9th Wonder is one of the most revered Hip-Hop artists alive, and not just by his rap fan base. He has taught and engaged in courses and panels at Harvard and Duke, so there’s no debating his involvement in every aspect of the culture, and from Black Album producer to educator is a hell of a transgression to call a career.
He was recently pulled over by a police officer in South Carolina, and according to the account 9th gave on Facebook, the officer uttered sarcastic retorts when 9th told him what he’s done and currently does for a living, before ultimately letting him go with a warning ticket. Wonder did his best to give an accurate account of what happened on his Facebook account, and you can read it below.
Ok…..
It went down like this….and pull from it what you will…
On the way home from A3C Music Festival(which was CRAZY by the way…shouts to A3C), on I-85 North crossing the South Carolina border, and passed a Sheriff that was sitting on the side of the road. The speed limit was 65…..I was doing about 69-70….
The cop pulls out when I passed him and pulled up behind me. I have “Harvard Est. 1636” around my license plate(for those who don’t know I am a Harvard Fellow and a Lecturer there). He pulls up, no blue lights. Then he pulls up beside me, and looks in my car. It’s myself, my assistant Tia, and Rapsody.
He gets BACK behind my car….*BLUE LIGHTS*….
So I pull over….
He comes to the passenger side of the car. He asks for my license and registration(I already had it out). I gave it to him. Then he says…
“Can you step outside the car?”
Ok….THIS is the moment where I’m at a crossroad…..
A). Exercise my rights, (I failed to mention that my assistant Tia is one of my best friends since 1989, and got her Law Degree from Ole Miss), before Mr. Officer decides to exercise HIS right to call back up and have 5 cars up behind ours, and to say I was resisting arrest for asking why do I need to get out of the car……
B).Get out of the car so no one gets hurt.
I step out of the car and walk behind my vehicle…
The conversation went like this…
Officer: “Do you know why I stopped you?”
Me: “Nope”
Officer: “You moved into the rumble strip lane a little and you got a crack in your windshield..Is this your car?”
Me: “Yeah…it says Patrick Douthit on my registration”
Off: “What do you do?”
Me: “Music Producer…and I also am a Professor…”
Off: “Where?”
Me:”Harvard, Duke, and NC Central…” as I point to my license plate..”
Off: “No Kiddin…”
Me:”Would you like to see my ID’s officer?”
Long pause…….
O: “Who is that in the car?”
M:”That’s my assistant, and my artist…”
O:”Artist? She draws?”
M:”No….she is an emcee…a rapper”
O:”Oh ok….you play any instruments?”
M:”Yeah…I played 7 in high school, mainly just use beat equipment now, and I deejay”
O:”You say you teach school…what college did you graduate from?”
M:”I didn’t graduate…”
O: “Wow…you got it all figured out…..do you drink…..any drugs?”
M:”Nope”
O:”Ever been arrested? Any trouble?”
M:”Nope….I personally don’t have time for that…”
So he asks me to stand there…and he proceeds to the car to ask Rap and Tia the SAME thing…to see if my story checks out…he walks back 5 min later…
O:”You oughta give your assistant a raise”
M: *Blank Stare*
O:”Your license valid?”
M:”Yep”
O:”Ok…I’ma call your license in…..”……
We wait…
O:”You married?”
M”Yep…You?”
O:”Yep, 14 years…
M:”That’s good……I got kids too…I’m trying to get home so I can see them if you don’t mind officer…”
O:”Ok…….”
They call him back and tell him I had no warrants….and no charges….
By that time…he has found what he thinks…is a Unicorn….
O: “Ok man……your artist has some music out?”
M: “Yep”
O: “She like…hardcore rap?”
M: “Officer I don’t know your knowledge of the music….but….you ever heard of the Fugees?”
O: “Yep”
M: “She’s like a Lauryn Hill type of style”
O: “Seems like you got it all figured out….I’m just gonna give you a warning ticket…..you can keep it or not….”
M: “Cool….”
O: “Yall be safe….”
Take from this what you will….I know this though….
Never in a million years tell me my skin color doesn’t matter…..any wrong words or movements…I could of been arrested….or dead…
Yes…your Grammy Award Winning, Professorial, Sample Chopping, favorite Producer…
I’m black first….before anything…..
