Filmmaker Don Sikorski plans to shed light on the inner workings of the so called "hip hop cops" with a new documentary entitled Rap Sheet: Hip-Hop and the Cops.
"I was amazed at the volume of intimate, private information that this national network of police had gathered," said Sikorski.
The film includes surveillance footage of key industry players, allegedly gathered by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Agency and police in New York, Miami, Los Angeles. Sikorski also interviews music mogul Russell Simons, Kanye West, Busta Rhymes, Ja Rule, Snoop Dogg, and Damon Dash about the supposed unit.
"…the more I talked to artists and cops, the more I understood that this is a situation with few heroes and plenty of villains on both sides," said Sikorski.
Emcees such as 50 Cent, Fat Joe, Jay-Z and Keith Murray have expressed their belief that there is a squad within the NYPD that monitors members of the hip hop community.
Senior NYPD spokesperson Walter Burns maintains "there is no such thing."
Retired Lieutenant Tony Mazziotti oversaw investigations of the Gambino and Genovese crime families during his twenty eight year career and feels rappers just want the criminal legitimacy that comes with being investigated. However, retired NYPD Detective Derrick Parker has told MTV that in 1998 he was asked by the chief to "run this entire investigation…and report to him," after Christopher "Biggie" Wallace was murdered. Parker said that for four years he gathered intelligence and compiled files via surveillance, and interviews with rappers involved in criminal cases. According to him "it's not called the hip-hop unit, it's really just under Gang Intel."
Sikorski’s Rap Sheet… also features performances by Eminem, G-Unit, Fat Joe and Jadakiss. There is no release date at press time.
"I was amazed at the volume of intimate, private information that this national network of police had gathered," said Sikorski.
The film includes surveillance footage of key industry players, allegedly gathered by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Agency and police in New York, Miami, Los Angeles. Sikorski also interviews music mogul Russell Simons, Kanye West, Busta Rhymes, Ja Rule, Snoop Dogg, and Damon Dash about the supposed unit.
"…the more I talked to artists and cops, the more I understood that this is a situation with few heroes and plenty of villains on both sides," said Sikorski.
Emcees such as 50 Cent, Fat Joe, Jay-Z and Keith Murray have expressed their belief that there is a squad within the NYPD that monitors members of the hip hop community.
Senior NYPD spokesperson Walter Burns maintains "there is no such thing."
Retired Lieutenant Tony Mazziotti oversaw investigations of the Gambino and Genovese crime families during his twenty eight year career and feels rappers just want the criminal legitimacy that comes with being investigated. However, retired NYPD Detective Derrick Parker has told MTV that in 1998 he was asked by the chief to "run this entire investigation…and report to him," after Christopher "Biggie" Wallace was murdered. Parker said that for four years he gathered intelligence and compiled files via surveillance, and interviews with rappers involved in criminal cases. According to him "it's not called the hip-hop unit, it's really just under Gang Intel."
Sikorski’s Rap Sheet… also features performances by Eminem, G-Unit, Fat Joe and Jadakiss. There is no release date at press time.
