Cops Got 99 Problems But the Law Ain't One - Pt. 2

I was so mad the other day, I had to put somethin' down. Nod to Jay on this one...



if you got legal trouble / I feel bad for you son / cops got 99 problems but the law ain’t one

they got the / Black hood hold / on gat patrol / best ta watch ya back / ‘fore your life gets stole / you could be comin’ home / to your vestibule / fill up your whole buildin’ / and your chest with holes / don’t try to touch your wallet / don’t need no ID / niggas is all the same / “yup” / that’s all they see / you could be / on the block / just mindin’ your business / undercovers roll up / and you’re on their hitlist / don’t say no to drugs / Patrick Dorismond did / in just a brief flash / they took a father from his kids / this crap has been / happenin’ / for hundreds of years / Black mothers done cried / so many millions of tears / if you didn’t understand son / the message is clear / if a cop shoots a nigga / he got nothin’ to fear / and we gon’ keep marchin’ ‘till it’s over and done / cops got 99 problems but the law ain’t one

if you got legal trouble / I feel bad for you son / cops got 99 problems but the law ain’t one

the DA might charge ‘em / no worries – they walk / the police run the streets / that’s how we do in New York / no civil rights / no privacy / but maybe if you’re lucky / get a courtesy “FREEZE” / there’s one perspective / there’s only one view / and if you ain’t got a badge / then nigga it ain’t you / this ain’t no lie / every word here is true / and if you don’t believe me son / just ask Ahmadu / my heart goes out to the wife of Sean Bell / matrimonial heaven to criminal justice hell / yeah some of them was Black / but really it’s just as well / the only color is blue / it gets you right of jail / what are we to do? / when the prosecution fails / justice goes unserved / the end of too many tales / it’s kinda funny / and maybe I can’t tell / but when the perp is poor and Black / they seem to do pretty well / and we gon’ keep fightin’ ‘till it’s over and done / cops got 99 problems but the law ain’t one

Cops Got 99 Problems But the Law Ain't One

All three police police officers involved in killing Sean Bell were acquitted of all charges.

This is a grievous injustice. A grievous injustice.

The judges decision in this case is an affirmation of the unfortunate notions that Black lives are not of importance. It also affirms the unfortunate notion that the life of police officer has more value than a non-police officer, especially if that person has ever associated with any illegal element.

It's a sad, sad day.

See, it's not just about Sean Bell - it's about Patrick Dorismond. It's about Amadou Diallo. It's about Anthony Baez. It's about Timothy Stansbury.

No accountablity. None.

Yes, we must respect officers for putting their lives on the line, but having a badge does not give you free license to kill innocent people



But, I guess according to the law, it does.

You Joined Yet?

Have you ever been to a cipher? A group of emcees flowing together, each individual dropping a few bars of improvised gems, then passing the mic (real or imagined) to the head next to them. If there is a person in the cipher who has the mic but doesn't spit, doesn't say anything, doesn't get involved, that disrupts the flow of the entire cipher. Our democracy is one big cipher, and we all need to speak our piece when given the opportunity. Our democracy, like any cipher, only works when people participate. If you feel like you're not getting the mic, you have to seize your opportunity to make your voice heard.

So, how do you get involved? How do you grab the mic and make your voice heard? Voting is the most obvious method. Every election cycle we're told that voting is important (usually by the people that want you to vote for them or their preferred candidate). But voting is really only a small part of being involved in the cipher. It's like waiting and waiting to get the mic and then spitting one or two bars before passing it. You have to speak your piece on a regular basis. Check out the articles in your local newspaper and write a letter to the editor to let them know what you think. Call in to a radio or TV discussion program such as Washington Journal on C-SPAN. And you really gotta pay attention to what your elected representatives are doing in YOUR name and with YOUR tax money.

Okay, maybe this is starting to seem a bit of work - and it is. But think about this - would you rather be one of the emcees flowing beautifully with the mic in your hand, or would you rather be one of those people who doesn't even get in the cipher and just complains about this or that emcee. You know who you want to be. Join the cipher.

Obama for Hip-Hop

The presidential candidate on hip-hop:

Work to Do Remix

Remix of the joint by the Kidz in the Hall, featuring Talib Kweli and Bun B., from Hip-Hop for Obama via YouTube

Work to Do

Kidz in the Hall for Barack Obama

Barack Obama / Jay-Z Mash Up

In case you haven't seen this...



I thought it was pretty cool.