Last November New York City’s billionaire mayor Michael Bloomberg proclaimed the NYPD his personal army, and a big one: “the seventh biggest army in the world.” One of the principle activities of said army is assaulting and abusing black New Yorkers in Harlem. To the tune of 1800 stop-and-frisks a day. American apartheid – like any apartheid – requires much service and protection. This short documentary (14 min) is built around an audio recording a Harlem teenager made using his ipod. Asked why he’s being threatened with arrest, one of New York’s finest replies “For being a fucking mutt.” Another suggests, “Dude, I’m gonna break your fuckin’ arm, then I’m gonna punch you in the fuckin’ face.” Head to The Nation for the accompanying article and go below for KRS-1′s “Sound of Da Police” (with a paste of the stunning lyrics; see verse two!). If you were wondering, yes there’s a stop-and-frisk app now.

[Refrain]
Woop-woop, that’s the sound of da police
Woop-woop, that’s the sound of da beast

[Verse One]
Stand clear, Don man a-talk
You can’t stand where I stand, you can’t walk where I walk
Watch out, we run New York
Policeman come, we bust him out the park
I know this for a fact, you don’t like how I act
You claim I’m sellin’ crack
But you be doin’ that
I’d rather say “see ya”
Cause I would never be ya
Be an officer, you wicked overseer
Ya hotshot, wanna get props and be a savior
First show a little respect, change your behavior
Change your attitude, change your plan
There could never really be justice on stolen land
Are you really for peace and equality
Or when my car is hooked up, you know you wanna follow me
Your laws are minimal
Cause you won’t even think about lookin’ at the real criminal
This has got to cease
Cause we be getting hyped to the sound of da police

[Refrain]

[Verse Two]
Now here’s a little truth, open up your eyes
While you’re checking out the boom-bap, check the exercise
Take the word “overseer,” like a sample
Repeat it very quickly in a crew for example
Overseer, overseer
Overseer, overseer
Overseer, overseer, overseer, officer
Yeah, officer from overseer
You need a little clarity, check the similarity
The overseer rode around the plantation
The officer is off, patrolling all the nation
The overseer could stop you what you’re doing
The officer will pull you over just when he’s pursuing
The overseer had the right to get ill
And if you fought back, the overseer had the right to kill
The officer has the right to arrest
And if you fight back they put a hole in your chest
(Woop) They both ride horses
After 400 years, I’ve got no choices
The police them have a little gun
So when I’m on the streets, I walk around with a bigger one
(Woop-woop) I hear it all day
Just so they can run the light and be upon their way

[Refrain]

[Verse Three]
Check out the message in a rough stylee
The real criminals are the C-O-P
You check for undercover and the one P.D
But just a mere Black man, them wann check me
Them check out me car for it shine like the sun
But them jealous or them vexed cause them can’t afford one
Black people still slaves up til today
But the Black police officer nah see it that way
Him want a salary, him want it
So he put on a badge and kill people for it
My grandfather had to deal with the cops
My great-grandfather dealt with the cops
My great, great-grandfather had to deal with the cops
And then my great, great, great, great… when it’s gonna stop