Fuck tha Police
Intro: The D.O.C., Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube
Right about now, N.W.A court is in full effectJudge Dre presidingIn the case of N.W.A versus the Police DepartmentProsecuting attorneys are MC Ren, Ice CubeAnd Eazy-motherfucking-EOrder, order, order!Ice Cube, take the motherfucking standDo you swear to tell the truth, the whole truthAnd nothing but the truth so help your black ass?You goddamn rightWell, won't you tell everybody what the fuck you gotta say?Verse 1: Ice Cube
Fuck the police comin' straight from the undergroundA young nigga got it bad 'cause I'm brownAnd not the other color, so police thinkThey have the authority to kill a minorityFuck that shit, 'cause I ain't the oneFor a punk motherfucker with a badge and a gunTo be beating on and thrown in jailWe can go toe-to-toe in the middle of a cellFuckin' with me 'cause I'm a teenagerWith a little bit of gold and a pagerSearchin' my car, lookin' for the productThinkin' every nigga is sellin' narcoticsYou'd rather see me in the penThan me and Lorenzo rollin' in a Benz-oBeat a police out of shapeAnd when I'm finished, bring the yellow tapeTo tape off the scene of the slaughterStill getting swole off bread and waterI don't know if they fags or whatSearch a nigga down and grabbing his nutsAnd on the other hand, without a gun, they can't get noneBut don't let it be a black and a white one'Cause they'll slam ya down to the street topBlack police showing out for the white copIce Cube will swarmOn any motherfucker in a blue uniformJust 'cause I'm from the CPTPunk police are afraid of me, huhA young nigga on the warpathAnd when I'm finished, it's gonna be a bloodbathOf cops dying in L.A.Yo, Dre, I got something to sayChorus
Fuck the police, fuck— fuck—Fuck the police, fuck— fuck—Fuck the police, fuck the— fuck the—Fuck the police (Example of scene one)Skit 1: Cop, MC Ren, & Dr. Dre
Pull your goddamn ass over right now!Aw shit, now what the fuck you pullin' me over for?'Cause I feel like it!Just sit your ass on the curb and shut the fuck up!Man, fuck this shitAlright, smart-ass, I'm taking your black ass to jail!MC Ren, will you please give your testimonyTo the jury about this fucked up incident?Verse 2: MC Ren
Fuck the police and Ren said it with authorityBecause the niggas on the street is a majorityA gang is with whoever I'm steppin'And the motherfuckin' weapon is kept inA stash spot for the so-called lawWishing Ren was a nigga that they never sawLights start flashing behind meBut they're scared of a nigga, so they mace me to blind meBut that shit don't work, I just laughBecause it gives them a hint not to step in my pathFor police, I'm saying, "Fuck you, punk!"Reading my rights and shit, it's all junkPulling out a silly club, so you standWith a fake-ass badge and a gun in your handBut take off the gun so you can see what's upAnd we'll go at it, punk, and I'ma fuck you upMake you think I'ma kick your assBut drop your gat, and Ren's gonna blastI'm sneaky as fuck when it comes to crimeBut I'ma smoke 'em now and not next timeSmoke any motherfucker that sweats meOr any asshole that threatens meI'm a sniper with a hell of a scopeTakin' out a cop or two, they can't cope with meThe motherfuckin' villain that's madWith potential to get bad as fuckSo I'ma turn it aroundPut in my clip, yo, and this is the sound (*Gunshots*)Yeah, somethin' like thatBut it all depends on the size of the gatTakin' out a police would make my dayBut a nigga like Ren don't give a fuck to sayChorus
Fuck the police, fuck the— fuck the—Fuck the police, fuck the— fuck the—Fuck the police, fuck the— fuck—Fuck the policeSkit 2: Cop, Eazy-E, and Dr. Dre
*Knocking*Yeah, man, what you need?Police, open now (Aww, shit)We have a warrant for Eazy-E's arrest (*Battering ram*)Get down and put your hands right where I can see 'em! (Move, motherfucker, move now!)What the fuck did I do, man? What did I do?Just shut the fuck up and get your motherfucking ass on the floor! (You heard the man, shut the fuck up!)But I didn't do shitMan, just shut the fuck up!Eazy-E, won't you step up to the standAnd tell the jury how you feel about this bullshit?Verse 3: Eazy-E & MC Ren
I'm tired of the motherfuckin' jackin'Sweating my gang, while I'm chillin' in the shack, andShining the light in my face, and for what?Maybe it's because I kick so much buttI kick ass, or maybe 'cause I blastOn a stupid ass nigga when I'm playing with the triggerOf an Uzi or an AK'Cause the police always got somethin' stupid to sayThey put out my picture with silence'Cause my identity by itself causes violenceThe E with the criminal behaviorYeah, I'm a gangsta, but still, I got flavorWithout a gun and a badge, what do you got?A sucker in a uniform waiting to get shotBy me or another niggaAnd with a gat, it don't matter if he's smaller or bigger(Size don't mean shit, he's from the old school, fool)And as you all know, E's here to ruleWhenever I'm rollin', keep lookin' in the mirrorAnd ears on cue, yo, so I can hear aDumb motherfucker with a gunAnd if I'm rollin' off the eight, he'll be the oneThat I take out, and then get awayWhile I'm driving off laughing, this is what I'll sayChorus
Fuck the police, fuck the— fuck the—Fuck the police, fuck—Fuck the police, fuck— fuck—Fuck the police (The verdict)Skit 3: Dr. Dre, Cop
The jury has found you guilty of being a redneck, white bread, chicken shit motherfuckerWait, that's a lie! That's a goddamn lie!Get him out of here! (I want justice!)Get him the fuck out my face! (I want justice!)Out, right now!Fuck you, you black motherfuckers!Chorus
Fuck the policeFuck the policeFuck the policeWhat the song means
"Fuck tha Police" is N.W.A's angry protest song against police brutality and racial profiling, which the group experienced in Compton and Los Angeles in the late 1980s. It was released on the album Straight Outta Compton in 1988. The song is built as a mock courtroom trial: the group members play prosecutors and witnesses, and the police are put on trial for harassment, violence, and abuse of power.
The story moves through a series of scenes. The song opens with the courtroom setup, then the first verse describes a young Black man being stopped, searched, and humiliated for no reason. The middle sections show the rappers answering police aggression with defiance and threats, and the skits turn that tension into dramatic scenes of arrest and confrontation. The chorus repeats the title phrase like a chant of collective rage. The ending is a sarcastic verdict in which the "jury" finds the officer guilty, and the song closes on a final, bitter shout against the police.
The key images are the courtroom, the badge and gun, and the "blue uniform," which stand for an authority that the song sees as unjust. The courtroom framing turns the rap into a formal accusation. The repeated "punk" insults show the rappers' attempt to strip the police of their power and dignity. The song is less about violence itself than about the anger of people who feel they have no fair hearing.
Key phrases explained
- in full effect
- in full operation, active — Used in the opening as a mock courtroom announcement, playing on the idea of a legal session starting.
- the pen
- prison — Slang for jail; the rapper says police would rather see him locked up than succeed.
- showing out
- showing off, acting flashy or aggressive to impress — Describes officers who act tough for their colleagues, a way of criticizing police behavior.
- on the warpath
- looking for a fight, aggressive and angry — An idiom from Native American history, used here to describe the narrator's determination to fight back.
- punk
- coward, weakling — A common insult the rappers hurl at the police to belittle their courage and authority.
Song info
- Release date
- 1989-01-25
- Album
- Straight Outta Compton
- Written by
- Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, Harry Whitaker, Young DA
- Produced by
- Dr. Dre, DJ Yella
- Samples
- Roy Ayers Ubiquity – The Boogie Back, Public Enemy – Bring the Noise, Wilson Pickett – Get Me Back On Time, Engine Number 9 (Pt. 1 & Pt. 2)
- Interpolates
- Ariana Grande – Focus
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