Bad Boys was written and recorded by Jamaican reggae band Inner Circle and released in 1987, but it became famous two years later as the opening theme for COPS, the long running American reality show following police officers on patrol, which debuted in 1989. The repeated chorus turned into shorthand for law enforcement arriving. Clips and parodies spread the association far beyond television, and online editors still use the song whenever someone is caught breaking rules, running away, or pretending to be chased.
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The Bad Boys chorus from the COPS theme song by Inner Circle, used for police chases, arrests, troublemakers and funny caught in the act moments.
This clip is the instantly recognisable chorus of Bad Boys, the reggae song best known as the theme to the reality police show COPS. A laid back groove, steady drums and the repeated chant of bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do set in over a bouncy bassline. The singing is relaxed but teasing, which makes the warning feel playful rather than threatening. Hearing it immediately frames whoever is on screen as a troublemaker who has been caught, turning an ordinary run, slip or guilty look into a mock arrest scene.
