Police Brutality in Music 1

Police Brutality in Music

Hannah J. Pettersson

CJ-1010-1

Don Blackburn

April 12, 2018

Police Brutality in Music 2

Abstract

In this paper, police brutality is discussed through modern music and rap. It explains

that officers don’t get away with everything and that’s why there’s internal affairs. It goes

on to talk about how music is a way for coping through tragic event with officers and it’s

comforting to hear that celebrities can relate to the issues and give a voice for those

who don’t have one.

Police Brutality in Music 3

Police Brutality in Music

Since police officers have been around, there has always been conflicts. Any

kind of security and protection units have their own problems. The difference now is

there phone and recording devices to capture everything that happens on the streets.

Recently, police brutality has been all over social media involving riots, protests, and

even deaths. It’s created such a huge impact on youth and minorities. Rappers and

people in the music industry are getting involved in the situation by singing and

informing their listeners about the problems as well as giving their opinions on the

situation.

There is no doubt that police brutality is a problem in the United States. Everyone

has their opinions but most can’t get their voices out. Artists in the music industry give

them that voice. A song that was published in 2014 by J-Jon speaks out about the

problems in the United States involving police and youth minorities in his song

C.O.P.(Criminal of Permission).

"Cops in Moore, Oklahoma, beat a man to death

Even though he did absolutely nothing wrong"

"Battle of a 400 pound man with asthma

Who died thursday, after police put him in a chokehold"

"The 18 year old, male victim had no weapon on him

And he had his hands up in the air

But was still shot by police, multiple times"

"NYPD officer plead guilty

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To raping a school teacher at gunpoint in La Bronx"

“In Long Island, they choked that poor man to death

In Missouri, Mike Brown caught one in the head

Couple days later, they shot another nigga 9 times

And had the audacity to cuff him, after he was dead”(J-Jon)

The intro of the song gives a brief examples of incidents in America. It’s just a few

incidents that have happened in the past years. The song mentions “You supposed to

protect us, instead you want us to fear you. And practise on us all those lethal tactics

that they teach you. Stop abusing your power nigga, me and you are equal.” People are

scared.The continuous phrase is always mentioned, “Shouldn’t offices protect instead of

create fear? The ones who abuse their power are corrupt and only there to take of

themselves; not the community they should be protecting.” When someone sees an

officer, the first feeling they should feel is protection and a feeling of safety. They

shouldn’t be scared or feel like they have to be alert around an officer. An officer is there

to protect, not create fear.

Since the 1990’s, there’s been a rise in police brutality. There became a rise in

protests and riots. In 2014 when an officer in Staten Island used a chokehold on a man

name Eric Garner who later passed away due to the chokehold.(Journalist Insight) This

incident sparked outrage. A month later was the fatal death of Mike Brown. Later that

November was the death of a 12 year boy who playing with a toy pistol. These are just a

select few deaths that sparked the riots from 2014 to 2016. All deaths caused by police

officers. During this time, music was used to comfort and give a voice to the people who
Police Brutality in Music 5

were angry and who were uprising. These deaths kept coming up in certain songs.

Mainly rap. It was a way to cope with the deaths of so many young innocent minorities.

The incidents and music gave a negative view on law enforcement officers. New

laws and policies was made for officers. They’re watched like hawks. Internal affairs

have to monitor them in everything they do and are notified when they make a mistake

or are in trouble.in an article Journal of Criminal Justice, gives a brief example of what

internal affairs usually deal with. “Some internal affairs investigations into allegations of

police use of force are initiated after a citizen files a complaint, and others are initiated

as a matter of policy based on the circumstances in which force was used.” Usually

when an officer gets in trouble or gets sent to internal affairs, they’re not following the

policies. Officers are held to a high standard. They must show integrity, compassion,

service, respect for another, and reverence to the law. Most officers are there to make

their community a better place and make a difference for the better in their city. When

an officer acts out and isn’t serious about their job, that’s when incidents happen and

someone gets hurt. The same article writes a statement about using force, “Based on

the foregoing, there appear to be several common factors that bring the police to the

point of using force. These factors consist of the officers' concern about their personal

safety, resistance to police authority, and dealing with persons who are under the

influence of controlled substances or alcohol, or are mentally unstable.”(McElvain)

Being a police officer is a very difficult job. Everyday they wake up to fight for the

citizens of our community and risk their lives for people who hate and criticize them.

Every officer is hated and judged for what a handful of corrupt officers have done.

Youth in our generation don’t take the time to get to know the officers in their
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community. They instantly think “F*** the police.” Police officers should be appreciated

more and be prosecuted the same way another human being is.

In the wake of all the riots, singers and rappers use their voice through their

songs. Daveed Diggs, an artist and rapper in the Broadway musical Hamilton, gave a

comment about music and a brief reason why artists are being so blunt with their music.

“In the wake of Black Lives Matter, everyone is putting out their most racially and

politically charged album,” he says.

“Look at [Beyoncé’s] Lemonade or Kendrick [Lamar]’s work. For hip-hop right now,

saying nothing isn’t an option anymore.” It’s seems as though artists are expected to

release albums and songs to promote or give their view on a certain topic or situation. If

they don’t say anything, “they don’t care.” It’s not an option if you’re a famous artist and

you haven’t said anything about at least one topic that’s happening in the world whether

it be one line, one phrase, or an entire song. Every artist in the music industry I can

guarantee has at least one song about social politics and the world’s conflicts. Some

artists have different opinions than others. An interview on TYLER, the creator by John

Kennedy. He asked him a specific question, “You usually shy away from politics, but

what is your reaction to the recent wave of police brutality cases?” TYLER , the

creator’s response was, “I don’t like getting deep into that stuff but [Oklahoma shooting

victim Eric Harris] said, ‘I’m losing my breath,’ and they’re like, ‘F-- your breath,’ and the

dude died. That really made me say, ‘This is getting out of f--ing hand.’ Like, white

people are dicks, and I don’t mean as a whole. Even through the beginning of history,

since people were writing down what was going on, Caucasian people have been

assholes. It’s crazy.” There’s a common similarity between the music, the artists, and
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the officers involved in these incidents. It’s mainly minorities against white Caucasian

males. I wish this wasn’t true but the facts remain. Some cops show no remorse, most

do what’s good for the job. The job can be terrifying. Most citizens are against you, you

risk your life everyday, and in return, people hate you for the things a handful of cops

have done.

Police Brutality is a problem in America. There’s no doubt about that. This

causes citizens to get angry. There’s not a lot of ways to to get their voices out.

Celebrities can do just that. Through their lyric and music, they give their opinions and

their emotional experiences. Officers can’t get away with everything. People need to

understand that. That’s why internal affairs exist. They watch officers and makes sure

they’re doing their job respectfully. The incidents that are occuring in our country

shouldn’t be the full view on officers. There are good, respectful, and trusting officers.

The ones making the news, are just the few who don’t know how to do their jobs

properly. In my opinion, police officers are given too much power. Once they get into

those cop cars, some of them feel the need that they can do what they desire because

they are police officers. This gives the media the opportunity to see their mistakes and

recklessness.
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References

https://journalistsresource.org/studies/government/criminal-justice/police-reasonable-

force-brutality-race-research-review-statistics

https://genius.com/J-jon-cop-criminals-of-permission-lyrics

Dockterman, Eliana. "Daveed Diggs, Actor and Rapper." Time, vol. 188, no. 15, 17 Oct.

2016,p.58.EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=118679604&site=ehost-

live.

KENNEDY, JOHN. "Dropping F-Bombs With... TYLER,THE CREATOR." Billboard,

vol.127,no.12,02May2015,p.60.EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=102386823&site=ehost-

live.

McElvain, James P. and Augustine J. Kposowa. "Police Officer Characteristics and

Internal Affairs Investigations for Use of Force Allegations." Journal of Criminal Justice,

vol. 32, no. 3, May/Jun2004, pp. 265-279. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2004.02.006.