NYPD cop who rapped about 'war' on white police officers claims angry co-workers 'left her without backup on the field'
Atisha Samuel, a black NYPD police office who rapped about a 'war' on white cops before joining the force claims that her fellow officers were so angry about her song's lyrics that they 'left her without backup on the field', according to a lawsuit.
Samuel became a cop in 2017 and came under fire last year when investigators learned of a racially charged rap video she posted to Instagram declaring "a war against the white man on the beat".
In the 2016 video, Samuel wears a black ski mask and raps, "It's the war against the white man on the beat — with his handguns, quick to pull out on a n–ga if he dare run. They say we gotta make America great again, we were never great, we were slaves and caged in… They see us like a gorilla in a jungle…So we gotta get it…A black ski mask and a black fitted…Got my crew and a couple hittas.”
She is now suing the city after furious co-workers allegedly misinterpreted the tune and, according to her Manhattan Federal Court papers, tried to make her miserable on the job.
According to the complaint, Samuel said her car was keyed; a union rep told her to "ask for forgiveness" from fellow cops at a roll call; she was followed by the NYPD’s Career Advancement Review Board and hauled into an Internal Affairs meeting and “asked if she had a problem with cops."
In at least one instance, when Samuel and her partner responded to a call of a violent emotionally disturbed person, her supervisors did not send backup, she claims in court papers. Another colleague threw arrest paperwork she'd printed in the trash, and yet another refused to give Samuel any union cards, telling her, "You should be ashamed, I saw the video, you talking about hating white cops, you are a disgrace you should resign."
Seeking unspecified damages for discrimination and a hostile work environment, the lawsuit comes as viral videos of patrol cops around the city getting doused and disrespected with buckets of water have sparked outrage.
However, her lawyer insists that her colleagues have it all wrong. The song is about peace and the offending lyric was taken "out of context," Christopher Albanese told The NY Post. “The song is not against the cops in any capacity,” Albanese said.
The entire stanza, the lawyer said, is, "Sh*t is getting real. My little black brothers are out here getting killed. If it’s not a war against 'n—gas' in the street, it’s a war against the white man on the beat."
Another lawyer clarified that Samuel is "not calling for a war" in the song. "She's giving a name to violence that's already occurring," including police brutality, attorney Vincent White noted.
The city Law Department and the NYPD declined to comment.