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Attorney: Boy doing nothing illegal in rap videos

BROCKTON, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com/AP) — An attorney for the father of a boy seen in suggestive rap videos says there's nothing illegal about the videos.

Police in Brockton have asked state child welfare officials to investigate possible child abuse or neglect of the 9-year-old music personality "Lil Poopy."

A Department of Children and Families spokeswoman confirms that officials are investigating whether the boy is being properly cared for, but no charges have been filed against the boy's father, Luis Rivera.

The investigation will include interviews with everyone who lives in the child's home and likely others who have contact with the child such as school officials, DCF spokeswoman Cayenne Isaksen said.

Child welfare officials can refer the case to the local district attorney's office if an investigation finds any criminal behavior, Isaksen said.

Rivera's attorney, Joseph Krowski Jr., told FOX 25's Nicole Jacobs that the complaint has racial undertones and if people don't like or approve of the video, then they don't have to watch it.

"This is just what I would call a racially-tinged investigation because whoever watched it probably doesn't understand rap," Krowski said of his client's work. "...This isn't some child left alone that's not going to school. It all comes down to content in the videos, which is protected by the First Amendment."

The investigation began after a newspaper did a story on the boy.

Rivera told the newspaper his son is acting and not doing anything wrong. Rivera's attorney said the boy does well in school and is very popular. The videos, which show the fourth-grader slapping a woman's buttocks and engaging in sexually suggestive dances, paint a different picture. One of the YouTube posts also features the child singing "Coke ain't a bad word," and shows him with Coca-Cola.

The newspaper said the boy has performed alongside Sean "P. Diddy" Combs. He was discovered in his father's music studio by the rapper known as French Montana, who founded Cocaine City Records.

The attorney said Rivera had not been served with any paperwork from DCF.

Lil Poopy music that was posted to an online mix tape site last October has lyrics that include him singing about being a "bad boy" and a "cocaine cowboy." It showed about 8,600 downloads and 195,000 views by Monday afternoon.