YG Shows Not Much Has Changed Since N.W.A. Told The World About Cops In Compton (Video)

2016 has been a monumental year for YG, the Compton rapper whose Still Brazy album contains some of his most political work to date. His anti-Trump anthem “FDT (F*** Donald Trump)” featured Nipsey Hussle and was so successful, YG enlisted the help of G-Eazy and Macklemore for the song’s second installment and with it, he provided the masses with a unifying Hip-Hop response to Trump’s bigotry and White privilege.

Donald Trump Is Just the Start. YG Is Ready To Take On the System.

It’s been less than a year since the album’s release, but already the award-winning MC has a new mixtape on the horizon (according to YG it’s “koming soon”), and today (October 26), he has released a video for what is presumably the forthcoming project’s lead single. “One Time Comin'” is just as outspoken as “FDT,” but this time it’s racist, trigger happy police who are in YG’s crosshairs. The video depicts both YG and another Black male being pursued by the police (the “one time”), with the latter’s storyline following him as he’s chased by the cops through his hood on foot in what is clearly a pursuit based on misplaced suspicion. The cops are also in hot pursuit of YG, only he’s being chased by patrol cars while he cruises through the desert in his expensive vehicle. Once he has nowhere else to go, he exits his vehicle and in signature YG fashion, sits atop the roof of his whip waving his red rag and flipping off the cops. But it doesn’t end as safely for the other man, who is ultimately gunned down.

It’s not just the imagery that makes “One Time Comin'” a political record. Lyrically, it’s a reflection of what’s been going on in this country as it pertains to police violence. With references to “driving while Black,” YG raps that “a young nigga ain’t tryin’ to see the coffin,” which is unfortunately the final scenario for too many people of color after interacting with law enforcement. “Black man, Black man, Black man/They don’t want us sellin’ records, they just want us sellin’ crack, man,” he raps. It’s the song’s closing verse that is the most potent, with YG rapping directly towards the cops, saying “think you hard with your badge, huh? Pop you a nigga, then you laugh, huh?/Think our life don’t matter, ’cause our families scattered.”

As Heads may notice on the single’s artwork, the song is “in loving memory of the victims of police brutality.” The video also closes with a similar statement, saying “our condolences go out to all the families who have lost innocent loved 1s to police brutality. Rest in paradise.”