-by-line analysis of Jay-Z’s 99 Problems. As every attorney who graduated since 2004 will recall, at some point during Criminal Procedure everyone left class thinking Jay-Z got it all wrong.  That day’s lesson on the 4th Amendment provides a powerful wake up call that, no, the cops do not need a warrant to get in your glovebox or trunk despite Jay-Z’s advice otherwise in 99 Problems.

Prof. Mason gets to the crux of the matter in his piece, writing:

The fact that the trunk and glove compartments are locked is completely irrelevant. Now, Jay-Z may have just altered the lyrics for dramatic effect, but that would be unfortunate insofar as the song is going to reach many more people than any criminal procedure lecture, and everyone should really know the outline of the law in this area. What the line should say is: “You’ll need some p.c. for that.”

Every Street Law teacher should review this article and spend a day with their students on this song.

Read the article here.