{"id":51885,"date":"2020-05-29T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-29T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/?p=51885"},"modified":"2022-08-02T17:35:53","modified_gmt":"2022-08-02T15:35:53","slug":"fk-tha-police-and-other-lessons-from-hip-hop-on-police-brutality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/fk-tha-police-and-other-lessons-from-hip-hop-on-police-brutality\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201dF#@K Tha Police\u201d and other lessons from hip-hop on police brutality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the wake of the unjust murder of George Floyd, we look at hip-hop\u2019s power of social commentary and political change regarding police brutality towards African Americans<\/strong>.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The most recent killing of George Floyd<\/a> on May 25th has sent Minnesotans into riot mode and left Americans and those looking on from abroad in shock. Minnesota police responding to a call about the use of counterfeit money from a local marketplace proceeded to detain and restrain George Floyd, with one officer placing his knee on Floyd\u2019s throat. On the ground and handcuffed, Mr. Floyd pleaded with the officer gasping, \u201cI can\u2019t breathe\u201d (a terrifyingly similar vision to the death of Eric Garner in 2014<\/a>), but it was to no avail. Floyd later died in custody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The digital age has done its part to put the grotesque violence and abuse of powers on the internet for all to see, but the excessive use of force and tragically unnecessary murder of detained black men is nothing new. Police abuse has been a focal point for black activists in all parts of the United States for some time. It has been the subject of film, music, and sports for as long as black artists and athletes<\/a> have had a platform, not to mention the politically active groups like Black Lives Matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here we\u2019re going to explore the lessons of outrage we can harbour from the sad history of police violence against black citizens through the music of some of America\u2019s most prized artists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fuck Tha Police<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

In 1988 Ice Cube shook the American consciousness with his track \u201cFuck Tha Police\u201d on N.W.A.\u2019s album Straight Outta Compton. In the intro the group flips the script, playing the role of judge (Dr. Dre) and prosecutor (Ice Cube, MC Ren, and Eazy-E) to put the L.A. County Police Department (which has a long history of corruption and racial profiling) on trial.
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\u201cFuck the police com-in’ straight from the underground!
A young nigga got it bad \u2018cause I’m brown
And not the other color, so police think
They have the authority to kill a minority\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The line has become the stuff of legend and inspired copycat riffs throughout hip-hop including acts like Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, J Dilla, and Boosie Badazz. Conservative America and law enforcement were less than enthusiastic about the track. The group received menacing letters from the FBI and were arrested in Detroit in 1989 for performing the song at the Joe Louis Arena.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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