Hip Hop Police Are Listening…

It was just last year that Chamillionaire had a sizable hit with the single Hip Hop Police. However, the very notion that there is a special police taskforce that was put together to specifically target Hip Hop artists has been explored, reported and substantiated in some ways for over five years now.

In fact The Source magazine first broke the story in their March 2003 issue, a month following their first of many Eminem-bashing editions. While breaking the information to readers, the publication also had quotes from anonymous interview subjects who admitted to the existence of a Hip Hop Police initiative.

This whole scenario was a big deal; sure Hip Hop was used to being put under a microscope by not only the mainstream media but politicians and protesters as well since the late 1980s, due to the emergence of controversial acts like NWA, the Geto Boys and others, but to dedicate an entire law enforcement squad to following the movements of Hip Hop artists seemed unnecessary and somewhat ridiculous.

Imagine if similar methods were taken in regards to pop music stars. Say if police tracked Billy Joel because they were suspicious that he was in the possession of cocaine and then confronted him before he was about to go on stage. It seems far-fetched because that would never happen. So what makes it okay to employ those methods when Hip Hop artists are involved?

While the evidence very well seems to point to the existence of the Hip Hop Police, unfortunately the very idea of this taskforce has become a scapegoat for several artists.

When Lil’ Wayne’s tour bus was searched last year and police found marijuana, ecstasy and cocaine, many Hip Hop news outlets and even Wayne himself were quick to claim that the dreaded Hip Hop police were at work in this incident.

The police very well could have targeted Wayne because of who he was and may have acted differently if the person that was pulled over was not a rapper or African-American. However, it is the equivalent of crying wolf when artists use the Hip Hop police as an excuse when they got caught for doing the wrong thing.

A similar example occurred when Brooklyn rapper Uncle Murder was shot in the head while exiting a studio in late 2007 (that in itself sounds quite outlandish). Following the well publicised incident, Murder was quick to state that Brooklyn police were involved in the shooting because they have an apparent previous grudge against him.

If that is indeed the case then even Chamillionaire’s co-star on Hip Hop Police, the legendary Slick Rick, could very well have the right to claim being another victim of the dreaded law enforcement squad. However, the fact that he was involved in a 1991 shooting incident that landed him behind bars, as well as endless problems involving being deported from the United States, would be a more logical explanation.

One thing we can agree on is that the Hip Hop Police unit is unnecessary and can only further escalate the already fragile racial tensions in the United States.

If such profiling continues the HHP could have a bigger problem on their hands, a united front of Hip Hop artists more motivated and embittered than ever. Although contrary to the preconceived notions that the U.S. government and media has of Hip Hop music, the disdain and vengeance will be carried out on track rather than with the aid of weapons and physical violence. To paraphrase Public Enemy, it takes a squad of uninformed officers to try and hold us back.