Released: February 8, 1990

Songwriter: KMG the Illustrator Total K-Oss Go Mack Dr. Dre Cold 187um

Producer: Above the Law Dr. Dre Laylaw

[Intro: KMG]
"Yo, Cold 187. They tryin' to give you a murder rap. And you ain't even like that. Yo, serve these niggas, 'cause they deserve to get dissed."
(Yeah)
(Check this out)

[Verse 1: Cold 187um]
When I sit down and write and recite for the mic I hold
Make sure my beats are loud and bold and Cold
187, that is my name, makin' it simple and plain
Here to rearrange and change
The things that I couldn't do in the past
Don't be surprised when you got a shotgun up your ass
Perpetrators, that one was just for you
I'm gonna leave ya in your seat remaining without a clue
Glued to my style like a fiend on coke
But if you say the wrong thing, I wash your mouth out with soap
Dope, is not the answer
No, I'm not a Cancer
No, I'm not a hero or zero
But a Leo in stereo
And this is not a demo
K-Oss and Go Mack be cuttin' the flex tempo fast

[Hook]
Now I got a murder rap
'Cause a brother like me said well
Now I got a murder rap
'Cause a brother like me said well
Now I got a murder rap
'Cause a brother like me said well
Now I got a murder rap
'Cause a brother like me said well

[KMG]
Yo, fingerprints ain't nuthin' without the murder weapon
Keep steppin'
Homicide tried to sweat, but we let 'em have it
You can see they fear through they teeth
Treat 'em like Rolaids and give 'em some relief

[Verse 2: Cold 187um]
I feel action speaks louder than words and verbs
And adjectives, I live the life, the given gift
Not who's first, second or third
Not he said or she said or what you heard, nerd
'Cause when you live like that, your life is mangled
In other words your life is all tangled up
I'm not a sucker, always go for mine
Powerlord that's hard from the start, and he will always (climb)
To the top as high as he can achieve
Sometimes that's even higher than the others believe
I'm not a doctor, not a poet, I don't have a degree
Not arrogant, egotistical, I'm the epitome
We take recon, these suckas are lying
Transform into another world as I recite these rhymes
187, he's as hard as it comes
And I don't have to brag
About the size of my gun, son

[Hook]
Now I got a murder rap
'Cause a brother like me said well
Now I got a murder rap
'Cause a brother like me said well
Now I got a murder rap
'Cause a brother like me said well

[KMG]
Criminals don't use lyrics and define themselves as notorious
Brothers gotta learn Hip Hop anger rages inside themselves
Your freedom will never resist to my contact K-Oss and the homie G

[Verse 3: Cold 187um]
187 breakin' back, backbone of my group
Fat kid in my posse and I'm gettin' loose
'Cause I'm takin' out posses, 'causin' bodily harm
Makin' moves to improve as I begin to brainstorm
I'm not inferior, not takin' no crap
Last sucker tried to diss me, cold got his neck slapped
'Cause power's my name, sometimes I'm insane
And if I get too mad, I have to rearrange
Your position as a MC, that's the way it should be
The way I get over, I use terminology
That's comprehensive, redemptive
That's evidently not related to the style that you hear everyday
B-boy destroyin' a toy, employin'
While the other suckers are depressed, I'm enjoyin'
What I'm doin', and ruin anyone's hope for my position
Tell em KMG, they on a mission

[KMG]
They on a mission
They keep wishin you can't come off
187, you're a menace in your own mind
So take heed and proceed with caution
When he rhymes

Now I got a murder rap
Here's a murder rap to keep ya dancin'
Now I got a murder rap
Cause a brother like me said well

Above the Law

Above the Law is a rap group hailing from Pomona, California that was established in 1989 by rapper/producer Cold 187um a.k.a. Big Hutch, KMG the Illustrator, Laylaw, Go Mack, and DJ Total K-Oss.

They released their first three albums—Livin' Like Hustlers (1990), Black Mafia Life (1993), and Uncle Sam’s Curse (1994)—through Ruthless Records, where they had their most success with singles such as “Murder Rap,” “Black Superman,” “V.S.O.P.,” “Kalifornia,” and “Call It What U Want” with 2Pac. Following the death of Eazy-E in 1995, Above the Law left Ruthless Records and released their next two albums, Time Will Reveal (1996) and Legends (1998), through Tommy Boy Records before going independent and releasing two more albums, Rich Thugs, Book One and Sex, Money & Music.

KMG the Illustrator passed away in 2012 but it has been reported there are several unreleased tracks the group completed before his death; however, there are currently no plans to release them.