Jay-Z is on the cover of this month’s Forbes. But the Miami Police Department still thinks he looks like your typical member of a street gang.

The department’s website is currently featuring a large mural-esque banner depicting five tough-looking characters, including one holding a bat and one throwing up a gang sign, and the plea: “Report Gang Activity”.

Here is a screen shot of the original banner:

Here’s a clearer shot of the banner:

Here’s the Jay-Z photo the central figure in the banner is clearly modeled after:

Note the hat, watch, pinky, arm band, folds of the football jersey, and the guy’s damn face. The fellow on the left doing something gang-y with his fingers looks a lot like Jay-Z too, but we haven’t been able to find the source photo for that one yet.
Department spokesperson Napier Velasquez told Riptide he would contact MPD’s IT department to learn more about the origins of the painting before commenting.

Our question is this: Couldn’t they have found a photo of a real gang member on which to base their art? They are the police.

While still refusing to comment, the Miami PD has removed the art from its website. (Via Miami New Times)