Krs One Lyrics Sound Of: Da Police

KRS-One once said, “Rap is something you do; Hip Hop is something you live.” With this track, he gave us a harsh, noisy, necessary piece of Hip Hop to live by.

On the surface, it’s just a catchy, aggressive chant. But KRS-One (Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone) is a master of onomatopoeia. The "WOO-HAA" isn't random; it’s the sonic equivalent of a sucker punch—the sudden, violent interruption of peace that occurs when law enforcement enters a marginalized community uninvited.

Let’s break down the lyricism, the logic, and the legacy. Everyone knows the hook: “Sound of da police / WOO-HAA! / Sound of da police.” krs one lyrics sound of da police

By juxtaposing the cheerful Dragnet theme (a symbol of 1950s law-and-order nostalgia) with a guttural yell, KRS-One flips the script. He shows us that the "nice cop" narrative is a fantasy. The sound of the police, he argues, is universally aggressive. The most quoted verse in the song is the masterclass in analogy: “The police are here to protect the white man’s property / So when the black man moves in, the white man moves out / And then the police come to keep the black man out.” But the lyrical apex comes when he compares the relationship between a Slave Master and a Slave to that of a Police Officer and a Citizen .

If you grew up in the late 80s or early 90s, there are certain needle drops that instantly change the chemical composition of a room. One of those is the opening baritone of the Dragnet theme, slowed down to a crawl, followed by the booming voice of Lawrence "Kris" Parker—better known as KRS-One. KRS-One once said, “Rap is something you do;

So the next time you hear that slowed-down Dragnet bassline, don't just nod your head. Listen to the lyrics. The Teacher is still in session. What does “Sound of da Police” mean to you? Drop a comment below—but keep it civil, or the WOO-HAA might come for you.

When he chants “It’s the sound of the police / WOO-HAA!” he is not just describing a noise. He is describing the sound of a structural wall that keeps the poor and the Black in their "place." The "WOO-HAA" isn't random; it’s the sonic equivalent

He isn't afraid of the cop physically; he is afraid of the system the cop represents. He warns the officer not to be a "hardhead" because once the "Teacher" arrives, the "student" (the system) must eventually learn. Listen to the news today. Listen to the rhetoric surrounding policing, race, and urban development. KRS-One wrote this before Rodney King, before Sean Bell, before Eric Garner, before George Floyd.