A music video by a Kansas City rapper landed a Missouri police officer on unpaid leave.
Josh Smith, who goes by the rap name J Smitty, said he knew his music video would cause controversy, but he didn’t think it would anger the St. Joseph Police Department.
“I figured a lot of people would be offended, and I figured a lot of people would air those and maybe try to get the video down or something like that, but I didn't think it would be the police department,” Smith said.
The song titled “Before This Bomb Blows Up (Racism Goes Both Ways)” features racially charged lyrics.
St. Joseph Patrolman Zackary Craft is featured in the video holding up a sign saying "Cops Lives Matter."
Smith argued, “I tried to paint cops in a really good light in that video, and although that message is very controversial, cops are going through a lot right now.”
The department put Craft on unpaid leave after the video surfaced. Smith later took the video down and blurred the officer’s face before reposting it online.
A St. Joseph PD spokesman said the department “does not condone the video” and is in “violation of the department’s social media policies and procedures.”
The officer’s attorney said Craft wasn’t aware of the song’s content or context.
Smith said he regrets getting the officer in trouble but doesn’t regret his message. “Like I said, it can be a positive video, it seems negative because in our society you have to step on eggshells, you can't offend anyone, you can't really say what's on your mind.”
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Shannon Halligan can be reached at shannon.halligan@kshb.com.
