Fat Joe Says Rappers Shouldn't Be Held Accountable For Art, It's Freedom Of Speech

Fat Joe believes rappers have a right to use their imagination and lyrics any way they see fit ... and those words shouldn't be used in criminal cases.

The Bronx-bred rap legend spoke to TMZ Hip Hop Friday in NYC as he supported the United Justice Coalition at the Jacob Javitz Center ... he really wants justice for Young Thug after feeling prosecutors in his ongoing RICO trial are trying to jam him up by highlighting generic lyrics.

Joe explains he never goes into writing a song to lie ... he says hip hop is the ultimate storytelling vehicle and compares it to fictional books and movies.

If he had a bad day, Joe says he may record an aggressive track like "Take A Look At My Life," a good mood could birth a Grammy Award nominee in "All The Way Up" ... emotions have always been his guide to lyrical content.

Joe was recently on CNN where he made the 95% estimate during a convo about Young Thug's ongoing RICO trial where his lyrics are being used as evidence by the prosecution in attempts to prove murders and corruption.

He tells us freedom of speech shouldn't come with prison sentences -- or censorship of art.

Joe says he would hate to see Martin Scorsese abandon mafia movies and notes he recently watched three Netflix movies involving killers ... and nobody is going to trial for depicting the fake murders.