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District Attorney Craig Watkins promises protection for snitchers.

They call it "the code," the attitude that helping the police is snitching.

But the Dallas DA says that code is crippling his ability to clean up crime-ridden communities. Now he's asking you to snitch and promising protection.

Oak Cliff-born rapper, Compton Banks, knows the streets all too well.

He knows about the code to never snitch, or help the police. So do his young fans.

"I could tell on some people but I'm not fixing to do it. Some of the people you might tell on might be your closest friends," said one.

Dallas gang prosecutor, Heath Harris, says that attitude is so ingrained, T-shirts can be found promoting it.

"This is just a different form of intimidation to keep people from cooperating with the authorities," he said.

So Harris, and his boss, District Attorney Craig Watkins, went on hip hop radio promising to protect people who come forward to help.

"If we prove to this new generation that we are here to support them to help them were on their side hopefully we can change that mentality and get them on board with law enforcement," Watkins said.

But it's an uphill battle, against big name rappers like Camron, who recently told 60 Minutes he wouldn't snitch on the men who shot him.

"The way I was raised I just don't do that," he said.

Compton Banks says it's time rappers think more about protecting their community, than their reputations.

"If you want to be a real man for your hood or where you come from, stand up and be a man about the situation," he said.