Mic Check– A.C.A.B

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “A riot is the language of the unheard.” I like to remix that sentiment sometimes as hip hop is the language, the song–of the oppressed.

There is no coincidence that over the lifespan of hip hop, there is an anti-police anthem for each generation. It’s because police are the greatest reminder of slavery, racism, and white supremacy comes in the form of uniformed, badged professional terrorists.

I do not think that the anti police messaging in hip hop goes too far because in some cases, it’s the only historically sound account that we have of the racial injustice and violence that we see in Black and Brown communities. In 2015, the city of Dallas ranked number 3 in the nation for police related fatalities and while we have seen that number decrease in more recent years, it does not absolve them of the wrongdoings that do not result in deaths on record. The story of 12 year old Santos Rodriguez eerily replays in my mind when people try to say “there are some good cops.”

So, no matter the sub-genre of hip hop, no matter East Coast, West Coast, Down South–one thing remains the same.

Fuck the police.

Fuck 12.

Fuck the opp.

I’ll close with one of my favorite anti-police anthems, Baton Rouge rapper Boosie’s Fuck the Police.