Released: June 30, 1998

Songwriter: Ice Cube MC Ren Dr. Dre

Producer: Rage Against the Machine

Good evening

We want to just quickly send a nice friendly message to the uh
Fraternal Order of Police in Philadelphia

Here's something nice and friendly
Here's something nice and friendly
Here's something nice and friendly
It goes something like this

Fuck tha police, comin' straight out the underground
A young nigga got it bad cuz I'm brown
And not the other color so police think
They have the authority to kill a minority
Fuck that shit, cause I ain't the one
For a punk muthafucka with a badge and a gun
To be beaten on, and thrown in jail
We could go toe to toe in the middle of a cell
Fuckin' with me cause I'm a teenager
With a little bit of gold and a pager
Searchin' my car, thinkin' every ... is sellin' narcotics
You'd rather see me in the pen
Than me and Lorenzo chillin' in a Benz-o
... outta shape
And when I'm finished, bring the yellow tape
To mark off the scene of the slaughter
No control of bread and water
Young niggas...
A young nigga on a warpath
And when I'm finished, yo, there's gonna be a bloodbath
Of cops, dyin in L.A
Yo, I got somethin to say

Fuck tha police
Come on! Off, What?
Fuck tha police
Yeah!
Come on!
Fuck tha police
Yeah

Fuck tha police, comin' straight out the underground
A young nigga got his badge cause I'm brown
And not the other color so police think
They have the authority to kill a minority

Fuck that shit, cause I ain't the one
For a punk muthafucka with a badge and a gun
To be beaten on, and thrown in jail
We could go toe to toe in the middle of a cell

Fuckin with me cause I'm a teenager
With a little bit of gold and a pager
Searchin' my car, lookin' for the product
Thinkin' every nigga is sellin' narcotics

You'd rather see me in the pen
Then me and Lorenzo chilling in a Benz-o
Beat the police outta shape
And when I'm finished, bring the yellow tape
To mark off the scene of the slaughter
No control of bread and water

I don't know if they fags or what
Search a nigga down and grabbin' his nuts
And on the other hand, a gun they can't get none
But don't let it be a black and a white one
Cause they'll slam ya down into the street top
Black police showin' out for the white cop

Yeah, brothas will swarm
On any muthafucka in a blue uniform
Just 'cause we in Washington DC
Punk police are afraid of me
Word!

Punk on a warpath
And when I'm finished, it be a bloodbath
Of cops, dyin' in L.A
Hey yo, we got somethin' to say

Fuck tha police
Come on! Sing that shit loud
Come on!
Come on one more time, here we go, here we go
Come on, one more, gotta do it
Right now, yeah, check it out

Rage Against the Machine

Formed in Los Angeles in 1991, Rage Against the Machine are critically acclaimed for their aggressive, politically charged rhymes. During the 1990s, they found huge success with their politicised image, broad array of influences and punk attitudes. The band represents an important intersection in 90s culture – between the musical expression of urban black rebels (hip-hop, funk) and their white counterpart (metal, punk rock).

Accompanying a musical fusion of punk, hip-hop and metal, the lyricism of frontman Zack de la Rocha provides a fiery critique of corporate America, government oppression, and cultural imperialism. Both de la Rocha and guitarist Tom Morello were born into activist families, influential to shaping the band’s political views and activism. De la Rocha’s father devoted his artistic work to Chicano causes, and Morello was raised by a civil rights activist mother and a Kenyan rebel-turned-diplomat father.

Rage Against the Machine view their music as a vehicle for social activism, and de la Rocha has explained this by

From the album