Hip-Hop Police

Question: What are they? What do they do? Within your analysis provide 3 songs that discuss issues within law, the legal system, lawyers, judges, or any other court personnel. Answer: Hip-hop police is a term used for the New York City Police Department in the hip-hop industry to prosecute the rappers for criminal activity. The hip-hop police are involved in investigating criminal activity within the rap industry. The police originate in New York and are spreading to Police Department in several cities. They do not have respect in the hip-hop industry as they have been stalking and aggressively investigating high-profile rap artists (Smith and Siegler). The role of hip-hop police involves detaining criminal activity. Nelly, one of the rappers was detained for having drugs and guns on his tour bus. The hip-hop police are under controversies that they are against black men. The people argue that the rappers are young black men for which they are targeted. The police are looking actively for drugs, arms and other illegal possessions. Not just the illegal possessions, the hip-hop police have also charged the rappers because of their lyrics (Otiko). Everyone from amateurs to high-profile rappers are being targeted and watched by law enforcement. One of the rappers from Virginia was charged for double murder after he was caught about bragging for the crime in one of his songs Ride Out. The song was posted on Stewards MySpace page in 2009 for which he was charged for two felonies (Moran). One of the songs Trapped by Tupac Shakur or 2Pac, a rap giant is about the police harassment created in 1991 (YouTube). He was one of the well known rap figures and artists as he played about the social inequalities such as poverty and racism. In the song Trapped, he displays his anger and emotions that is caused due to police harassing the poor black communities. He further sings about police oppression and police harassment in Holler if Ya Hear Me (Holloway). Another song by Killer Mike, Dont Die is about the police violence. The track was released in 2012 for the victims of police brutality such as Sean Bell, Fred Hampton, Oscar Grant and othe r good men who were killed in the country unjustly. He also gave a speech after a few hours of Ferguson verdict that was at its heartbreaking earnestness (Holloway). However, it is argued that not all rappers make confession through their songs and it is simply a form of art. It is analyzed that the hip-hop police is investigating and assessing the crimes committed by people. The rappers turn out to be confessing their crimes through songs and are bragging about the same. The hip-hop police are keeping a check on the songs written by them. They are keeping songs on their watch-list as they perceive hip-hop as a culture of violence. The police gang intelligence units are also keeping a check on the nightclubs to avoid criminal activities. The hip-hop police are also compiling a dossier on rappers having criminal histories. The hip-hop police have taken this initiative for ensuring safety of individuals in the music industry as well as the local community (Smith and Siegler). References Holloway, Kali. "F*Ck Tha Police: 20 Songs Against Police Brutality".Alternet. N.p., 2014. Web. 5 Aug. 2016. Moran, Lee. "Rapper's Song Gets Him Arrested For Homicide".NY Daily News. N.p., 2013. Web. 4 Aug. 2016. Otiko, Manny. "Rappers Face Extra Scrutiny From The Hip-Hop Police".Ourweekly.com. N.p., 2015. Web. 4 Aug. 2016. Smith, Emily and Mara Siegler. "Drake, Chris Brown On NYPD Hip Hop Squad Watch List". Page Six. N.p., 2014. Web. 5 Aug. 2016. YouTube,. "2Pac - Trapped".YouTube. N.p., 2006. Web. 5 Aug. 2016.