The song features a prominent sample of Slick Rick’s iconic cautionary tale, “Children Story” (1988).
Nas and Kanye trade verses about the constant cycle of police brutality against African American youth.
On June 11, 2018, Kanye published a tweet showing Urban Dictonary’s definition of the “Seven Deadly Sins.” It has been theorized that each song on the album correlates to one of these “capital vices”–with “Cops Shot the Kid” corresponding to Wrath.
Cops Shot The Kid
Nas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"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!"
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
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-boxin' in the street
Crack the hydrant in the heat
Cop cars on the creep
Doin' 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 blowin' my high
Type of shit that's killin' my vibe
White kids are brought in alive
Black kids get hit with like five
Get scared, you panic, you're goin' 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
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
Stay tuned up and down your timeline
This fake news, people is all lyin'
Money is bein' 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 bein' extreme, this is my side
Talkin' big shit, ready to die
I know every story got two sides
Claimin' 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 ridin' dirty so the case rests
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 (makin' 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
The opening lines of Nas' "Cops Shot The Kid" refer to the police presence in his neighborhood during his youth. The lyrics describe how the police would patrol and monitor the neighborhood, often arresting young Black boys for mundane activities, such as hanging out or passing through the wrong street after curfew. The song's title becomes significant in the following lyrics where Nas recounts the story of a young Black boy who was shot by the police.
The chorus repeats the phrase "The cops shot the kid" and serves as a reminder of the violence that many Black communities have experienced at the hands of the police. As the song continues, Nas juxtaposes the violence committed by the police with the joys and pleasures of Black life, such as parties and social gatherings. He also draws attention to the fact that when violence is inflicted upon Black people, it often goes unaddressed or unnoticed by those in power.
The lyric "reminds me of Emmett Till" is a reference to the killing of a young Black boy by White supremacists in 1955, which helped to ignite the Civil Rights Movement. The reference to Colin Kaepernick and his protest against police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem also draws attention to the ongoing struggle for justice and equality in Black communities.
Overall, "Cops Shot The Kid" is a powerful and emotional testimony to the pain and suffering experienced by Black communities at the hands of the police. It calls for justice and draws attention to the ongoing struggle for equality and justice.
Line by Line Meaning
The cops used to come around in my neighborhood
Police officers would regularly patrol my area
"Alright, you kids, stop having so much fun, move along!"
The police would often interrupt our activities and tell us to leave
Oh they'd arrest me, you know, especially at night
I was frequently targeted by police for arrest, particularly during nighttime hours
They had a curfew, niggers had to be home at 11, negros, 12
There was a curfew in place for Black individuals, requiring them to be home by a certain time depending on the specific term used (niggers at 11, negros at 12)
And you'd be trying to get home, doing your crew runs
I would often be trying to get home while completing errands or group activities with my friends
And they'd always catch you out in front of a store or something
The police would consistently find and approach us while we were in front of businesses or other public locations
'Cause you'd be taking shortcuts, right
We were taking alternate routes to get home, which often led us to run-ins with police
Cops, "Ree, put your hands up, black boy!"
Police officers often approached me aggressively, demanding that I put my hands up as a Black individual
The cops shot the kid
The police shot and killed a young person
So y'all are blowin' my high
The constant violence and injustice towards Black people is ruining my mood and state of mind
White kids are brought in alive
White individuals are often brought in for questioning or arrests without being harmed or killed by police officers
Black kids get hit with like five
Black individuals are often shot multiple times by police officers during altercations or arrests
The disadvantages of the brown
The systemic oppression and discrimination towards people of color
Reminds me of Emmett Till
The situation brings to mind the tragic murder of Emmett Till, who was also a young Black boy killed by white individuals
Stay tuned up and down your timeline
Be aware of the news and updates in your social media feeds
Money is bein' made when a mom cries
Corporate and media entities profit from sensationalizing and exploiting the grief of those affected by police violence
Won't be satisfied 'til we all die
Some people seem to take pleasure in the suffering and death of Black individuals at the hands of police
It's certain things I can't abide by
I cannot tolerate the violence and injustice perpetuated against people of color by the police system
I know every story got two sides
There are multiple perspectives to consider in any situation
Cop wanna make it home by night time
Police officers may use deadly force in order to protect themselves and return home safely
Just a good kid, he wasn't that guy
The victim of police violence was not a violent or criminal individual
Had a little hit, he wasn't that high
The victim of police violence was not under the influence to an extent that would have caused violent behavior
Cop gon' claim that it was self-defense
Police officers may justify their use of deadly force as acts of self-defense
Say he was ridin' dirty so the case rests
Police officers may use minor infractions or violations as justification for deadly force
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Andrew Dawson, Che Smith, Kanye West, Nasir Jones, Richard Pryor, Ricky Walters
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rthur.
2018:
The cops shot the kid
The cops shot the kid, the cops shot
The cops shot the kid
I still hear him scream.
2020:
The cops choked the man
The cops choked the man, the cops choked
The cops choked the man
till he couldn't breath.
@aujus5735
Use me as a "I'm here after the Kanye rant" button😊
@flewway8134
I didn’t think NAS verse was bad till I heard Ye’s delivery sheeesh
@walterinnocentokotel8388
Me too 😊
@2PokeDoke
@@flewway8134That means you're easily influenced 😂😂😂😂
@KryptonIstheFuture
cap @@flewway8134
@MikhaleAshford
Kanye was right
@oh_thatz_mauricio
NAS still look like he in 1990 ..never aged
@harrisonsharkey6117
the back his neck aged look like grandpa oldballs
@miguelfranco7796
MAURO OooO black don’t crack
@Derek2k
Facts