Black and Blue

See me, I've been an officer for seventeen years It was popular when I started, the kids wanted to be us But now I'm watchin' 'em offer up middle fingers when we pull up You'd think I was harmin' 'em, but we still come when they call us I put my life on the line, every night I'm behind this badge And I ride through yo' 'hood to prevent the crime that's inside You want justice and peace, and that's what we try to provide But when we try, you pick the criminal side every time Until it's one of mine, that's like the only time you comply But any other time, you look me in my eye and you lie You only want accountability when it's me But other times you lie to keep your dollars and killers free You act like we the ones causing chaos in the streets Like if we leave, the killin' 'll cease, and it'll be sweet But we both know that that ain't the truth Imagine protectin' those that hated you Well, I guess in your own way, you do I just feel misunderstood And if you could, take a minute just to see it my way And even if we just agree to disagree, at least you'll see why I'm thinkin' this way I got a family in the crib, I'm just tryin' to make it home tonight We just all tryin' to live, man, I gotta make it home tonight Uh, dear Mr. Officer, if I could get a minute to talk to ya Maybe offer some insight or bounce a couple things off of ya It's a disconnect, I feel like you get a check to disrespect To me, my fit is fresh, I guess to you, my image is a threat Maybe I remind you of some sucker that you busted once Or maybe you been at it for so long that you're becomin' numb You uphold the law, but tell me, what's that supposed to mean to me? Well, once upon a time, that law punished me for bein' me Yeah, you got your good cops and bad cops But if the good cop don't check the bad cop, to me you both black ops You coverin' for that cop, so why should I believe you? You live by the same no-snitchin' rules that we do Now who's protectin' evil, or does that not apply to you? Maybe you different, maybe I should stop profilin' you You judgin' me, I'm judgin' you, my color black, your color blue Guess now you know how it feels to be judged by your color too I just feel misunderstood And if you could, take a minute just to see it my way And even if we just agree to disagree, at least you'll see why I'm thinkin' this way I got a family in the crib, I'm just tryin' to make it home tonight We just all tryin' to live, man, I gotta make it home tonight