Under Arrest

Don't lock me up [ VERSE 1 ] Well, I was kickin it on the corner somewhere out west Lookin fly like I do because I am well dressed When a cop stepped to me like a man possessed And said, "Get ready to hear your rights because you're under arrest" I told him, "Pardon me, Mr. Officer, but what's the charge? Is it against the law to max out and live large?" He told me, "Keep quiet, did you hear what I said? You keep runnin your mouth, and I'ma bust your head" So he slapped the cuffs on me behind my back A couple of friends walked up and aksed me, "What's up, black?" Well, I couldn't say a word, this is really a shock Cause I was known as the good guy on the block We rolled to the station in the black and white Goin through stop signs and traffic lights And I thought, this must be the good Lord's test An innocent man found guilty, placed under arrest Don't lock me up (3x) [ VERSE 2 ] When we got to the station we screeched to a halt I said, "Whatever you think I did, my man, it ain't my fault" I walked inside, feelin nervous and tense When I was led downstairs for some pictures and prints I posed from every angle, the pictures were taken I tried to tell the cop about the mistake he was makin But fingerprints were next, so I followed the plan I took off my three-finger and I gave em my hand I was real puzzled about the situation No charge given, and no explanation Subject to the law and its intimidation Not to mention my own humiliation The pieces didn't fit, it just didn't connect Then I was told, "You're bein held as a rape suspect" I was speechless, my head just fell to the chest An innocent man found guilty, placed under arrest Don't lock me up (3x) [ VERSE 3 ] Sittin in a jail cell, what a crazy tale, hell Seconds seem like hours and the minutes seem like days, well I'm tryin to keep my wits about me, but A man that doesn't have his dignity, will soon be a nut Now I thought you're innocent until your guilt is proven Locked behind bars, young man ain't movin Like a newborn chick thrown out of the nest An innocent man found guilty, placed under arrest [ BREAK ] [ VERSE 3 ] So I sat in the cell, sayin, 'Why?' and 'How?' And what would my mother say if she could see me now? As a rape suspect, and how could it be? Cause all the women that I slept with, wanted to sleep with me Just then the door opened, someone else got done To my surprise it was the brother KRS-One He said they snatched him up from out of his crib Pulled out the night stick and nearly busted a rib We spoke for a minute, then our names were called Suspects for a line-up against the wall Where they singled out a brother who was wearin a hat And it wasn't me or Kris, so I was happy with that Then I thought for a second: these cops got nerve! They got the suspect, but justice was not served Cause they was lookin for a brother who was 5 ft. 3 Well, I'm 6 ft. 1, and Kris is taller than me So I went to my lawyer, asked if I could sue He said, "I'm sorry, Young, there ain't a damn thing you can do And it's a shame what happened, it's really a sin The guy's short and fat and you're tall and thin" Now I couldn't help feelin like I just got jerked And the problem is that's how the system works Black people need justice, we continue the quest An innocent man found guilty placed under arrrest