F--k tha Police

Album: Straight Outta Compton (1988)
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Songfacts®:

  • N.W.A (Niggas With Attitude) was a hardcore rap group from Compton, California, a predominantly black suburb of Los Angeles. This song expresses their displeasure with the police, who they feel are racist and constantly harassing them. With lyrics like "I'm a sniper with a hell of a scope, taking out a cop or two, they can't cope with me" and "a sucka in a uniform waitin' to get shot by me or another nigga," it became one of their most controversial songs.
  • This song's proud justification of violence against the police didn't go unnoticed by law enforcement, who refused to provide security for N.W.A's shows. When the police actually did attend a concert in Detroit, it was only to storm the stage just before the group was about to perform the song. The FBI even sent a warning letter - the first official denouncement of a record ever made by the agency - which claimed the song "encourages violence against, and disrespect for, law enforcement officers." The letter soon went public and only added fuel to the N.W.A fire. MC Ren sounded off to Melody Maker about the FBI's claims in 1989: "The FBI claim that 'F--k tha Police' incites violence and has been responsible for the death of police officers is bullshit. There was violence long before NWA came along, the same as there was profanity, and there'll be violence and profanity long after we've gone. If the FBI are looking for a cause of violence, they should take note of what's on TV."
  • The uproar over N.W.A wasn't just contained in the United States. Australia's Triple J radio station was one of the only stations in the world to air the controversial "F--k tha Police" in 1989. It had been on regular rotation for about six months when the Australian Broadcasting Corporation lowered the boom and ordered the station to ban the song. The outraged staff responded by going on strike, but they had one last record to spin: N.W.A's "Express Yourself" - which played on a loop for the next 24 hours.
  • N.W.A doesn't just take aim at white cops in this song. In fact, they reserve most of their anger for black cops who, according to the group, are purposefully brutal to black suspects so they can earn the respect of white cops. Ice Cube raps:

    But don't let it be a black and a white one
    'Cause they'll slam ya down to the street top
    Black police showing out for the white cop


    N.W.A claimed they were not condoning violence, but they were documenting it. Their fingers were on the pulse of street life, which throbbed with animosity against the law enforcement. It would come to a head a few years later when Rodney King was beaten by police, inspiring the 1992 Los Angeles Riots.
  • Assistant Director of the FBI Milt Ahlerich wrote a letter to Ruthless Records in response to this song. He claimed N.W.A were advocating violence and disrespect towards law enforcement authorities. This provided a great deal of publicity for N.W.A and boosted album sales a great deal. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    John - Cape Coral, FL
  • Group members Ice Cube and M.C. Ren wrote this track. Speaking to Rolling Stone in 2015, Ice Cube explained that he was an angry young man when he wrote the song, and that he was simply lashing out at the problem of police brutality without understanding it or offering solutions. "It was easy for me to say, 'F--k the police, f--k everything, f--k the world,' but that's not going to help you," he said. "What's going to help you is for me to say, 'F--k the police, and her's how,' or to be the example of how to get out of the hood."
  • This was featured in the 2015 South Park episode "Naughty Ninjas" in a scene where the citizens of the town fire the entire police force, which has admitted they chose their careers so they could beat up minorities. When the homeless population starts camping out at the Whole Foods, the townspeople beg the police to return, and get this reply:

    "Who was it that said, 'F--k the police?' Was that Ice Cube? Tupac? Oh, right, that was you guys."

    Before the show was produced, Ice Cube made some comments in a Twitter Q&A where he took some credit for the series. "We let the world know that you could be just as famous doing it hard and rough and taboo and dirty and all the other things that they call our music," said Cube. "We opened a door for artists like Eminem and shows like South Park."

Comments: 20

  • Ant from From Mott Hall Vi disagree with @Brandon from Peoria, Il because it isn't racist its reasonable the police have no right to detain any blacks for no reason its a violation of their rights. And yes these cops are racist, racist enough to gun down innocent blacks.
  • Cuevas from O BlockN.W.A are really my brothers. I relate to what they are talking bout from experience! Ice cube really know how to get down wit them lyrics and talk from the mind. "You'd rather see me in the pen, than me and Lorenzo rollin' in the Benzo." This really came from the heart and really shows how police go against people of color.
  • Sassy N***a from River Park TowerzThe problem is that there are lines in the song ITSELF that say they are criminals e.g "I'm sneaky as f*** when it comes to crime" or "The E with the criminal behavior Yeah, I'm a gangsta, but still I got flavor"
  • Anti-liberal from Earth"N.W.A doesn't just take aim at white cops in this song. In fact, they reserve most of their anger for black cops who, according to the group, are purposefully brutal to black suspects so they can earn the respect of white cops." Lol! So black cops are bad because of white cops. How dumb can you get?
  • Fujiko from Lexington, KyThis is a difficult song to take out of its historical context. Remember that homes in South Central were quite literally being rammed with tanks by the police around the time this song was recorded. Police officers were frisking young men just because they happened to be standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. It pointed out that the police really, truthfully, had no idea how to handle what was going on, and so they spent their energy accusing people of committing crimes that they didn't necessarily commit. It was a culture of "guilty until proven innocent," and this song--rather graphically--depicts this.
  • Anastasia from Charlotte, NcThis is the Remix version,why won't you play the 1988 version??
  • Adam from Brooklyn, NyComing from a white man, I understand this song. I can't stand how white cops never beat whites, but Hispanics they can beat on.
  • Marc from Washington D.c., Dc"I Hate N*****s" is not a David Allan Coe song, it's by Johnny Rebel. Coe isn't racist.
  • Calvin from Sioux City , IaN.W.A is possibly the best rap gruop EVER!!!!
  • Josh from Charleston, IraqFirst of all my dog jack got it down. Yall over their in those foreign countries can not talk. Don't mind where i'm from thats not correct. I am from Charleston, South Carolina and its nothing but a racist state. Police will lock a black male up just for looking at him wrong. And yall talkin bout this is racist f**k that. YAll don't even know what my dog Jack and i are comin from.
  • Bill from Glasgow, KyCalling this a song is a stretch,it is just another expresssion of racism for profit.Racism is possible and visible in every race,it is not just a White Thing.
  • Jack from Los Angeles, CaRidiculous,first of all why are there people who don't agree with the lyrics posting stupid crap. If you are so "MORAL" then why bother with the song. It frustrates me that stupid Australians comment on this because they don't know what it's like to live in a MULTI-cultural country that is dominated that white people who discriminate minorities. To refute what Brandon said, police are police(even some black people hate black people as seen in boyz in tha hood). I am a conservative, I hate police however partly because their corruption. I believe that uninformed people should take note of what is going on in "the hood". The best government is one that governs least (unlike you socialist aussies)
  • Kyle from George Town, Cayman IslandsIsn't this song about some cops beating on blacks for doing nothing or framing them for stuff they didn't do in the first place?
  • Sheeberson from Wrightsville Beach, Ncanybody heard the rage against the machine cover?
    its pretttyyy damn good.
  • Jason from State Of Fitz, NjBecause four cops beat up Rodney King all cops are racist? Good reasoning. I think both sides are missing a basic point here, The police aren't a race!Not to mention the police have are made up of people from every race.
  • Joel from Marsten HeathYeah the coppers can be racist. Look what the LAPD did during the most recent immigrant rally
    Not saying every single copper in America is like that but makes you wonder. Cheers
  • Matty from Adelaide, AustraliaHey Jerry, we dont need to move to your country to know what were talking about, alright mate?

    This is a very racist song and life is too short to bitch and complain Mr. Canadian, stick to playing ice hockey.

    Good on ya Pete and Brandon, you guys know what your'e talking about.
  • Brandon from Miramichi, CanadaTo the 2 of you above, 1st, who cares what you think, 2nd, that isnt even close to being the most racist "song", obviously you never heard "I hate n*****s" by David Allan Coe
  • Pete from Nowra, Australianot the kind of song you want your kids singing at home is it, lifes to short to bitch and complain ,
  • Brandon from Peoria, IlThis is possibly the most racist "song" I have ever seen. Everyone who reads this, stop for a minute and think why the police do what they do. Are they racist? Or are they just doing their job? What do you think?
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