The purpose of this paper is to analyze the song “Police” written and performed by a French hip-hop band Suprême NTM. It is dedicated to the problem of police brutality, racism, and the imbalance of justice based on the contrast between authoritative personalities and ordinary citizens. The performance of the song and the lyrics will be studied in terms of form and content and will cover how the language helps to convey the message of the song.
First of all, there is an introductory part in the beginning which serves as the premise for the entire song as it establishes the main antagonists – police officers who are supposedly chasing the band itself. This can be deduced from the phrase “They have just come out of the studio” which implies that they are talking about musicians (Suprême NTM). The introduction is a dialogue between two policemen where the problem of the abuse of power emerges, as one of them uses violent language to threaten the other. Thus, the main conflict of the song is determined in the introductory part before it transitions to the lyrics.
It is important to highlight that the register of the song is highly informal and is rather vulgar as it contains many corresponding lexical units. Such words as “shithead”, “fuck-head”, as well as the slogan “fuck the police”, are encountered throughout the song (Suprême NTM). Moreover, slang words are used excessively in the lyrics; for instance, the words “cops” and “swallows” serve as the substitute for “policemen”, “the hoods” refer to a neighborhood (Suprême NTM). Such register helps to establish a connection with the listener and appeals to his or her emotions through its relevance. Furthermore, vulgar lexis emphasizes that the performers speak from the point of view of social groups which are often abused by the police.
As to the configuration, the majority of the sentences in the song exhibit the usage of the present tense in an affirmative setting. It demonstrates that the facts mentioned are currently significant and the problems are still relevant. In some cases, there are instances of the future tense being implemented, for example “You will have regrets”, which creates a firm statement regarding the consequences which are believed to be inevitable by the performers.
The performers’ arguments supporting their point of view begin to be formulated with the phrase “This is the police. Identity check. Your papers!” (Suprême NTM). It is then emphasized that people who are considered suspicious by law enforcement officials often have to endure this procedure. This starting point then allows the performers to gradually articulate their attitude towards policemen and the issues they find acute. Thus, they begin with the fact that the abuse of power by the police is overwhelming and creates tension between them and the citizens. It is then stressed that “the notion of humanism no longer exists when they put on a uniform” (Suprême NTM). Here, the message is expressed through metonymy, “a uniform” substitutes for police officers. Further, the issue of racism is mentioned, followed by police brutality, eventually concluding with the idea that people have no respect for the representatives of law enforcement. This thought is evident in the sentence “This is why insults shoot out when swallows go by” (Suprême NTM).
All of these arguments contribute to the parallel drawn between the police and criminal authorities. It results in the statement that the police are “a real organized gang”, as opposed to street bands committing crimes without any authority over them. Continuing this analogy, a comparison between what deeds are allowed by law enforcement and what are not is provided later in the text. Thus, a serious crime, “a diplomat charged with pedophilia”, left unpunished is opposed to a death due to a petty crime, “a bar of hashish”, creating an antithesis between the two (Suprême NTM). This contrast is the core of the song, demonstrating both the attitude of the performers to the police and the explanation for it. Closer to the end of the song, this antithesis is reestablished when the police officers are referred to as “agents of the law, kings of missteps” (Suprême NTM). Contradicting notions are used to speak about the same people, drawing a striking parallel between what the police are meant to be and what the performers believe them to be.
Since the police forces are the central figure of the song, many words and collocations occur in the lyrics which belong to the lexical field of crime, such as “organized gang”, “guns”, “bullets”, “case filed”, “hijack”. This lexis helps the songwriters create an image of a violent atmosphere in the mind of the listener. In addition, the subject of violence is directly expressed in the urge of the performers to attack policemen. As to the rhythm, the song is rather high-paced and aggressive, with words and sentences being shouted at regular intervals. Therefore, the overall spirit of brutality and aggression is also conveyed through sound.
In conclusion, the message of the song “Police” by Suprême NTM is expressed through a variety of linguistic means. The vulgar register contributes to the image of a certain social group and its antagonistic sentiment towards the police, supported by the general aggression and atmosphere of violence and crime. Thus, the song in question is a clear statement against police brutality, racism, and the abuse of power.
References
Suprême NTM. “Police.” 1993… J’appuie sur la Gâchette, Sony Music Entertainment, 1993. Spotify, Web.