| The hip hop genre has not exactly been known for | | | | Angeles. In the said seminar, six-inch binders |
| having a squeaky clean, morally upright, unassailably | | | | containing information on rappers with criminal records |
| wholesome image. We hear of rappers getting | | | | were distributed to the attendees. A Miami police |
| arrested for weapons charges or assault every now | | | | sergeant said the seminar involved training on what |
| and then. A good number of hip hop lyrics tell of (and | | | | look for in rap lyrics, monitoring radio and TV |
| even glorify) guns, drugs, violence, misogynist | | | | stations, and surveying hip hop concerts. |
| behavior, and a hodge podge of anti-authority | | | | To further compound the existence of a hip hop |
| sentiments. And of course, the killings of high profile | | | | squad, another voluminous document on rapper |
| rap artists such as The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac | | | | profiles was made public. This time, it was a 500-page |
| Shakur have become landmark incidents that | | | | dossier containing rap artists' mug shots, home |
| established the notoriety of hip hop. | | | | addresses, license plate and social security numbers, |
| Along with the progression of hip hop personalities | | | | criminal histories, arrest details, frequented locations, |
| getting embroiled in gangster-esque incidents came | | | | and known associates. The dossier, which bore the |
| rumors that a task force has been formed by the | | | | logo of the New York/New Jersey High Intensity |
| New York Police Department focused specifically on | | | | Drug Trafficking Area Program, was published online |
| the rap industry. Major newspapers reported that a | | | | and was also featured on the documentary Rap |
| team of NYPD detectives were assigned to monitor | | | | Sheet: Hip Hop and the Cops. |
| hip hop events, feuds, and even rap lyrics. Artists | | | | Not a few rappers and civil rights activists bemoaned |
| have complained that they were being subjected to | | | | these acts as racial profiling and unnecessary intrusion |
| police surveillance. | | | | to privacy. Police refused to comment on the dossier |
| The NYPD has repeatedly denied the existence of | | | | but reasoned that familiarizing themselves with the |
| such unit but talks of the hip hop cops are still far | | | | hip hop industry was just a part of doing their job. |
| from dying down. The revelations of retired NYPD | | | | They said that the unsolved murders of famous hip |
| detective Derrick Parker that he was the one who | | | | hop artists was reason enough to monitor this |
| started comprehensive investigations on the hip hop | | | | particular genre of the music industry. As Derrick |
| industry further fueled the controversy. Parker said | | | | Parker put it, they simply don't want another rapper |
| that it was his duty to compile all information relating | | | | killed. |
| to hip hop and interview artists who were involved in | | | | Some rap personalities place the blame on the |
| criminal cases. He clarified though that it wasn't as | | | | rappers themselves for the supposed surveillance. |
| large as the purported full-blown task force that was | | | | DMC, considered as one of the pioneers of hip hop, |
| reported in the media but was merely another scope | | | | pointed out the rappers' self-aggrandized gangster |
| of the Intelligence Division's Gang Unit. | | | | image was one of the reasons police are tailing them. |
| In 2004, it was reported that the a three-day hip | | | | Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man also commented |
| hop training session was held and attended by police | | | | that rap songs which glorify violence and guns aren't |
| officers from New York, Miami, Atlanta, and Los | | | | any help either. |