Songs That Mean Fuck Tha Police But Aren’t Fuck Tha Police
If there is one thing we can all agree on in 2020 it’s that we hate the police. The response by the police to the protests taking place across America has been shameful: starting riots, brutalising civilians and killing more innocent people instead of admitting they are institutionally racist shows that the people who are supposed to protect us are just big babies dressed up in blue uniforms.
In light of this there is only one phrase that sums up the public’s feelings on the police, and it is: Fuck the police. Fuck the power-hungry, racist, big-gun-compensating-for-small-penis police.
That phrase that is currently being screamed half the world over was arguably coined by the song Fuck Tha Police by the N.W.A a song protesting police brutality and racial profiling from 1988. While it is by far the most well-known song about fucking pigs it isn’t the first and certainly is not the last. So to cheer you up while you are getting tear gassed and battered upside the head by a man who is meant to serve and protect you, here are some other songs that mean fuck the police. (Click the song title for the youtube link)
- The Stone Roses — Bye Bye Badman: This song by The Stone Roses refers to The Paris Riots of May 1968 which was started by a student protest against capitalism and ended with street battles with the police and such a large amount of national unrest that it froze the French economy and forced the President to flee to Germany — now that’s how you protest something. The lemons on the album cover as well as the line “citrus sucking sunshine” are references to the use of lemons in the riots to nullify the effects of tear gas.
2) Junior Murvin — Police and Thieves: A reggae classic that was also covered by The Clash this is a song you should listen to irrelevant of it’s political message. The lyrics of the song compare the Jamaican police and the gangs they are constantly fighting, pointing out that the two are pretty much the same, both are lawless and murderous. While Murvin was talking about Kingston in the 70s the sad truth is that it’s still relevant in 2020.
3) The Clash — White Riot: Half The Clash’s back catalogue is about fighting with the police in one way or another, but this song stands out with a particularly important message. The song was written after the band joined the rioting at the Notting Hill Festival of 1976 over racist policing (sounds familiar) and encourages white people to join in the fight against racism and not just ignore it because it doesn’t affect them. Honourable mentions to Police On My Back and I Fought The Law — I wasn’t joking about all their anti-police songs.
4) Gil Scott-Heron — No Knock: More of a poem than song, No Knock was written in 1972 when the law that allowed police officers to apply for a no knock search warrant was first introduced by President Nixon. At the time the no knock law was supposedly introduced to protect Black people but in the 48 years since it was introduced it has undoubtedly hurt more people than it’s helped. 3 months ago Breonna Taylor a 26-year-old emergency medical technician was killed in her home because of a no knock search warrant, after her death “Breonna’s Law” was passed banning no knocking in the state of Kentucky. Honourable mention to The Revolution Will Not Be Televised another poem by Scott-Heron about joining the fight for justice.
5) N.E.R.D feat Kendrick Lamar — Don’t Don’t Do It: This song was inspired by the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott in North Carolina. The main hook of the song and title is a quote from the video Keith’s wife took of the incident where she repeatedly screams “don’t do it” at the police officers. Pharrell and Lamar also worked together on Kendrick Lamar’s song Alright which also has a theme of police brutality and you should listen too as well.
6) Killer Mike — Don’t Die: Let’s finish this list with a song by Killer Mike, a rapper who has been speaking out against police brutality for years. The son of a cop, Mike talks about police brutality in a far more impassioned and serious tone than the rest of these songs and the resulting rap is a powerful anthem against police brutality that clearly takes inspiration from the early gangsta rap of Fuck Tha Police that inspired this list to begin with.
Okay, that’s my list. Sorry that it was a bit short but I only chose songs that I like myself and most fuck the police songs usually fall into the genres of gangsta rap or hardcore neither of which I am a huge fan of. However, hopefully somewhere in there you found a new favourite song to play at your funeral after you get shot in the back by a cop.
Before you go here is a couple of songs which are good and reference the police but aren’t quite specific enough to make the list.
. The Strokes — New York City Cops
. Childish Gambino — Riot and This Is America
That all, stay safe, social distance and remember, Fuck The Police.
