It’s been 17 years since photographer Teresa Halbach was murdered, and seven years since a Netflix documentary covering the case (and much more), Making A Murderer, kicked off the current true-crime craze. In that time, countless twists, turns, and appeals have materialized in regards to the two men convicted of Halbach’s murder, Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey. And in Dassey’s case, at least one rap track from his brother, Brad Dassey.
“While most people pushing for Avery and Dassey’s release have expressed their grievances in the form of online petitions, Facebook statuses, and drunken arguments with friends about a key chain,” we wrote in 2016, “Brendan Dassey’s half brother Brad Dassey decided to utilize a longstanding vehicle for expressing social unrest to challenge the convictions: rap. […] The song—which the Manitowoc emcee says he made over 10 straight hours of writing and recording—claims injustice was ‘slammed in the face of two innocent people’ before repeatedly suggesting ‘they didn’t do it.'”
Brad Dassey hasn’t stopped making music since that 2016 song, but he recently returned with another explicitly “Free Brendan Dassey” track called, well, “Free Brendan Dassey.” The song doesn’t mince words: “Get up off your high horse / Take a different course / Free Brendan Dassey / Of course,” goes one verse. “Everyone loves my little brother like they love barbecue ribs / Dude shoulda never been locked up / He was just a kid / What gives?” goes the hook.
“Free Brendan Dassey” is directed specifically at Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. In the video’s description, Brad Dassey writes:
Wisconsin has done Brendan Dassey WRONG on so many levels. Tony Evers, Governor of Wisconsin has all the power to help grant Brendan clemency for the injustice that happened to Brendan Dassey while he was only just 16, but continues to REFUSE clemency. Wisconsin KNOWS they did 16 at the time, Brendan Dassey completely wrong and chooses to let him sit with ZERO proof, ZERO DNA, ZERO witnesses, ZERO evidence that Brendan Dassey nor his uncle, Steven Avery committed such heinous crimes against photographer Teresa Halbach. Share this video and contact Tony Evers TODAY and let him know the injustice he’s continuing to deliver Brendan Dassey.
And yes, there’s an accompanying Tony Evers skit. Watch as Brad Dassey attempts to “call” the governor, only to get an answering machine and, um, Beavis and Butt-Head.
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