KRS-One’s legendary Criminal Minded came out over twenty years ago, as just about the first real gangsta rap album. Now all you new jacks have been talking about how gangsta your music is, but the fact is, there are some songs that will just get your ass beat down by the police – if they hear it. Veritable magnets for a Billy club to the head, if you will.
Basically playing these songs with some volume out your car is the equivalent of waving a red flag at a bull. Only the flag has a picture of you smacking his wife while doing stuff to his mother and the bull has a gun and can call for up to fifteen more bulls to help put some pain in you. This is discretionary music. I know how people like to talk big and sometimes you need some swagger to survive in the game, but be smart about what you’re listening to around cops. While they may choose to spare you stick time, there are some chances that just aren’t worth taking.
Here is a quick list of songs to avoid when police are around, tapestries of inflammatory verbiage:
1. KRS One - Sound of Da Police
Probably the best song about police brutality released in 1994 and maybe for a few more years after that. Hip Hop started in New York and this Bronx native made not only the first ever gangsta rap album but the best police diss song. Go ahead and question it.
Highlights:
“Cops carry a little gun, that’s why I walk around with a bigger one”
“officer from overseer, you need a little clarity, check the similarity”
2. NWA – Fuck Tha Police
Not quite as good as Straight Outta Compton but it will cause some shit when over heard by the bulls. Song is an absolute classic in gangsta rap, reaching iconic status. There is a Public Enemy version of this that is awesome too.
Some highlights include:
Fuck da Police coming straight out da under ground. (opening line)
A young n____ on a warpath and when I’m finished, it’s gonna be a bloodbath
Without a gun and a badge, what do ya got? A sucka in a uniform waitin to get shot
3. Eazy-E – Boyz n the Hood
Eazy-E was probably the only member of NWA who probably actually killed someone. He was bad ass and later on had an all Israeli ex-military entourage to protect him. This was before Eaze and Dre hated each other.
Best Part:
I’m rollin hard now I’m under control
Then wrapped the six-fo’ round the telephone poll
I looked at my car and I said, “Oh brother
I throw it in the gutter and go buy another”
Walkin home and I see the G ride
Now Ket is drivin Kilo on the side
As they busted a U, they got pulled over
An undercover cop in a dark green Nova
Ket got beaten for resistin arrest
He socked the pig in the head for rippin his Guess
Now G is cut for doin the crime
For defence on the boy, he’ll do some time
4. Ice T – Cop Killa
Ice T now only plays cops on TV. That’s awesome right? Well when you consider that Ice T released the first real anthem about hating on cops its incredible funny. Cop Killa basically called out the LAPD for being racist, exploitative bastards. You could definitely hear this song being blasted when Los Angeles exploded in 1994 over Rodney King. I guess that’s why Ice T sticks to playing New York cops instead of LAPD.
5. The Game – 911 Is a Joke
“I ought to shoot fifty one officers for the fifty one times that boy was shot in New York” –The Game.
Enough Said.
6. Geto Boys – Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangsta
I was stuck between Minds Playing Tricks on Me and this song. I decided to go with the more laid back song. When the cop is beating the crap out of you, at least it’s mellow. The best part is when they have a bad impersonation of Bill Clinton rapping about letting large drug shipments into the country to be sent to poor communities, or that if anyone disagrees with him he will send a million troops to die at war.
7. Dead Prez – Police State
Communism - America hates it! Better dead than red! I like songs that opening lyrics are “I throw Molotov cocktails at the precinct.” Dead Prez is one of the last redeeming aspects of Rap music. When there are so many songs about just having fun in the club it is great to see a song that says things are not alright. The world is not peaceful and just, that it’s not “all good”. Of course this kind of thinking is a sure fire way of getting your ass beat.
8. Nas – Halftime – Illmatic
Nas’ Illmatic is probably the best rap album to ever come out of the east coast. This song isn’t going to straight out piss off cops until the very end when Nas declares that he’s gonna put hits out on five o. It mostly makes the list for being a great song. Nasty Nas in your area, about to cause mass hysteria.
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