ThePendulumSwingofaBaton
thepantingoftheendangeredBlackman iseeitinmarlonchasingafterharriettocrosstheriver pastthewoodsunknownand themessyundergrowthand thebloodysoil
ifeelitin“themessage” startingwithbrokenglass andending underboyishdeath mysweetbabyno you’retooclosetotheedge
hearitinN.W.A.’sfootsteps theonesfrom“100milesandrunnin” withaheavyheartbeat Panting
TheWorldisonFireandWe’reRunningNaked:Introduction
ClotheswouldonlyslowdownMarlonRiggsonhisfreedomrun.It’satrekthat’sheavy enough,carryingwithhimtheweightofthosewhocamebefore.Wadingthroughriversand denseforestry,MarlonRiggsnavigatestheGardenofEden.“InthebeginningwastheQueen, andtheQueenwaswithGod,andtheQueenwasGod”(Dr JafariAllen,pg82, There’s A Disco Ball Between Us).ThoughthisresearchessaydelvesintotheendangeredBlackman,makeno mistaketheycomefromaBlackQueen.WithoutourMothers,therewouldbenocreation,no pathtoruntoward.UprootingtheEarth,theyclearedthewayforanakedMarlonRiggstofind life.ThoughN.W.A.stayedlacedupinanoversizedjacketandjeans,theytoowerenakedin theirownway.Theyrappedaboutanunfilteredreality—theintersectionbetweenpolicebrutality andtheendangeredBlackman.
GettingDeepintheMuck:CrossCulturalReading
Westartontherun.TakearightonFlorenceandNormandie,outsideTom’sLiquor.
That’swheretheLAriotserupted,butwe’reintheyear1990,sonotquitethereyet.Godown untilyoureachGreenleaffarm.Butcarefulnottotriponthemurderedbodiesoftenburiedout there.Keepgoinguntilyouseeournorthstar,theWattsTowers.CuratedbySimonRodia,they wereoriginallynamedNuestroPueblo.Becausethisisourtown. Compton, ain’t no place like home.
Don’tstop,we’veonlyjustcaughtuptoN.W.A.Soplease,grabyourheadphones andplay“100MilesandRunnin.””TofullyfeelwhatitmeanttobeanendangeredBlack manintheirstreets,youneedtoheartheiranger.
A100MilesandRunnin' MCRen,Iholdthegunand Youwantmetokillamotherfuckerandit'sdonein SinceI'mstereotypedtokillanddestruct Isoneofthemainreasons,Idon'tgiveafuck Chancesareusuallynotgood 'CauseIfreezewithmyhandsonahothood Andgettin'jackedbytheyou-know-who WheninaBlackandwhite,thecapacityistwo We'renotalone,we'rethreemorebrothers,Imeanstreet-brothers Nowwearin'mydyes,'causeI'mnotstupid,motherfuckers They'reouttotakeourheadsforwhatwesaidinthepast Point-blank,theycankissmyBlackass
Beginningwiththefirststanza,N.W.A.offersnointroductiontopoliceviolence.Wearesimply init.MCRenisholdingthegun,andwe’renowhisaccomplices.Fortunately,MCRenslows downandoffersawindowintohisconsciousness.Thekeywordfromthethirdlineis“want.”
ThisdetailrevealsthatthoughMCRenhasaweapon,hehasnotyetusedit.Sowhyarewe runningifhedidnothingwrong?Thesecondtolastlineoffersapossibleclue.The“you”he referringtoistheFBI,andthe“whatwesaidinthepast”isreferringtohowtheytriedtocensor N.W.A.onthegroundstheywerepromotingrebellionagainstthelawenforcement. So MC Ren’s crime is his lyrics: he’s runnin’ his mouth. EvenN.W.A.’sslangspeakstothefactthattheyreject anyauthority,includinggrammar Inbothformandcontent,100MilesandRunnin’disruptsany adherencetoBlackrespectabilitypolitics.M.C.Renknowsthescriptforhowtodealwiththe police—Yessir,Nosir—andhetellsit“point-blank,kissmyBlackass.”
Skippingaheadtothemiddle,Dr.Drejoinsinonourchase.
Gotustickandrunnin'justtofindthegunthatstartedtheclock That'swhentheEjumpedoffthestartin'block A100Milesfromhomeand,yo,it'salongstretch Alittlesprintin'motherfuckerthattheywon'tcatch Yeah,backtoComptonagain Yo,it'seitherthatortheFederalpen 'Causeniggasbeenrunnin'sincebeginningoftime
There’s a tensioninthisversebecausethejourneybacktoComptonislongandfar,yetDr.Dre
is sprinting it. If he keeps up this unstainable pace, he won’t be able to make it, especially given that panting is a background singer throughout the song.ThisiswhyDr.Drehastopass on the baton to his other N.W.A. brothers, just like MC Ren did with him. What starts as an individualistic flee from the police transforms into a relay: we hear the four legs switchingon and off as different members ofN.W.A.taketurnsrapping.Foranendangeredspeciestoavoid extinction, they must somehow transfertheirgenes,theymustpassthebaton.It’sclearN.W.A. is not the only one running this relay “cause niggas been runnin’ since beginning of time.” In other words, the idea of the endangered Black man fleeing for his life is nothing new. In the caseofhissong,ourenslavedancestorspassedontheirtraumaviathecarceralsystem.
Inspiteofhowdeeptheprisonindustrialcomplexruns,N.W.A.suggestsitisnotall dire.IfComptontrulywasatotalizingoppression,thenN.W.A.wouldberunningawayfromit, nottowardit.Ifthefederalpenrepresentscaptivity,thenbycomparison,Comptonmust representfreedom. Yes, Compton is a site of police brutality. And, it is so much more. Itisa communitythatprovidesamomentaryrestbybindingpeopleandtheirsufferingtogether ComptonisaplacewhereonecantransformfrombeinganendangeredBlackmantoaBlack manindanger.Inthelatter,there’snoillusionaboutsafety,butatleastthedangerisnotall consuming.
We’vegotonemoremiletogo,solet’sslipbackintothenodesof100Miles andRunnin’.
I'malmosthome,soIbetterhaulass Tearin'upeverythinginsight It'salittlecrazymotherfuckerdodgingthesearchlight Nowthatchase,theshit,isdoneand Fourmotherfuckersgoin'crazy,witha100milesofrunnin'!
Isitalldonethough?ItwouldbenaivetoassumethatafterallthatN.W.A.unearthed,they wouldeverstoprunning.TheconditionoftheendangeredBlackmanischronicandconstantly
inmotion.ThoughN.W.A.mayhavegottenawaythistime,they’restillundersurveillance, foreverdodgingthesearchlight.Theendingofthemusicvideopointstothisaswellbecause thoughthesongstartswiththesoundofagun,itendsonthesoundofanexplosion.There’sthis underlyingideathatBlackmenconstantlyhavetolearnthenewestweaponofmassdestruction tosurvive.
“AppetiteForDe$truction:”Political-EconomicAnalysis
My sweet darling, inhale and exhale. Catchyourbreathwhileyoustillhaveone.That wasalong100miles,butwe’vestillgotmoretogo.Inthismarathon,“howdoyoumanageto keepyoursanity?”ThiswasthequestionKendrickLamarposedtoN.W.A.ina2015Billboard interview.TowhichDr.Drereplied,“BecauseofthepassionIhaveforthemusic.It’smyfirst love.”Helaterwentontoconfess“Whenwestarteddoingthisthing,itwasn’tforthemoney Timeislimitedinthismuthafuckaifyoudoitforthemoney.”IceCubechimedinsaying “Dealingwiththebusinessaspect,it’sthemostboringandfuckeduppartofthegame.It’s somethingyouhavetodotogetbacktobeingcreative.”AsImentionedearlier,thealbums N.W.A.releasedwereweaponsthatwagedwaronwhiteAmerica’sfirstlove:oppression.
“We’redoingwhatwe’redoingforthekids,thepeoplewhohaveexperiencedandseenand heardthesamethingswehave”(IceCube,1989MelodyMakerMagazine).Butwarsarecostly, andN.W.A.paidtheprice.Forexample,mainstreammediaandtheradiorefusedtoplaytheir songs.Tospreadtheirtapes,N.W.A.hadtorelyonmomandpopshops.Duringafamous1989 Detroitconcert,thepoliceeventriedtoarrestN.W.A.forperforming“FuckthaPolice.”N.W.A. managedtoslipaway,buttheywerefinedahefty$25,000.
Aswefurthercomplicatethediscussionofmoney,I’minvokingbellhooks. Mother do come, the children need you. In“PopularCultureIsWhereThePedagogyIs,”bellhooks
proclaimsthat“therapmusicthatgetsinnationalnewsisalwaystherapmusicthat perpetuatesmisogyny,ismostobsceneinitslyrics,andthiscomestostandinforwhatrapis.”
Inthisoffense,IfindN.W.A.guilty N.W.A., how do you plead? “Again,it’sthelanguageof theghetto.Butwe’renotsayingallwomenarebitches.Justthemoneyhungryones,theones whowanttogetoneoveryou,thestupidones”(IceCube1989).TowhichIreply: This stupid bitch has something to say. Police violence was the norm, yet you’re trying to do something about that. IhypothesizeN.W.A.sidelinedBlackwomenbecauseweareaninternalthreatto theendangeredBlackman.Inotherwords,aBlackwomaninpowermakesaBlackmanfeel insecureabouthismasculinity.Unlikethephysicalviolenceofthepolice,webeatthemdown intherealmoftheego.Howeverintryingtoachieveasenseofselfworth,theendangered Blackmandiminishesthesisterswhooftenraisedthemorbuilttheirsuccess. I just want my Marlon Riggs freedom run please.
However,notallrappersgaveoffN.W.A.’stoxicmaleenergy Threeyearsafter 100MilesandRunnin’cameout,Tupacrapped:
Andsinceweallcamefromawoman Gotournamefromawomanandourgamefromawoman Iwonderwhywetakefromourwomen Whywerapeourwomen,dowehateourwomen? Ithinkit'stimetokillforourwomen Timetohealourwomen,berealtoourwomen
Thissongismorethanjustasong;it’savalidationandrallyingcryofthefemalestruggle. EverytimeIlistentoit,Ihearthetearsofallthewomeninmylifewhohavelivedthrough theselyrics.“I’minthemusicindustryand.”Tears.“NotonlydoIgottadealwithBlackmen stealingmyintellectualandcreativelabor.”Tears.“Igottadealwithgettingsexuallyharassed.”
Tears.IfwepooledthecollectivetearsoftheBlackwoman,novesselcouldholdthem.There ispowerinrebellingagainstaprofessionalsocietythatsayswehavetomaskouremotions.
“There’sanart;there’satheorytocrying”(Dr.JafariAllen,ColumbiaUniversity).
InspiteofN.W.A.’ssignificantcharacterflaws,wecannotignorethepoliticalchange theyincited.Remember,“There’snosuchthingasfreedomofspeechinAmerica”(TheIssueof RacePanelonDonahue). Dhoruba Bin Wahad, I fear N.W.A. has said too much. Thoughcurrent hiphopfocusesonganglife,backthenitwasunheardoftospeakaboutit.“FuckthaPoliceis somethingalotofpeoplehavebeenwantingtosayforalongtime.It’sjustthat,untilnow, everybodyhasbeentooscared.Mostkidsdon’tgiveafuckwhothemayororthepresidentis andthey’renotinterestedinvoting.Thepolicearethehighestauthority”(IceCube,1989 MelodyMakerMagazine).Inhoodpolitics,thelawenforcementistheexecutive,legislative, andexecutivebranches.NowweunderstandwhyfiveyoungmenfromComptongrabbedthe attentionofpowersliketheFBIandTipperGore.
ButifN.W.A.wasgoingoutatthehandsofthepolice,theyweregoingoutlikea fuckingmeteor.“Accessbecomesarelativeissue.IamthankfulfortheprivilegesIhave…And sure,therearetimeswhenIcanbeatthesystem,buttherealsolutionwillonlycomewhenthe systemisdestroyed,demolished”(CraigHarris). To abolition, to freedom! Allowmetoclimbon mysoapboxforaminute.ThoughN.W.A.dancedontheprecipice,theynevertookanexplicit politicalstanceinthemanyinterviewsIcameacross Yes, fuck tha police, but what does that channeled anger look like? HowourbelovedN.W.A.neededCraigHarris.Inhismasterpiece essay,hecalledforspecificareasofpolicychangeandcritiquedpoliticiansbyname.What N.W.A.wasmissingwasthisparticularity. I’m all for a revolution, but I need to have the directions of when and we’re pulling up. IfN.W.A.wouldhavemodeledafteractivistslikeCraig Harris,thetrajectoryoftheendangeredBlackmanwouldhave“ignitedandirritated,burnedand bubbled,soothedandinspireduntilitburstfromtheatmosphere,dissipatingintothecosmos” (CraigHarris).Abolitioneliminatestheroot-causeofN.W.A.’sangerbymakingitsothatthere
arenopolicetodealwithinthefirstplace.
“ParentalDiscretionIzAdvised:”Activist/PopularGenealogies
The destruction of the universe makes for a perfect segway into activism. N.W.A.didnot yethavethelanguageforabolition,buttheynonethelesshelpedpropelthemovement.Theydid sobytappingintoagenealogyofbearingwitness.N.W.AtookusstraightintoCompton,notthe abstractversionthattheworldknewthroughthemedia,butthroughanautobiographical account.N.W.A.rapsaboutwhattheyknow:IceCube'smomwastherewhenhegotarrested, Dr.Dre’sbrotherdiedfromabeating,andMCRenhimselfwasshotintheleg(1989UK Interview).Throughintimatelyrics,N.W.A.introducesandauthenticallyallowsustogetto knowCompton,acharacterinitsown.Itismorethanjustaplace,itisafigurewhoactively shapesthedestinyandhumanityofBlackmen.
“Toseeisunbearable,bothuntoitselfaswellasforwhatitmeansaboutone’sownlikely fate.Butknowledgeofthispervasiveviolenceprovidesnecessaryinformationoftheveryreal forcesthreateningAfricanAmericans”(ElizabethAlexander,CanyoubeBLACKandLookat This?:ReadingtheRodneyKingVideo(s)).Giventhatcellphonesandsocialmediawerenotyet around,N.W.A.’smusicprovidedthevaluableinsightandrealitycheckthatDr Alexanderis talkingabout.N.W.Awasuncensoredabouttherootcausesofpolicebrutality,afundamental principleofabolition.Westartedthisessayontherun,buttheissueisthatyoucan’toutruna systemthatpenalizesyouforbeingpoor,fordoingwhatyouhavetodotoscrapeby I cry again; to abolition, to freedom! WithoutN.W.A.raisingawarenessaboutComptonandits institutionaloppressions,thepivotalgroundworkforabolitionwouldnothavebeenlaid.
“It’stheworldbeforeN.W.A.andtheworldafterN.W.A.Weopenedthefloodgatesfor artistswhowantedtowalkontheotherside”(IceCube,BillboardInterview).Thisgroupof musicalactivistsmodeledandencouragedotherrapperstotaketheriskandgoagainstthegrain.
Inbearingwitnessandforcingtheworldtolearnoftheprisonindustrialcomplex,N.W.A. declaredthatthe1980sweren’tallgoodtimes.However,whatmakestheircondemnationofthe policesopowerfulisthatyoucanheartheirhurt,butalsotheirlove. They fight for Compton so fiercely because they love Compton so fiercely N.W.A.choosestoseethepossibilityofwhat theircommunitycouldbeforitsyoungBlackmen.
“QuietonthaSet”forthaLastTime:Conclusion Andsoweinhaleandexhaleoncemore.
Ddddddd
Amidsomuchviolenceourpeopleneverletourrosecrownfall.Becausethesamepainful thornsthatinspiredgangstarapsmellohsosweetwhenactivistsliketheN.W.A.setour struggletoaboomingbeat!1980smusicwasandcontinuestobecrucialinresistingwhite supremacyandtheresultingpolicebrutality.Dr.Dre,IceCube,MCRen,DJYella,andEazy-E (restinpeace)passedthecrosstoartistsandendangeredBlackmenlikeKendrickLamar.Of course,N.W.A.haditsflaws.Butpartofwhatitmeanstobeahumanisthatwehavetogive
ourselvesthegracetochange. So, yea I’m a complex Nigga wit attitude, and I’m a “proud monkey” about it too (KendrickLamar).
Endnotes
1. An.“I’mGoingoutlikeaFuckingMeteor.” Quixotic Lens,1Aug.2014, amhoang.wordpress.com/2014/08/01/im-going-out-like-a-fucking-meteor/.
2. “BellHooksonCulturalCriticism(FullVersion).” YouTube,YouTube,4Nov.2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3hY6p6kyAM
3. “TheBlackertheBerry-KendrickLamar(toPimpaButterfly).” YouTube,YouTube,4 Feb.2019,www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghv-qwwmG6M.
4. “DopeMan.” YouTube,YouTube,11May2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG9aTpyyCaY.
5. “Dr.Dre(Ft.DazDillinger,Jewell&SnoopDogg)–LetMeRide(RMX).” Genius, genius.com/Dr-dre-let-me-ride-rmx-lyrics.Accessed22Mar.2024.
6. “KeepYaHeadUp.” YouTube,YouTube,20Oct.2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAJfDP3b5_U
7. “KendrickLamarSitsdownwithN.W.A(FullExclusiveInterview).” YouTube,YouTube, 13Aug.2015,www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJyss8iTWVw.
8. Knopper,Steve.“TheTrueStoryofn.w.a.Playing‘FuckThaPolice’LiveinDetroit.” GQ,GQ,21July2020,www.gq.com/story/nwa-fuck-the-police-live-detroit.
9. Markman,Rob.“HowInfluentialIsN.W.A.?JustAskEminem,SnoopDoggand50 Cent.” MTV,www.mtv.com/news/ns6p14/nwa-infograph-eminem-influence.Accessed22 Mar.2024.
10.“N.W.ARareInterviewintheUK(1989).” YouTube,YouTube,21Aug.2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6COFaiXi3g.
11. “N.W.A.-100MilesandRunnin’.” YouTube,YouTube,27Feb.2009, www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiDti_Xnnmo
12.“N.W.A.:StreetHassle.” Rock’s Backpages, www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/nwa-street-hassle-.Accessed22Mar.2024.
13.Paul.“StraightOuttaCompton,VisitingtheHood,LosAngeles.” The City Lane,9Apr. 2017,thecitylane.com/straight-outta-compton-visiting-the-hood-los-angeles/.
14.“PhilDonahuetheIssueofRace.” YouTube,YouTube,20Feb.2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ELwFKjHCoY.
15. Themes, aas.emory.edu/mellon_sawyer_seminar/themes1.html#:~:text=%5B1%5D%20Saidiya%2 0Hartman%20coined%20the,“racial%20calculus%20and... Accessed22Mar.2024.