Nas - Cops Lyrics

(feat. Kanye West)

[Intro: Richard Pryor]
The cops used to come around in my neighborhood, "Alright, you kids, stop having so much fun, move along!"
Oh they'd arrest me, you know, especially at night
They had a curfew, niggers had to be home at 11, negros, 12
And you'd be trying to get home, doing your crew runs
And they'd always catch you out in front of a store or something, 'cause you'd be taking shortcuts, right
Cops, "Ree, put your hands up, black boy!"

[Chorus: Slick Rick]
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot-
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot-
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot-
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot-

[Verse 1: Nas]
I don't wanna hurt nobody
We just came here to party
See a few dames, exchange some names
I'm a top shotta, kid, stay in your lane
The cop shot the kid, same old scene
Pour out a little liquor, champagne for pain
Slap-boxing in the street
Crack the hydrant in the heat
Cop cars on the creep
Doing they round-ups, we just watch for the sweep
Yeah, it's hotter than July
It's the summer when niggas die
It's the summer when niggas ride
Together we be strong, but forever we divide
So y'all are blowing my high
Type of shit that's killing my vibe
White kids are brought in alive
Black kids get hit with like five
Get scared, you panic, you're going down
The disadvantages of the brown
How in the hell the parents gon' bury their own kids, not the other way around?
Reminds me of Emmett Till
Let's remind 'em why Kap kneels

[Chorus: Slick Rick]
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot-
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot-
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot-
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot-
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot-
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot-
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot-
The cops shot the kid, I still hear him scream

[Verse 2: Kanye West]
Stay tuned up and down your timeline
This fake news, people is all lying
Money is being made when a mom cries
Won't be satisfied 'til we all die
Tell me who do we call to report crime
If 9-1-1 doin' a driveby
It's certain things I can't abide by
I ain't being extreme, this is my side
Talkin' big shit, ready to die
I know every story got two sides
Claiming he paranoid by the black guy
Cop wanna make it home by night time
Just a good kid, he wasn't that guy
Had a little hit, he wasn't that high
Cop gon' claim that it was self-defense
Say he was riding dirty so the case rests

[Chorus: Slick Rick & Kanye West]
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot- (workin' nine to five)
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot- (tryna stay alive)
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot- (making ends meet)
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot- (shot him this week)
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot-
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot-
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot-
The cops shot the kid, I still hear him scream