Synopsis

The video presents Gang Starr in a raw New York street setting, intercutting Guru's performance with DJ Premier at work and appearances from members of the Gang Starr Foundation, including Jeru the Damaja and Lil' Dap. Its imagery stays close to neighborhood life rather than building a conventional narrative, matching Guru's observational verses about peer pressure, crime, respect, and survival. The performance footage and street portraits give the track a documentary-like, community-centered feel.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Code of the Streets" was released in 1994 as the third single from Gang Starr's album *Hard to Earn*.

• The song began as "Wrongs of the World," a 1992 track produced by Guru for the WWOR-TV investigative program *Crime Chronicles*. Guru later changed the title to "Code of the Streets."

• DJ Premier rebuilt the production for the Gang Starr version. He adjusted the drums and added a scratch effect intended to resemble Morse code.

• The track samples Monk Higgins' "Little Green Apples," Melvin Bliss' "Synthetic Substitution," and Boogie Down Productions' "Word From Our Sponsor."

• The video includes appearances by Jeru the Damaja and Lil' Dap, connecting it to the wider Gang Starr Foundation circle.

• The single reached No. 33 on the US Hot Rap Songs chart and No. 91 on the UK Singles Chart.