The Rodney King Saga: As Told Through Rap Lyrics
Today marks the 25-year anniversary of the L.A. riots, largely in response to the beating of Rodney King by members of the L.A.P.D. The brutal assault is an infamous moment in American history, ending in the combustion of South Central L.A., as its residents responded to an attack on one of their own from the very organization that was meant to protect them. What came to be remembered as the King saga, and the subsequent trial of the officers accused of using excessive force, the 1992 L.A. riots were a response to numerous other incidents, including the shooting of LaTasha Harlins, the beating of Reginald Denny, and the resignation of L.A.P.D. police chief Daryl Gates. King’s beating was ultimately the straw that broke the camel’s back. As an incendiary moment in American history, the entire ordeal has been immortalized in rap lyrics through the years. It’s one of the first times the genre, which was coming into its own as the most vital American artform, operated as a primary document for history, as well as a response to the events going on around it. Which is why we decided take a look back at the series of events that began with King’s beating, and ended with him winning $3.8 million in a civil suit, through the lens of various rappers who’ve made Rodney King references or songs inspired his story. So please, can’t get all just get along?
