“Anybody who thinks controversy is a way to make money, it’s not” – Ice-T of Body Count reveals some new details about their track “Cop Killer”

Actor, filmmaker, and hip-hop legend Ice-T recently discussed the fallout from the band’s 1992 protest song “Cop Killer” in an interview with The Guardian. When it was released, the song, which detailed a violent vengeance fantasy in which a sawed-off shotgun was used to “dust some cops off,” sparked widespread indignation. After Warner Brothers came under intense criticism, Ice-T reportedly requested that “Cop Killer” be taken out of later versions of Body Count‘s self-titled album. Due to the song’s controversial nature, shareholders threatened to leave the company, which ultimately resulted in its removal. If Body Count tried to perform the song live, they were even threatened with arrest. He spoke about this song.

I never really questioned myself, but the heat came when they started sending bomb threats to Warner Brothers. I threw the rock; that’s my heat. But when other people could get hurt, that’s nerve-racking. But I got news for people: anybody who thinks controversy is a way to make money, it’s not. You get a lot of buzz, but now you need lawyers. So don’t just say something stupid and then backpedal. If you’re going to say something, stand on it.

Considering how the song has been received over the years, Ice-T expressed his curiosity about whether or not people today get “Cop Killer” more fully than they did in 1992 in an interview with The Washington Post four years ago.

It was a song about somebody who, during a moment like this, got so mad that they went after the cops. We don’t want that guy. But a lot of times you warn people by saying this can happen. I never killed no cop. I’ve written better songs that are more on point with what I believe today. I was a little more radical back then. ‘No Lives Matter’ addresses my feelings at this moment. You got to remember, 32-years-ago Ice is different than now-66-year-old Ice.

Ice-T clarified at the height of the controversy that he also decided to remove the music out of concern for the security of Warner Bros. Records and Sire Records employees. Law enforcement had threatened to kill staff members for their role in spreading the music. This put a lot more strain on him and influenced his decision to take the track off. In exchange, Ice-T received the album’s masters from Warner Brothers, granting him complete ownership of the material. Billboard claims that “Cop Killer” is still noticeably missing from all of the main streaming services, including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. Additionally, the song is not available for purchase as part of the freshly pressed CD or as an iTunes download.