1992 Los Angeles riots in popular culture
Encyclopedia
This article lists examples of the ongoing influence on popular culture
of the 1992 Los Angeles riots
.
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
of the 1992 Los Angeles riots
1992 Los Angeles riots
The 1992 Los Angeles Riots or South Central Riots, also known as the 1992 Los Angeles Civil Unrest were sparked on April 29, 1992, when a jury acquitted three white and one hispanic Los Angeles Police Department officers accused in the videotaped beating of black motorist Rodney King following a...
.
Music
- The band Caroline's Spine released a song, called Good Afternoon on their 1994 album, ...So Good Afternoon which mentions the beatings by saying "I think I'll try my look at Flo and Normanie and have some dude beat the living shit out of me"
- Body CountBody CountBody Count is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1990. The group is fronted by rapper and actor Ice-T, who founded the group out of his interest in heavy metal music, taking on the role of vocalist and writing the lyrics for most of the group's songs. Lead guitarist...
released, a month before the riots, the notorious song "Cop KillerCop Killer (song)"Cop Killer" is a song by American band Body Count, from its 1992 self-titled debut album. The lyrics are sung from the point of view of an individual who is outraged by police brutality and decides to take the law into his own hands by killing police officers...
", which was regarded by some as a precursor to the rioting. - Ice CubeIce CubeO'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
's song "We Had to Tear This Motherfucka Up" was written as a statement on the verdict and expressed sentiments similar to those of the rioters. Most of his 1992 release, The PredatorThe PredatorThe Predator is the third studio album by Ice Cube. Released within months of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, many songs comment on the racial tensions. The title is in part reference to the movie Predator 2, and the album itself includes samples from the film...
, was inspired by the riots and Rodney KingRodney KingRodney Glen King is an American best known for his involvement in a police brutality case involving the Los Angeles Police Department on March 3, 1991...
, with constant allusions to the incident throughout. Ice Cube's song "Black Korea" on his 1991 album Death CertificateDeath Certificate (album)Death Certificate is the second studio album by American rapper Ice Cube, released October 29, 1991 on Priority Records. Highly anticipated with over one million advanced orders, the album was certified platinum in sales on December 20, 1991...
is a racist characterisation of South Korean store owners. The song reflected the tensions between Korean Americans and African Americans following the Latasha HarlinsLatasha HarlinsLatasha Harlins was a 15 year-old African-American girl who was shot and killed on March 16, 1991 by Soon Ja Du, a 51 year-old Korean store owner. Harlins was a student at Westchester High School in Los Angeles, California...
shooting. A year later, during the riots, Koreans and Korean-owned stores were a major target of rioters. On Death Certificate, the Rodney King beating is mentioned, notably in a skit where a cop threatens a black man that he's going to "do you like Rodney King, Martin Luther King, and all the other goddamn Kings from Africa!" - Tom Petty and the HeartbreakersTom Petty and the HeartbreakersTom Petty And The Heartbreakers are an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. They were formed in 1976 by Tom Petty , Mike Campbell , Benmont Tench , , Ron Blair and Stan Lynch...
rush-released a single entitled "Peace in L.A." - In 1992, Branford MarsalisBranford MarsalisBranford Marsalis is an American saxophonist, composer and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ensembles and has led the group Buckshot LeFonque.-Biography:Marsalis was born...
released the album I Heard You Twice the First Time, which featured a song called "Simi Valley Blues", a reference to the city in which the trial of the four police officers was conducted. Although the beating took place in Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, the trial was held in the more-conservative Simi ValleySimi ValleySimi Valley is a synclinal valley in Southern California in the United States. It is an enclosed or hidden valley surrounded by mountains and hills. It is connected to the San Fernando Valley to the east by the Santa Susana Pass & 118 freeway, and in the west the narrows of the Arroyo Simi and 118...
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, a decision that is thought to have resulted in the acquittalAcquittalIn the common law tradition, an acquittal formally certifies the accused is free from the charge of an offense, as far as the criminal law is concerned. This is so even where the prosecution is abandoned nolle prosequi...
of the officers. - Sublime'sSublime (band)Sublime was an American ska punk band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1988. The band's line-up, unchanged until their breakup, consisted of Bradley Nowell , Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh . Michael "Miguel" Happoldt also contributed on a few Sublime songs, such as "New Thrash." Lou Dog, Nowell's...
song entitled "April 29, 1992 (Miami)April 29, 1992 (Miami)"April 29, 1992 " is a song written by American ska punk band Sublime in 1996 from their eponymous album Sublime. The song title refers to the date of the Los Angeles riots of 1992, of which news spread throughout the United States following the acquittal of four police officers accused in the...
" is based on accounts of the riots. - Dr. DreDr. DreAndre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
's song "The Day tha Niggaz Took Over" references the riots. Snoop DoggSnoop DoggCalvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
and RBXRBXEric Dwayne Collins, better known by his stage name RBX , is a former rapper and R&B singer from Long Beach, California...
also feature on the song, portraying their emotions as the riots started. - The music video for the song "Keep Ya Head UpKeep Ya Head Up"Keep Ya Head Up" is a late 1993 hit by Tupac Shakur. #11 in About.com's Top 100 Rap Songs, with "Dear Mama" voted #4.It was first released in Shakur's 1993 album Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., later appearing after his death in 1996 in his Greatest Hits compilation...
" by 2pac says in the beginning that it is dedicated to Latasha HarlinsLatasha HarlinsLatasha Harlins was a 15 year-old African-American girl who was shot and killed on March 16, 1991 by Soon Ja Du, a 51 year-old Korean store owner. Harlins was a student at Westchester High School in Los Angeles, California... - 2pac song "Hellrazor" also is dedicated to Latasha HarlinsLatasha HarlinsLatasha Harlins was a 15 year-old African-American girl who was shot and killed on March 16, 1991 by Soon Ja Du, a 51 year-old Korean store owner. Harlins was a student at Westchester High School in Los Angeles, California...
-- "Little girl like LaTasha, had to die, She never got to see the bullet, just heard the shot, Her little body couldn't take it, it shook and dropped, And when I saw it on the news I see busta girl killin 'Tasha. - Downset song "Anger" from their self-titled debut album was inspired by the riots. The cover of the album also featured an image of South Central Los Angeles burning.
- Billy IdolBilly IdolWilliam Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
's 1993 song, "Shock to the SystemShock to the System (Billy Idol song)"Shock to the System" is single by Billy Idol, released to promote his 1993 album Cyberpunk.-Conception:Idol explained for MTV News, he had originally created the song with an entirely different set of lyrics, but upon witnessing the Los Angeles riots of 1992 on television, he immediately rewrote...
", from the CyberpunkCyberpunk (album)Cyberpunk is a concept album by English rock musician Billy Idol, released in 1993 by Chrysalis Records. Inspired by his personal interest in technology and his first attempts to use computers in the creation of his music, Idol based the album on the cyberdelic subculture of the late 80s and early...
album, was directly inspired by the riots, including such lyrics as "You could be king/or I could be king". - Tori AmosTori AmosTori Amos is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument...
's clip for the song "1000 Oceans" recreated scenes from the L.A. riots. The film-clip was shot in L.A. and featured local actors who had lived through the riots. - RancidRancid (band)Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
's song "I Wanna Riot" is based on the events. - The CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
n African AmericanAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
all-female group En VogueEn VogueEn Vogue is an American female R&B vocal group from Oakland, California assembled by music producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy.The group has won more MTV Video Music Awards than any other female group in MTV history, a total of seven, along with four Soul Train Awards, six American Music...
released their anti-prejudice song "Free Your Mind" the year after the riots. It was a Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
Top 10 hit for them. - The Machine HeadMachine Head (band)Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
album Burn My EyesBurn My Eyes-Australian tour edition:The following songs consisted entirely of the Burn My Eyes Demo.-Re-release:On October 31st 2006, Roadrunner Records announced that as part of their 25th Anniversary, they will be re-releasing Burn My Eyes with a bonus CD, which includes previously unreleased tracks and...
(1994) contains the song "Real Eyes, Realize, Real Lies", which features sampled commentary from news reports and interviews surrounding the riots. - The OffspringThe OffspringThe Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
's song "L.A.P.D." off the album Ignition is about the Rodney King incident. - SlayerSlayerSlayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
and Ice-TICE-T* Ice-T, an American rapper and actor* ICE T , a tilting model of the German InterCityExpress series of high-speed trains...
collaborated on the song "Disorder", which appeared on the Judgment Night movie soundtrackJudgment Night (soundtrack)Judgment Night is the soundtrack to the film of the same name. It was released on September 14, 1993 through Epic Records and was produced by many of the album's performers. Every song on the soundtrack was a collaboration between hip-hop artists and rock / metal artists...
. The song was a medley of three songs by the UKUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
punk rockPunk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band The ExploitedThe ExploitedThe Exploited are a Scottish punk band from the second wave of UK punk, formed in 1979. Originally a street punk band, they transformed into a faster hardcore punk band with a heavy political influence. From about 1987 on they changed into a crossover thrash band...
. The song "UK '82" (which dealt with police brutality) was renamed "LA '92". - AerosmithAerosmithAerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
's song "Livin' on the EdgeLivin' on the Edge"Livin' on the Edge" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. The song was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Mark Hudson. It was released in 1993 as the first single from the band's commercially successful album Get a Grip...
" from their 1993 album Get a GripGet a GripGet a Grip is the 11th studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released in April 1993 by Geffen Records. Get a Grip was the band's last studio album to be released by Geffen before they returned to Columbia Records....
was inspired by the riots. - Black Label SocietyBlack Label SocietyBlack Label Society is a heavy metal band formed by Zakk Wylde, with nine studio albums, one live album, two compilation albums, one EP, and three video albums released since formation of the band.-Formation and Sonic Brew :...
's music video for the song "Fire it Up" off their 2005 release Mafia used extensive riot footage, much of which was from the '92 L.A. incidents. - The Boo RadleysThe Boo Radleys-Studio albums:-Compilation albums:-Extended plays:-Singles:-External links:* * * * * * by Laurent Orseau * *...
' 1993 album Giant StepsGiant Steps-Personnel:* John Coltrane — tenor saxophone* Tommy Flanagan — piano* Wynton Kelly — piano on "Naima"* Paul Chambers — bass* Art Taylor — drums* Jimmy Cobb — drums on "Naima"* Cedar Walton — piano on "Giant Steps' and Naima" alternate versions...
contains a song entitled "Rodney King (Song for Lenny Bruce)" - One Minute SilenceOne Minute SilenceOne Minute Silence is a four-piece band based in London that combined influences from metal, hardcore punk and rap and as of 2010 they have sold over 500,000 albums. The band consisted of vocalist Brian 'Yap' Barry from Templemore, Co. Tipperary, guitarist Massimo Fiocco from Limerick City, drummer...
's song "Stuck Between a Rock and a White Face" from their album Available in All Colors features the happenings of April 29 - Fear FactoryFear FactoryFear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
's 1995 album Demanufacture was rehearsed and conceived in a particularly dangerous South Central neighborhood, right in the aftermath of the riots. In the remastered digipak edition of the album, it is explained that the tension and violence of riots were an inspiration to the album in general, from the aggressive music to the lyrical themes of corruption and revolt. Dino explains, "The owner had to write 'black-owned' on the front of the place, so people wouldn't destroy it. It wasn't exactly the best of areas to rehearse, but it definitely created a vibe." - Garth BrooksGarth BrooksTroyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
had written his song, "We Shall Be Free," while watching coverage of the riots, on TV. - The GameThe Game (rapper)Jayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
mentions the riots on the song "Never can say Goodbye", off the album LAX, rapping, "They thought my group influenced the L.A Riots", from the perspective of Eazy-E. - A lyric in the Lamb of GodLamb of God (band)Lamb of God is an American heavy metal band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 1994, the group consists of vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler...
song "Forgotten (Lost Angels)" says "'92 should've burnt this fucker down". The song itself is about the city of Los Angeles. - Ben HarperBen HarperBenjamin Chase "Ben" Harper is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae and rock music and is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, live performances and activism. Harper's fan base spans several continents...
"Like a King" off the 1993 album Welcome to the Cruel WorldWelcome to the Cruel WorldWelcome to the Cruel World is Ben Harper's debut album from Virgin Records. Released in 1994, the album established Harper as a popular folk musician in the California area...
based on the treatment of Rodney King. - San Diego based band The RugburnsThe RugburnsThe Rugburns was an American musical group originally formed by Steve Poltz, "Dr." Robert Driscoll, and Gerald "Child" McMullin.-History:Starting as classmates at the University of San Diego, the group formed in the mid-1980s and began playing in the San Diego, CA area...
song "Rioting" was inspired by the riots. - Firehose (band)'s song "4. 29. 92" from the album Mr. Machinery OperatorMr. Machinery OperatorMr. Machinery Operator is the fifth and last album by the American alternative rock band Firehose. It is also their second album to be released on the major label, Columbia Records.-Track listing:# "Formal Introduction"# "Blaze"# "Herded into Pools"...
contains sounds samples recorded on a specific day of the riots. - RedmanRedmanReginald "Reggie" Noble , better known by his stage name Redman, is an American MC, rapper, DJ, record producer and actor. He came to fame in the early 1990s as an artist on the Def Jam label. He is also well known for his collaborations with Method Man, including their starring roles in films and...
's skit "News Break" had an excerpt from the news that a reporter informing the numbers of deaths and injures and talking about what is going on in the riot from the 1992 album Whut? Thee AlbumWhut? Thee AlbumWhut? Thee Album is the debut album from American hip hop artist Redman, released September 22, 1992 on Def Jam Recordings. While taking place at Ian London Studios, North Shore Soundworks and Power Play Studios, recording sessions began in 1991 and continued into 1992...
. - German heavy metal band AcceptAcceptAccept is a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled by former vocalist Udo Dirkschneider, guitarist Wolf Hoffmann and bassist Peter Baltes. Their beginnings can be traced back to the late 1960s...
wrote the song "Objection Overruled"Objection Overruled (album)Objection Overruled is the 1993 reunion album by German heavy metal band Accept, the first to feature Udo Dirkschneider on lead vocals since 1986's Russian Roulette...
in 1992, inspired by King's beating and the L.A. riots. The song criticizes the jury's decision to release the defendants. - In the rap song, "Natural Born KillazNatural Born Killaz"Natural Born Killaz" is a single from the reunited duo of Dr. Dre and Ice Cube originally intended for the scrapped album 'Heltah Skeltah'. It is the first time the two had been on a single together since their rap group N.W.A had split up. The single was released in 1994 in the US and 1995 in the...
' Ice CubeIce CubeO'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
makes a Reginald DennyReginald DennyReginald Denny may refer to:*Reginald Denny *Reginald Oliver Denny, survivor of attack during 1992 Los Angeles riots...
reference. "Fuck Charlie Manson, I'll snatch him out his truck, hit him with a brick and I'm dancin'" - ThurzdayThurzdayYannick “Thurz” Koffi is a member of U-N-I a hip hop duo from Inglewood, Los Angeles. He is a descendent of both the Ivory Coast and Belize, taking his moniker from his last name "Koffi" which translates in Ghana’s native language of Akan to "boy born on Friday."...
's debut album "LA Riot" was inspired by the events of the Rodney King Beating and The Los Angeles Riots. - David BowieDavid BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
and his wife Iman had been looking to move to LA after getting married, but had the poor timing of landing in Los Angeles on the day the riots started. Bowie recorded a song ("Black Tie White NoiseBlack Tie White Noise (song)"Black Tie White Noise" is the title track from David Bowie's 1993 album. Featuring guest vocals by Al B. Sure!, it was released as a second single from the album in June 1993....
") based on the riots. Ultimately, Bowie and Iman settled in New York.
Film
- The 1991 film Grand Canyon, which reflected on the divide between people of different race and class in L.A., was widely seen as a prefiguration of the riots.
- Spike LeeSpike LeeShelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
's 1992 film Malcolm XMalcolm X (film)Malcolm X is a 1992 biographical motion picture about the Muslim-American figure Malcolm X . It was co-written, co-produced, and directed by Spike Lee. It stars Denzel Washington as the titular character. It co-stars Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, Al Freeman, Jr., and Delroy Lindo...
opens with a scene of the Rodney King beating, juxtaposed with a burning American flag that burns down and forms the letter X. - The 1992 documentary film Post No BillsPost No BillsPost No Bills is a documentary film on satirical political poster artist Robbie Conal directed by Clay Walker.This documentary was filmed in Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco from 1990 to 1992...
follows a political poster that was made of LAPD Chief Daryl GatesDaryl GatesDaryl Gates was the Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department from 1978 to 1992.-Early life:...
on an NRA shooting target and glued up on the streets of Los Angeles after the Rodney King beating. This poster was also featured in the film Menace II SocietyMenace II SocietyMenace II Society is a 1993 urban crime drama and the directorial debut of twin brothers Allen and Albert Hughes. Menace II Society is set in South Central Los Angeles and follows the life of a hoodlum named Caine Lawson and his close friends. The film gained notoriety for its frequent scenes of...
as well as Robert AltmanRobert AltmanRobert Bernard Altman was an American film director and screenwriter known for making films that are highly naturalistic, but with a stylized perspective. In 2006, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognized his body of work with an Academy Honorary Award.His films MASH , McCabe and...
's The PlayerThe PlayerThe Player is a 1992 American satirical film directed by Robert Altman from a screenplay by Michael Tolkin based on his own 1988 novel of the same name....
. Post No Bills also includes an interview with Chief Gates about the poster and documents some of the events surrounding the resignation of Chief Gates from his position as Chief of Police. - The 1994 film FlounderingFlounderingFloundering is a 1994 comedy film set in the aftermath of the Los Angeles riots of 1992. The film was directed and written by Peter McCarthy, starring James LeGros with appearances by John Cusack, Ethan Hawke, and Lisa Zane.-Plot summary:...
explores the alienation and disaffection the main character sees in his neighborhood of post-riot Venice Beach. - The 1997 film RiotRiot (1997 film)Riot is a 1997 television movie starring Luke Perry, Mario Van Peebles, and Lucy Liu. It was written and directed by four writers and directors of four different racial groups prominent in Los Angeles...
is a look at the riots and their effect on the lives of four families: one Chinese, one Hispanic, one White, and one Black. - The 1998 film American History XAmerican History XAmerican History X is a 1998 American drama film directed by Tony Kaye and starring Edward Norton and Edward Furlong. It was distributed by New Line Cinema....
has characters argue over the circumstances of Rodney King's arrest. - The 2003 film Dark Blue is set during the riots, and reenacts several portions of it, as well as showing the two famous videos.
- The 2003 film National SecurityNational Security (film)National Security is a 2003 action comedy film, directed by Dennis Dugan, starring Martin Lawrence and Steve Zahn. In addition to Lawrence and Zahn, National Security boasts an additional cast of Bill Duke, Eric Roberts, Colm Feore, Matt McCoy, and others.The film was released in January 2003 and...
Steve Zahn's character tries to arrest Martin Lawrence's character but a bumblebee comes and flies at Lawrence and Zahn tries to beat it with a baton but looks like police brutality. A man tapes the incident and LA fearing another Rodney King incident forces Zahn to resign and the jury who is all black gives him a 6-month prison sentence. - The 2005 film Rize was a documentary of life in Watts LA. It featured footage of the Watts Riot in it and also talked about much of the rioting. It also discussed the deaths of many gang members and African American citizens.
- The 2006 film The L.A. Riot SpectacularThe L.A. Riot SpectacularThe L.A. Riot Spectacular is a satire film about the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Written and directed by music video director Marc Klasfeld, the film stars Emilio Estevez, Snoop Dogg, Charles S. Dutton, Charles Durning, Christopher McDonald, Michael Buffer, Ted Levine, Jonathan Lipnicki and Ron...
narrated by Snoop DoggSnoop DoggCalvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
and also starring Emilio EstevezEmilio EstevezEmilio Estevez is an American actor, film director, and writer. He started his career as an actor and is well-known for being a member of the acting Brat Pack of the 1980s, starring in The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo's Fire...
, Charles S. DuttonCharles S. DuttonCharles Stanley Dutton is an American stage, film, and television actor and director. He is perhaps best known for his roles as "Fortune" in the film Rudy and "Dillon" in Alien 3...
and George HamiltonGeorge Hamilton (actor)George Stevens Hamilton is an American film and television actor.-Early life:Hamilton was the youngest son of bandleader George "Spike" Hamilton and his first wife, Ann Stevens . He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and lived in Blytheville, Arkansas...
. This film takes a satirical look at the riots. - Writer/Producer John RidleyJohn RidleyJohn Ridley is an American film director, actor, and writer.Ridley got his start as a stand-up comedian. He eventually was hired as a writer for sitcoms such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Martin...
and director Spike LeeSpike LeeShelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
are attached to a proposed Imagine EntertainmentImagine EntertainmentImagine Entertainment is a film and television production company founded in 1986 by director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer.Its productions include the television series 24 and Arrested Development and the films Apollo 13 , A Beautiful Mind and The Da Vinci Code .-Organization:Karen...
film based on the L.A. Riots. - The 2007 film Freedom WritersFreedom WritersFreedom Writers is a 2007 American drama film starring Academy Award winner Hilary Swank, Scott Glenn, Imelda Staunton and Patrick Dempsey. It is based on the book The Freedom Writers Diary by teacher Erin Gruwell who wrote the story based on Woodrow Wilson Classical High School in Long Beach,...
starred Hilary SwankHilary SwankHilary Ann Swank is an American actress. Swank's film career began with a small part in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and then a major part in The Next Karate Kid , as Julie Pierce, the first female protégé of sensei Mr. Miyagi...
as a school teacher in a Long Beach high school two years after the riots. The film opens with scenes of the riots, and is set two years after, in 1994.
Television
- The NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
drama L.A. LawL.A. LawL.A. Law is a US television legal drama that ran on NBC from September 15, 1986 to May 19, 1994. L.A. Law reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot topic issues such as abortion, racism, gay rights,...
seventh-season opener was set on the day of the riots. - In the 1992-1993 season premiere of the NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
sitcom A Different World, Dwayne and Whitley's Los Angeles honeymoon coincides with the riots. Rapper/activist Sister SouljahSister SouljahSister Souljah is an American hip hop-generation author, activist, recording artist, and film producer. She gained prominence for Bill Clinton's criticism of her remarks about race in the United States during the 1992 presidential campaign...
, RoseanneRoseanne BarrRoseanne Cherrie Barr is an American actress, comedian, writer, television producer and director. Barr began her career in stand-up comedy at clubs before gaining fame for her role in the sitcom Roseanne. The show was a hit and lasted nine seasons, from 1988 to 1997...
and Tom ArnoldTom Arnold (actor)Thomas Dwaine "Tom" Arnold is an American actor and comedian. He has appeared in many films, perhaps most notably True Lies . He was the host of The Best Damn Sports Show Period for four years.-Early life:...
are among the guest stars. - The fourth-season opener of the ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
sitcom Doogie Howser, MD was fully devoted to the 1992 riots in Los Angeles. - The third-season opener of the FoxFox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
comedy series In Living ColorIn Living ColorIn Living Color is an American sketch comedy television series, which originally ran on the Fox Network from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Brothers Keenen and Damon Wayans created, wrote, and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in association with 20th Century...
focused on the L.A. riots, and subsequent third-season episodes featured skits focusing on the L.A. riots (example: "The L.A. Riots Anniversary Special" promo). - The The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirThe Fresh Prince of Bel-AirThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990 to May 20, 1996. The show stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to move in with his aunt and uncle in their...
episode "Will Gets Committed" saw Will SmithWill Smith (character)William "Will" Smith is a fictional character in the NBC television series, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.-Background:When Will was five, he was abandoned by his father, and was raised in poverty by his mother Viola...
and the Banks family contributing to the post-riot clean-up, and pondering its implications. - The third season episode of The CloserThe CloserThe Closer is an American crime drama, starring Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, a Georgia police detective who often closes her cases using sometimes-questionable methods...
, starring Kyra SedgwickKyra SedgwickKyra Minturn Sedgwick is an American actress.Sedgwick is best known for her starring role as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson on the TNT crime drama The Closer. Sedgwick's role in the series won her a Golden Globe Award in 2007 and an Emmy Award in 2010...
, dealt with the discovery of a man who was killed during the riots. - An episode from the second season of MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's The Real WorldThe Real WorldThe Real World is a reality television program on MTV originally produced by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray. First broadcast in 1992, the show, which was inspired by the 1973 PBS documentary series An American Family, is the longest-running program in MTV history and one of the...
, which was filming in Los Angeles in 1992, shows some of the house-mates out for a day of playing basketball. A portion of the police perimeter forms near them, and officers in riot gear advise the house-mates to evacuate the area as the riots begin. - In the episode "Brian Does HollywoodBrian Does Hollywood"Brian Does Hollywood" is the second episode of the third season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on July 18, 2001. The episode features Brian as he attempts to make it in show business as a writer once he moves to Hollywood...
" of Family GuyFamily GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
in which the family travels to Los Angeles to see their friend Brian, Peter and Lois are driving on the highway when they are pulled over by police officers. Peter then asks them if they will beat him up while Lois films on a camcorder. The footage she takes resembles that of Rodney King's. - The HBO sitcom The Larry Sanders ShowThe Larry Sanders ShowThe Larry Sanders Show is a satirical television sitcom that aired from August 1992 to May 1998 on the HBO cable television network in the United States. It starred stand-up comedian Garry Shandling as vain, neurotic talk show host Larry Sanders, and centered on the running of his TV show, and the...
, which is set in L.A. around the time of the riots, makes frequent reference to the riots in the early seasons.
Theater
- Stage actress Anna Deavere SmithAnna Deavere SmithAnna Deavere Smith is an American actress, playwright, and professor. She is currently the artist in residence at the Center for American Progress.-Early life:...
created a play, Twilight: Los Angeles 1992, based on interviews with people about the riots. - The spoken-word album Everything by Henry RollinsHenry RollinsHenry Rollins is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, comedian, publisher, actor, and radio DJ....
is a chapter out of his book Eye Scream, which contains accounts of Rollins's life in LA during the riots as well as his opinions of the cops and the reaction of the residents. - The posthumous Bill HicksBill HicksWilliam Melvin "Bill" Hicks was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and musician. His material largely consisted of general discussions about society, religion, politics, philosophy, and personal issues. Hicks' material was often controversial and steeped in dark comedy...
album Arizona BayArizona BayArizona Bay is an album by comedian Bill Hicks, posthumously released in 1997. It was released alongside Rant in E-Minor, marking three years since his death. The album's title refers to the hope that Los Angeles will one day fall into the ocean due to a major earthquake...
includes a sequence of stand-up routines about the L.A. Riots, Reginald DennyReginald Oliver DennyReginald Denny, a white construction truck driver, was beaten nearly to death by a group of assailants who came to be known as the "L.A. Four", while LAPD squad cars that were parked around the corner were ordered to leave the area, instead of helping Denny. The attack was captured by a Los Angeles...
and the Rodney KingRodney KingRodney Glen King is an American best known for his involvement in a police brutality case involving the Los Angeles Police Department on March 3, 1991...
trial. This routine is also featured on his UK albums: SalvationSalvationWithin religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
and Live at The Oxford Playhouse.
Literature
- The Len DeightonLen DeightonLeonard Cyril Deighton is a British military historian, cookery writer, and novelist. He is perhaps most famous for his spy novel The IPCRESS File, which was made into a film starring Michael Caine....
novel Violent Ward (1993) is a detective mystery in the Raymond Chandler vein set against the background of the 1992 riots. - Paul BeattyPaul BeattyPaul Beatty is a contemporary African-American author. Beatty received an MFA in creative writing from Brooklyn College and an MA in psychology from Boston University. A 1980 graduate of El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills, California.In 1990, Paul Beatty was crowned the first ever Grand...
's novel The White Boy Shuffle features the main character's involvement in the riots, including an argument on the way to loot a computer store over the "merits of an IBM-compatible versus an Apple." - In Michael ConnellyMichael ConnellyMichael Connelly is an American author of detective novels and other crime fiction, notably those featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller. His books, which have been translated into 36 languages, have garnered him many awards...
's novel Echo ParkEcho Park (novel)Echo Park is the 17th novel by American crime-writer Michael Connelly, and the twelfth featuring the Los Angeles detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch.- Plot summary :...
, the detective Harry Bosch is trying to solve a cold case of a serial killer whose killings began during the 1992 riots. The book refers to a pawn shop that was set on fire during the riots, killing the owner of the pawn shop. Another Michael Connelly novel, The Concrete BlondeThe Concrete BlondeThe Concrete Blonde is the third novel by American crime author Michael Connelly, featuring the Los Angeles detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch.-Background:...
takes place in the aftermath of the Riots, with a body being discovered buried under a storage locker that had been burnt down during the Riots. - The climax of Sylvia BrownriggSylvia BrownriggSylvia Alderyn Brownrigg is an American author. She is the author of five novels. Brownrigg's fiction has been on The New York Times notable fiction lists and Los Angeles Times books of the year. She won a Lambda Literary Award in 2001 for Pages for You...
's novel The Metaphysical Touch involves the two main characters, previously only connected by email correspondence, making their way to Los Angeles just as the riots begin. The violence of the riots ends up severely impacting both of their lives.
Video games
- The end missions in the game Grand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
revolve around the acquittal of two extremely corrupt police officers in 1992. The acquittal causes riots in the city (Los Santos, heavily based on Los Angeles).