POP/ROCK - Oct. 4, 1989

An FBI letter accusing Los Angeles-area rap group N.W.A of encouraging “violence against and disrespect” for law enforcement officers has surfaced in the pop music community. Milt Ahlerich, assistant director of the FBI’s office of public affairs in Washington, sent the Aug. 1 letter to the group’s distributor, Priority Records. It said in part, “Advocating violence and assault is wrong, and we in the law enforcement community take exception to such action.” Ahlerich was referring to N.W.A’s song “---- Tha Police,” a brutal account of tension associated with police gang sweeps that have become common in Los Angeles. The correspondence came to light after being mentioned last week by New York-based rock journalist Dave Marsh at a rally against rock censorship in Washington. Neither N.W.A nor Priority Records spokesmen would comment on the letter.