Fuck the Police (J Dilla song)

This article is about the Jay Dee song. For the N.W.A. song, see Fuck tha Police.

"Fuck The Police"
Single by Jay Dee
B-side	"Move"
Released	September 18, 2001
Format	Digital download 12" maxi single
Genre	Hip-hop
Label	Up Above Records
Producer(s)	Jay Dee
Jay Dee singles chronology
"Raise It Up" (with Slum Village) (2001) "Fuck The Police" (2001) "Pause" (2001)

"Fuck The Police" is a single by the rapper/producer, Jay Dee. In the song, Jay Dee chastises corrupt policemen who conduct illegal searches and plant evidence on blacks. The 12" sleeve cover includes pictures of Mumia.

Content

The song begins with an introduction by Jay Dee which is as follows:

The views expressed on this recording are solely those of the artist, and by no means do we encourage or condone violence against law officials.

This disclaimer was likely added to prevent any backlash against Up Above Records for some of the song's incendiary lyrics, such as:

Applaud any nigga that bucked them

Cause we could lose a few of 'em

We got enough of 'em...

They thought he had a gun

Made-a-mistake-cops, I hate cops...

Now tell me who protects me from you?

I got people who buy TECs and weed from you

Insight

In an interview with Groove Attack, made after the record's release, Jay Dee discussed the motivation behind the song:

Interviewer: I gotta ask you about "Fuck The Police", how did that cover come about?

J: That's a song I been wanting to do for a long-ass time. I need to do a Part 2 actually. It's getting so crazy in Detroit now with the police, man. I just felt like I wanted to speak on it. People knew it from N.W.A., but I just wanted to touch it on a more underground level so the people that I fuck with can relate too and people know that it's still going on.

Interviewer: It's real.

J: It's real, yeah! It's like you can go through life and act like it's not but I deal with it everyday, for real, just riding in a nice car they'll fuck with you. Just being a black person in Detroit, it's so stupid.

Interviewer: What made you decide to take it upon yourself to get the message out there?

J: I don't think nobody's even saying it, saying enough about it. Like you see it on the news everyday, but it's like it goes right over their heads. People know that there's corrupt cops and cops do bullshit all the time and mothafuckas get pulled over 'cause of the colour of their skin, but it just seems to go over their heads. So I think it helps out a lot if you've got a little voice and somebody can hear it. Like I said, in Toronto people hear that and it puts them on some other shit like 'Damn, this gonna be some shit!' I just hope that gets across to the masses.

In an interview years later, Ma Dukes gave further detail on Dilla's reason and motivation for the song.

That song was totally true. He caught so much flack from the police for being a clean young man. The police department was down the street from where we lived, and every time he pulled off they’d stop him and harass him. They even tossed the car once looking for something. Because he was young and clean-cut, they thought he was selling drugs. Proof was at the house one evening when James had another run-in with them. He had only gone to the gas station which was three doors away. I told him not to get upset because he was hurt to tears. He was so angry and just tired of being harassed, so I told him, ‘Look, this is what you do: you go downstairs and make a song about it, and you laugh in their face.’ And that’s when he came up with the "F" the Police’ thing. And people are still singing it today! Every time I go somewhere, that’s one of the songs they play.

"Fuck The Police" subsequently became one of Jay Dee's most well-known songs as a solo MC. It was a favorite at his live shows and DJ sets.

The B-side to "Fuck The Police" was "Move", featuring Frank-N-Dank.

Track listing

1. "Fuck The Police" (Dirty)
2. "Fuck The Police" (Radio)
3. "Fuck The Police" (Instrumental)
4. "Move" (feat. Frank-N-Dank) (Dirty)
5. "Move" (feat. Frank-N-Dank) (Radio)
6. "Move" (feat. Frank-N-Dank) (Instrumental)