Afroman celebrates in video after Ohio jury sides with rapper in defamation lawsuit
Afroman celebrated his legal victory in a video on Wednesday after winning a defamation lawsuit filed by several Ohio sheriff's deputies who accused the rapper of mocking and allegedly lying about them in music videos, following a 2022 raid on his home.
The Grammy-nominated rapper, 51, whose real name is Joseph Edgar Foreman and who is known for the 2001 song "Because I Got High," took to Instagram in a fur coat and American flag-printed suit following the verdict, in which a jury found him not liable on any of the deputies' claims.
In the video, with supporters behind him, Afroman says, "We did it America! Yeah! We did it! Freedom of speech! Right on! Yeah! God bless America! Yeah! Power to the people!"
In the post's caption, he added, "WE DID IT AMERICA. GOD BLESS AMERICA LAND THAT I LOVE !!! FREEDOM OF SPEECH!!!!!!!!!!!"
On Thursday, Afroman shared another celebratory post, promoting dates for several upcoming shows and writing in the caption, "LET'S CELEBRATE AMERICA."
The lawsuit was first filed by Adams County sheriff's deputies Shawn D. Cooley, Justin Cooley, Michael D. Estep, Shawn D. Grooms, Brian Newland, Lisa Phillips and Randolph L. Walters Jr. in March 2023.
The deputies claimed Afroman had used their likenesses, names, and "personas" in various music videos and social media posts following a raid on his home in August 2022, a warrant for which tied the search to an investigation into drug and kidnapping allegations.
That warrant stated that police had allegedly received a tip from a confidential informant who claimed to have seen large amounts of weed and money at Afroman's home. The informant also alleged the rapper kept women locked in his basement, however, no one was found inside the residence and the rapper was never charged.
According to the deputies' complaint, Afroman was not at home at the time, but his wife who was home "recorded portions of the search on her camera phone." The residence also had several security video cameras, which recorded portions of the search with clear images of the law enforcement officers involved.
The deputies alleged in their suit that following that August 2022 raid, the rapper created several music videos and social media posts ridiculing and mocking the deputies involved with the search "for commercial purposes" to promote "live performances, his music, his other merchandise, and his 'Afroman' brand."
The deputies alleged that they had "been subjected to ridicule" and harassment from the public as a result of the videos and posts and demanded millions of dollars in damages.
A counterclaim from Afroman in response to the deputies' lawsuit denied the deputies' claims and stated that they had allegedly damaged two doors in his home during the raid. He further claimed that he had to "repair his security system after officer ripped the DVR off of the wall and disconnected all the wiring" and accused the deputies of "destruction and alteration of property."
Additionally, Afroman alleged that money was taken from his home during the search, and that when it was returned to him, an employee of the Adams County Sheriff's Department admitted the funds were "$400 short" of the original amount.
Afroman's lawyer David Osborne said in his closing statements this week that the rapper "never got back all his money."
Afroman's lawyers argued during the trial that deputies are public officials and that their work may be subject to public scrutiny, and that Afroman's songs and music videos were "just a joke."
"That's just what happens when you're a public official," Osborne argued. "No reasonable person would expect a police officer not to be criticized. They've all been called names before."
He added, "There are certain things you take and you move on. It's part of the job."
Following his victory in court this week, Afroman told ABC affiliate WCPO in an interview, "I didn't win. America won."
"America still has freedom of speech, it's still for the people, by the people," he added.
ABC News has reached out to a lawyer for the deputies for comment.
