Unified Voice
At the APA's 2007 Annual Conference the group Unified Voice performed a rap on Stop and Search, highlighting the importance of knowing your rights if you are stopped or searched.
Please find the video footage here. The Lyrics can be found below:
Stop and Search 'Do You Know Your Rights' - Unified Voice
Stop and search do you know your rights
Rules and regulations you should know your rights
The complications will lead to your frustration
Don’t let a false arrest take you to police station
Stop and search do you know your rights
Rules and regulations you should know your rights
The complications will lead to your frustration
Don’t let a false arrest take you to police station
When you’re on the road doing your thing
Riding the whip or flossing the bling
Make sure that you remember one thing
The police can’t stop you for just anything
Only if you’re under suspicion for a crime being investigated
Can’t stop you for just any reason
Their powers are over rated
Police and Criminal Evidence Act
Is the one that has the most impact
This explains their power and their purpose
Knowledge of this means they can’t hurt us
Be stopped for offensive weapons, fireworks or stolen possessions
Articles used for theft, burglary, damage or even deception
It’s about Section 1 – 3 PACE 1984
You can be stopped for many reasons
Read the act to see a few more
If you believe that they’re harassing you
There’s a few things that you can do
Make sure you have the name and number of the officer
It will be on his shoulder
It could be on the yellow paper
Contact the CRE, Commission for Racial Equality
And if they don’t work then the CAB
Basically contact an independent body that can handle all your queries
I’m barring coz as education’s still the key
PCSO, why don’t you wanna let me go
W1 ethnicity no
Why is your number shining like chrome
What is the town, street, name of the road
What is the reason for me to get hold
S16 offensive weapon on road
No handcuffs I’ll just walk on my own
I’m not in the station to turn off my phone
That’s just petty like a dog with a bone
I’m not a cat just holding a stone
I’m not shouting listen my vocal tone
No name so just leave me alone
No address no fixed of abode
They just wanna stop, search, area dispersed
Which one of us is gonna get stopped and searched first
Stop and search do you know your rights
Rules and regulations you should know your rights
The complications will lead to your frustration
Don’t let a false arrest take you to police station
Stop and search do you know your rights
Rules and regulations you should know your rights
The complications will lead to your frustration
Don’t let a false arrest take you to police station
All this talk about stop and search has made me stop and think
So I thought I’d do a little research and put it in writing
So tell me what do you think?
About the stop and search it’s making me stop and think
So I thought I’d do a little research and put it in writing
A statement for those who don’t know
To educate folks on the road bout certain street codes
Especially the stop and search
If you find yourself being noticed more than others then question their motives
As they question yours
Like what are you doing? Where are you going?
Do the right thing don’t choke when you’re flowing
It’s not a game even though most of the W1 officers like to play hard
Know you have to play smart
Being a BME you can’t play the race card
Take in account what plays part
Like check your attire so you don’t look suspicious and grant their wishes
But name, address and date of birth they don’t need to acquire
Know in your heart that you’re higher
As an MC I’m looking to headline a flyer
Maybe the Evening Telegraph
Not a column with the image of me in the back of a police car
Oh yeah one thing
If there’s evidence you can be arrested
But know that if you’re not in the wrong then you must contest it
When you get stopped and searched
It’s not worth getting angry
Understand me
Don’t’ get anti
After you’ve heard this song you’d probably thank me
Or thank us
Don’t cuss, don’t fuss, truss
Listen, can’t get stopped without suspicion
Or something that ain’t happened
Suspected of a weapon
Co-operate and you’ll be blessing
No need the pressing charges
Even if you’re not trespassing
The questions that they’ll be asking
Done nothing wrong you’ll be departing
No paper marking, everyone’s laughing, are you grasping?
Stop and search do you know your rights
Rules and regulations you should know your rights
The complications will lead to your frustration
Don’t let a false arrest take you to police station
Stop and search do you know your rights
Rules and regulations you should know your rights
The complications will lead to your frustration
Don’t let a false arrest take you to police station
The grounds to be stopped are fairly open
You can be stopped if you’re hiding a weapon
If you’re blazing, eyes are glazing
The smell travels far it’s amazing
Police are waiting, demonstrating
That your actions are so frustrating
If you’re on someone’s land with no invitation
They’ll call it trespassing
They will stop you if you’re in the wrong car
It don’t matter if you didn’t go far
You can even be stopped if it looks similar
Or if you’re in the wrong area
It’s called a hot spot
It’s hot for crime Bro
If you live in those ends you will know
They will roll over if some things kicked off or ready to blow – say go
Remember a stop is this
The police ask you to account for yourself
Be smart don’t get angry and remember to look after yourself
Remember a search is that
The police check you for something illegal
Stay calm and if you’re innocent it won’t be a sensitive issue
Never let go of freedom it’s ok
See police they don’t trouble me
Know your rights at the end of the day
There’ll be no need to run away
Never let go of freedom it’s ok
See police they don’t trouble me
Know your rights at the end of the day
There’ll be no need to run away
Bare man on road say they wanna be shotters
There’s too many informers
And man wanna chat man
Not red they wanna catch bare man with black hands
In the police headquarters
Claiming they know all the facts
Wanna take man off the frontline corners
But we’re still eating like pacman
Police wanna stop, search
See what I got in my pocket
See if I’m holding the works
They wanna take all my profit
Stop search See what I got in my pocket
See if I’m holding the works They wanna take all my profit
Stop and search do you know your rights
Rules and regulations you should know your rights
The complications will lead to your frustration
Don’t let a false arrest take you to police station
Stop and search do you know your rights
Rules and regulations you should know your rights
The complications will lead to your frustration
Don’t let a false arrest take you to police station.
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