Bob Marley’s song ‘I Shot the Sheriff’ and Ice-T/Body Count’s song ‘Cop Killer’ both deal with aspects of antiauthoritarian behavior towards law enforcement. This attitude has been seen and popularized throughout modern culture in both reggae and hip hop music. But in order to understand the varied reaction to this kind of material, you have to evaluate the historical and social context behind both songs. With ‘I Shot the Sheriff’, The song is about a man who admits to killing the local sheriff, and claims to be falsely accused of killing the deputy sheriff. He also claims to have acted in self-defense, as he says the sheriff tried to shoot him. The song itself has many meanings to it. In reference to its antiauthoritarian nature, you have to look at the power struggle in Jamaica that dates back to 1834 to when the Slavery Abolition Act was made into effect by the British Empire. During this time lead a continuous debate to which lead to allow the native populace of Jamaica to the right to vote; for some to hold power in public office, but although this may of seemed the reality, the white colonial members of Jamaica were the ones to continue to rule power otherwise. Throughout their continuing power, there were rising figures such as Marcus Garvey, to which led to to the belief of Garveyism. Garveyism is the belief that people of black ancestry must find their roots to "redeem" the nations of Africa and for the European colonial powers to one day leave the continent and