The Tragedy of Hip Hop part two

Rodney King’s beat down happened on March 3, 1991, almost two years before Drakeo the Ruler’s birth. King was driving home with a couple of buddies after knocking back a few beers and watching basketball at another friend’s house. One thing you have to understand about Los Angeles is that a lot of it happens inside automobiles navigating the most notorious traffic in the United States. A lot of the insanity of the place happens in cars. The getting from place to place is always going to be a big part of the night out. Often the journey is part of the adventure even though it’s universally considered a chore. An extensive public transportation system with widespread subway trains would be expensive. However, as a lifesaving investment it would surely pay better dividends than heart disease and cancer research. The forcing of the private automobile on the public is cornerstone of the police state style of oppression they face. A problem that’s endemic all across America, incidentally. Revoked licenses on paper (parole or probation) and driving is by far the most common violation extending already unfair prison sentences.

King was speeding. He had a buzz. The police took interest and as you probably know it ended up with King being badly beaten. The police tried to claim he was dusted but he wasn’t.

I couldn’t find pure raw footage without commentary or writing but this is as close as I could come:

About a year later unrest began in South Central, Los Angeles after a jury, none of whom were black, acquitted four of the police who were charged with using excessive force.

King died in a swimming pull on Father’s Day 28 years to the day that his father was died in a bathtub in 2012. This time angel dust was found in his system. So one thing we do know about King is that he at 47 years old he did get dusted.

Am I making the claim that hip hop should get the blame or the credit for the Rodney King riots? Nah. I’m just saying that was the atmosphere of Los Angeles. Of course, that matters.

Part one here: https://birdboyblizzard.music.blog/2022/05/28/the-tragedy-of-hip-hop-part-one/

Part three here: https://birdboyblizzard.music.blog/2022/05/28/the-tragedy-of-hip-hop-part-three/