Afroman’s Court Victory

At Solari, we often remind our subscribers how important it is to get to know and support their sheriff, and what a critical difference a good constitutional sheriff can make, especially when their constituents have their back. However, sometimes sheriffs make poor decisions. In these strange, you-can’t-make-it-up times we live in, we are gratified that Joseph Foreman—a rapper known as “Afroman”—just prevailed in a surreal lawsuit filed against him by seven officers from the sheriff’s department in rural Adams County, Ohio.

The saga began in August 2022 when four deputies, two sergeants, and a detective raided Afroman’s house, operating on an unreliable and completely unfounded tip claiming involvement in narcotics and kidnapping. Although Afroman was in Chicago at the time, his home surveillance system captured actions such as the police busting through his gate and breaking down a door, along with officers rifling through his wardrobe, CD collection, and money, and—now most famously—pausing to notice a tempting lemon pound cake on the kitchen counter. Finding nothing, the sheriff’s office filed no charges.

As an artist who clearly has a sense of humor, the rapper decided to channel his indignation—and his home surveillance footage—into a series of songs and related music videos. All of them went “viral,” with “Lemon Pound Cake” becoming particularly popular. The chorus includes this refrain:

Mama’s lemon pound cake, It tastes so nice
It made the sheriff want to put down his gun and cut him a slice
Lemon pound cake, He want to put down his Glock
Lemon pound cake, Trending on TikTok

The raid left Afroman with significant damage to his home and some temporarily “miscounted” money. Afroman told the press, “$400 came up missing from what they said they had. So the crime scene switches from my house to the police station. They started investigating themselves, and they say it was simply a miscount. How do you miscount $400?” More pointedly, the song “Will You Help Me Repair My Door” asks,

Why are you stealing my money? Why are you stealing my money?
You represent the law, and it’s funny
You stealin’ my legal, work-hard-every-day, pay-taxes money

Astonishingly, instead of offering an apology or offering assistance for the home repairs, the officers sued Afroman for using their images in the music videos, alleging invasion of privacy and “loss of reputation.” After he found out about the lawsuit, Afroman said,

“I was offended. I was appalled. I was like ‘what?’ Then I started laughing. These guys with their rifles are crying about my comedy songs.”

It wasn’t until this month that the case went to trial, with a cool, calm, and collected Afroman—dressed in red, white, and blue—defending freedom of speech and winning. After a lawyer tried to make him feel bad for hurting the officers’ feelings, Afroman stated:

“After they run around my house with guns and kick down my door, I got the right to … use my freedom of speech, turn my bad times into a good time—yes, I do. And I think I’m a sport for doing so…. All of this is their fault, and now they want to sue me for their mistake.”

As the lyrics in his recent video, “Batteram Hymn of the Police Whistle Blower,” state, “My proof’s on the Internet.”

Watch the “Lemon Pound Cake” music video HERE.

Watch the “Will You Help Me Repair My Door” music video HERE.

And watch Afroman’s calm replies to the lawyer attempting to get him to apologize for embarrassing the officers who raided his home HERE.