A police deputy at the center of Afroman’s ongoing legal battle says the rapper’s lyrics and videos have caused serious personal harm, including claims about the deputy’s wife that he argues cross the line into defamation.
During testimony in court, Randolph L. Walters Jr. described the alleged emotional toll of being referenced in Afroman’s music, particularly lyrics suggesting the rapper had a relationship with the deputy’s wife.
“It’s caused tremendous pain in my life,” Walters said when asked about the impact. When pressed on whether the claims portrayed him in a false light, he responded, “Yes, that my wife is cheating on me with [Afroman].”
The lyrics in question come from a song titled “Randy Walters Is a Son of a Bitch,” which Afroman dropped two days before the trial.
“Randy Walters is a son of a bitch,” the 51-year-old sings on the track. “That’s why I fucked his wife and got filthy rich.
The courtroom exchange grew more pointed when Walters was asked whether people would reasonably believe the claim that Walters’ wife slept with Afroman.
“I don’t know,” he said.
When questioned further about whether he personally believed his wife had been unfaithful, Walters pushed back.
“You want to go there?” he replied. “I been with that woman since middle school, I would hope she wouldn’t. But you know what, once someone puts it out there for their fun and entertainment, it’s out there, and it’s a problem.”
Walters also testified that being labeled negatively in Afroman’s content, including being called a “thief,” has damaged his reputation.
The testimony is part of a broader defamation case tied to Afroman’s use of surveillance footage from a 2022 police raid on his Ohio home. The footage later appeared in his “Lemon Pound Cake” music video and other content, where the rapper mocked officers involved in the operation.
Afroman, whose real name is Joseph Foreman, has defended his actions in court, arguing the material falls under free speech and was a response to what he claims was a wrongful raid that caused damage to his property.
The case has drawn attention for its unusual mix of music, law enforcement, and free expression, with police arguing the content subjected them to “humiliation, ridicule, mental distress, embarrassment, and loss of reputation.”
Check out some more highlights from the trial below:
