Below you will find a definitive list of police protest songs from 1964 until today. As unlisted songs are identified or produced, we will add to this list. Detailed annotations are forthcoming.
Many brilliant and painful songs, which documented injustices in society and even implied a certain level of police compliance (like Strange Fruit or The Death of Emmett Till and others), have become anthems for resistance to police (like Get Up, Stand Up by Bob Marley), but weren't originally intended as such, and so are not included on this list.
Every song that follows was written and performed to tell a story about police injustice in one form or another. They span the globe.
Starting first with a 1958 performance by Paul Robeson and followed by one of the boldest performances of the 20th century in "Mississippi Goddam" by Nina Simone and moving on to a blues song of a police murder in Jim Crow Alabama and on through many rock and folk anthems of the '70s and '80s in the United States, South Africa, and the UK, early police protest songs tended to tell one story about one very particular incident of police brutality. But in 1988 when NWA released "Fuck the Police," everything changed. Perhaps the most controversial song of the 1980s, "Fuck the Police" gave hip hop artists full permission to boldly describe what life was like under the often brutal thumb of police in inner city America. With a confidence never before found in American music, rappers simultaneously told stories of injustice and let you know, in no uncertain terms, how they felt about it.
These songs give voice to people who feel that those who are paid to protect them have violated a sacred trust. Jump below the fold for the list.
1958
"Joel Hill" by Paul Robeson
Read the lyrics here.
1964
"Mississippi Goddam" by Nina Simone
Read the lyrics here.
1965
"Alabama Blues" by J.B. Lenoir
Read the lyrics here.
1966
"Khawuleza" by Miriam Makeba
Read the lyrics here.
1971
"Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)" by Marvin Gaye
Read the lyrics here.
"Ohio" by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
Read the lyrics here.
1972
"No Knock" by Gil Scott Heron
Read the lyrics here.
1975
"Hurricane" by Bob Dylan
Read the lyrics here.
1978
"Ella's Song" by Bernice Johnson Reagon (Performed below by Sweet Honey in the Rock)
Read the lyrics here.
"The Murder of Liddle Towers" by Angelic Upstarts
Read the lyrics here.
1979
"Blue Murder" by the Tom Robinson Band
Read the lyrics here.
"Guns of Brixton" by The Clash
Read the lyrics here.
1980
"Biko" by Peter Gabriel
Read the lyrics here.
1981
"Mr. Policeman" by Rick James
Read the lyrics here.
1988
"Fuck tha Police" by NWA
Read the lyrics here.
"Behind the Wall" by Tracy Chapman
Read the lyrics here.
"Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" by Public Enemy
Read the lyrics here.
1990
"Endangered Species" by Ice Cube ft. Chuck D
Read the lyrics here.
"911 is a Joke" by Public Enemy
Read the lyrics here.
"Black Boys on Mopeds" by Sinead O'Connor
Read the lyrics here.
1991
"Just a Friendly Game of Baseball" by Main Source ft. Rob Swift
Read the lyrics here.
"Violent" by Tupac
Read the lyrics here.
1992
"Killing in Name" by Rage Against the Machine
Read the lyrics here.
"Every State Line" by Ani DiFranco
Read the lyrics here.
1993
"Sound of da Police" by KRS-One
Read the lyrics here.
"Holler If Ya Hear Me" by 2Pac
Read the lyrics here.
"Holler If Ya Hear Me" by 2Pac
Read the lyrics here.
1994
"Dying With Your Boots On" by Scarface
Read the lyrics here.
1998
"Deadly Game" by C-Bo
Read the lyrics here.
1999
"Mr. Nigga" by Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) ft. Q-Tip
Read the lyrics here.
"Protective Custody" by Talib Kweli & Tiye Phoenix ft. Breezly Brewin, El-P, Jah-Born, John Forte, Mr. Khaliyl, Nine, & Punchline
Read the lyrics here.
2000
"Police State" by Dead Prez
Read the lyrics here.
"Police State" by Dead Prez
Read the lyrics here.
"One Four Love Pt. 1" from Hip Hop for Respect by Talib Kweli, Kool G Rap, Rah Digga, Sporty Thieves, Mos Def, Shabam Shaddeq, Common, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monche, Posdnuos
Read the lyrics here.
2001
"Fuck the Police" by J Dilla
Read the lyrics here.
2002
"The Proud" by Talib Kweli
Read the lyrics here.
2005
"G-Code" by Geto Boys
Read the lyrics here.
2008
"Fuck the Police" by Styles P ft. Jae Hood
2009
"Fuck the Police by Lil Boosie"
Read the lyrics here.
2009
"Fuck the Police by Lil Boosie"
Read the lyrics here.
2011
"Clap (One Day)" by Pharoahe Monch
Read the lyrics here.
"Don't Die" by Killer Mike
Read the lyrics here.
2012
"Do We Need to Start a Riot by Jasiri X
Read the lyrics here.
2014
"Be Free" by J. Cole
Read the lyrics here.
"Don't Shoot" by The Game ft. 2 Chainz, Curren$y, Diddy, DJ Khaled, Fabolous, King Pharaoh, Problem, Rick Ross, Swizz Beatz, TGT, Wale & Yo Gotti
Read the lyrics here.
"New National Anthem" by T.I.
Read the lyrics here.
"Ahhh Shit" by G-Unit
Read the lyrics here.
"Marching on Ferguson" by Tom Morello
Read the lyrics here.
"Call the Cops" by Rob Hustle
Read the lyrics here.
"War Cry" by Tef Poe