“Fuck the police comin’ straight from the underground
A young nigga got it bad cause I’m brown
And not the other color so police think
They have the authority to kill a minority”

By now, everyone reading should be bobbing their heads to the unheard beat and getting more angsty by the second. In 1988, N.W.A. released their hit album Straight Outta Compton. On it was arguably their most notorious track “Fuck tha Police”. This song is unapologetically real, heavy, and filled with passion. To make it clear, N.W.A. basically said, “fuck it” and dropped this incredible song that expresses unpopular views regarding the law and police brutality. The song’s creation was sparked by the brutal assault of Rodney King by the LAPD, which went on to fuel dozens of riots in Los Angeles during the year of 1992. For a majority of the Straight Outta Compton tour, “Fuck tha Police” was the one song not to be played under any circumstances. It was banned from the radio, public libraries, even retail chains. Politicians both conservative and liberal actively took measures to slander the song and N.W.A. as a group. The FBI even wrote a letter and sent it to N.W.A.  Why? It’s just a song, right? Not exactly. While it is just a song, its socio-political power oversteps this boundary using great strides. Because of its subversive nature, “Fuck tha Police” was considered a threat from all angles. The song wasn’t just a taunt pointed toward law enforcement to rustle their feathers. It grew into an anthem shared among individuals of color who feel as though they have not been treated fairly by those whose job is to enforce justice. It was a proclamation. A cry for recognition. A promise, even. One would possibly assume that due to such strong acts of subversion that the group would lose some of its fan base but quite the opposite happened, actually. Their notoriety surged and everyone quickly came to know who N.W.A. was and what they stood for. I would argue that had it not been for their incredibly subversive style of rap, N.W.A. would not have made as much of an impact on the hip hop and rap scene. To facilitate change, one or some must be willing to step on some toes– in this case, more like crush entire feet, given the nature of the song. The subversive style of rap that N.W.A. embodied was also present in the work of Tupac Shakur, Notorious B.I.G., A Tribe Called Quest, UGK, and Killer Mike to name a few. What I find incredibly interesting is that this subversive rebellion toward the justice system and America in general has not died out as time passes on. If anything, the fire has only continued to spread as new sets of ears are entering the scene and hungrily searching for outlets to find a means of self-expression. We see this continuation of subversive lyricism in the works of artists such as Eminem, Lupe Fiasco, Mos Def, and  Kendrick Lamar, especially. To Pimp A Butterfly, K. Dot’s third album, took the nation by storm with it’s funky, complex beats and politically-charged themes apparent throughout the album. A particular song that comes to mind is “The Blacker the Berry,” where Lamar artfully addresses the racialized self-hatred that many African American individuals battle as a result of white-washing and undermining other cultures, especially those that belong to people of color.

“I’m African-American, I’m African
I’m black as the moon, heritage of a small village
Pardon my residence
Came from the bottom of mankind
My hair is nappy, my dick is big, my nose is round and wide
You hate me don’t you?
You hate my people, your plan is to terminate my culture
You’re fuckin’ evil, I want you to recognize that I’m a proud monkey” 

As I listened to that song for the first time on the night of the album drop I found myself outside my apartment, chain-smoking No. 27’s with tears in my eyes. This was not solely due to the overall mind-boggling production of the album but because of the raw honesty it championed. An eery feeling of discomfort was present in me as well because 20 years ago, young black men were rapping about the same grievances that appear to still be present in America today. The subversive quality of Kendrick’s work differs from a lot of past rappers’ work because it possesses a postmodern style of delivery. While some of his lyrics explicitly get the point across that he is hoping to make, often times you have to dig deeper into the verses to uncover the true meaning of his rhymes. Rappers mentioned earlier like N.W.A. blatantly showcase their subversive style integrated into their music, making them more modern. In following the footsteps of hip hop icons of the past, Kendrick has carved his name into the rap game and doesn’t seem to be leaving anytime soon.

So, are these hip hop artists reaping success in being subversive? Yes. A hundred times, yes. Their work is re-sparking conversations about race and the justice system that have been discussed for decades through this medium. The music that is being produced by these subversive artists is allowing for individuals to ask the question, “Why are things the way that they are?” Social change begins with a special desire to question the authority and rules already in place, and subversive rappers allows for these questions to become illuminated. In Kendrick’s song “Alright,” the pre-hook goes:

“Wouldn’t you know
We been hurt and down before
Nigga, when our pride was low
Lookin’ at the world like, “Where do we go?”
Nigga, and we hate po-po
Wanna kill us dead in the street fo sho
Nigga, I’m at the preacher’s door
My knees gettin’ weak and my gun might blow
But we gon’ be alright.”

 

One day, maybe we will be.