KRS-One: Police Are a “Federally Authorized Gang” & Presidential Candidates “Are a Joke” (Video)

“Trayvon Martin was your cure for Cancer. Freddie Gray was about to come up with something for planes that when they crash, they never exploded and everybody lives.” Those are the opening words from KRS-One who, in a video package for CNN, contributed his thoughts and ideas for the network’s “Gets Political” series. As part of the discussion, KRS-One (born Lawrence Parker) was asked to comment on racism in the United States, the upcoming political election, police brutality, and more, and the Bronx MC and Hip-Hop icon didn’t hold back or bite his tongue. But that comes as no surprise to Heads, who have been admiring Parker’s outspoken critique of society since he founded Boogie Down Productions with the late Scott La Rock in the ’80s. CNN’s decision to interview the Teacha makes sense to fans, even if it’s only indicative of mainstream media’s late arrival to incorporating the thoughts and political acumen of the Hip-Hop generation into its reports.

Parker’s powerful opening statement was not the only compelling thing he had to say, as many of his statements take a direct hit at those in positions of authority and power who he says are not at all on the right side of history. “There’s no order in the United States, so now there’s lawlessness,” he says. “We have an African-American president and it seems like racism in the United States is overflowing,” Parker argues. “There’s no leadership. A leader would say ‘police brutality is an oxymoron. There are no brutal police. The minute you become brutal, you are no longer the police,'” he says in a biting criticism of what he sees s the administration’s failure to address the far-too-frequent abuses and deaths of American citizens at the hands of the country’s police forces. “What we’re dealing with out here…we’re no dealing with police,” Parker argues. “We’re dealing with a federally authorized gang.”

“All of these candidates are a joke,” Parker says of the candidates running for president in the 2016 election. “All of them are scripted and there’s a hidden hand behind them…all of them are managers of a situation, nobody’s really owning their situation.” Ever the Teacha, Parker argues that the presidential candidates don’t want American voters to become educated on the real issues, like the economy and laws. In fact, he says, the candidates are “banking on the ignorance of American citizenry, which is what I see in these Democratic as well as Republican debates.” In closing, he says “if we’re not going to have a real discussion about the real state of America, then leave me the fuck alone.” You can hear all of his thoughts in the video below, and click here to read more of his opinions that didn’t make the video, which include how the candidates are failing to get the Hip-Hop vote. KRS-One’s latest album, Now Hear This!, is now available.

Related: KRS-One Apologizes to LL Cool J For Dissing Him, With A Detailed Freestyle (Video)