Watch Rap Sheet: Hip-Hop and the Cops

Rap Sheet: Hip-Hop and the Cops is a documentary film released in 2006 that tracks the complex relationship between the hip-hop music community and the police force. With Eric Adams, Dasun Allah, and Lloyd Banks amongst others, the movie looks at how hip-hop culture and its organic growth have been shaped and heavily impacted by the law enforcement system.

Directed by veteran filmmaker Don Sikorski, the film is an exploration of the dynamics of the hip-hop scene and how law enforcement's reactions to it have shaped the art form. It features interviews with various industry insiders including artists, music executives, free speech advocates, and former law enforcement officials, each of whom share their unique perspectives and insights.

The film delves into the history of how hip-hop music emerged in the late 1970s as a form of expression for marginalized people in urban areas. Rap music became a revolutionary genre that exposed the systemic poverty, institutional racism and police brutality, experienced by people living in economically disadvantaged areas. Yet, it is also during these early years of its evolution that the police forces, government and mainstream media, initially dismissed the potential of the music genre.

The narrative takes shape in the early 1980s when the police started keeping a close eye on the hip-hop community, which they believed was linked with street crime and drug trafficking. As the genre grew in popularity, so did its lyrics begin to reflect the violent and conflicted realities of urban life. This resulted in what the police perceived as a threat to the public safety and an obstruction to their fight against crime.

The film examines some of the incidents of high-profile conflicts between law enforcement and hip-hop artists, including the 1996 killings of rapper Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G, which fueled widespread suspicions of police involvement. It also features interviews with various rappers and industry figures that recount their experiences of being subjected to police harassment, brutal searches, and false accusations.

The documentary also highlights some of the positive and constructive relationships that have transcended the fraught relationship between law enforcement and the hip-hop community. It investigates initiatives like Jay Z's "Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund," designed to help underprivileged youth attend college, and the "Hip Hop Summit" that aims to facilitate peaceful resolutions between hip-hop artists and police in cities across America.

The film directs its lens onto the importance of free speech and the impact of censorship on hip-hop music. It shines a light on the highly publicized attempts by politicians and law enforcement to ban certain forms of music and subject performers to increased scrutiny. It draws parallels between censoring rap lyrics today and the proclamations against other artistic expressions such as rock n’roll, jazz, and even punk rock in earlier periods. It reveals how the 1990s “cop killer” controversy surrounding rapper Ice-T's controversial song resulted in his album getting pulled from record stores and a noticeable number of public officials speaking up against it.

Overall, Rap Sheet: Hip-Hop and the Cops is an insightful and thought-provoking documentary that explores the complex and often tumultuous relationship between the hip-hop community and the police. It offers a sobering commentary on the cultural impact of law enforcement practices and the interplay between individuals’ freedom of expression versus security concerns. The viewer is left with a sense of admiration and appreciation for the genre, and the resilience of the individuals in the center of the storm, as they navigate systemic marginalization and scrutiny from the police.

Rap Sheet: Hip-Hop and the Cops is a 2006 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 20 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.4.