This Week In History: In April, 1992, a home video captured Los Angeles police officers beating motorist Rodney King. Has the country gotten better?  20 years later, has our justice system improved?  Is racism still a problem here in the U.S.?  Next year VH1 will take a look back at the Rodney King beating and the L.A. Riots that followed with a new documentary "Uprising:  Hip-Hop & the L.A. Riots.  The new special is part of Vh1's Emmy award winning series Roc Docs. Vh1 will examine the L.A. Riots from a diverse perspective of individuals who witnessed the brutal assault first hand.

 

A variety of rappers, musicians and police officers will discuss the riots of April, 1992, which left 53 people dead and over 12,000 arrested.  The Los Angeles Riot of 1992 was in response to the Rodney King verdict, in which ex-police officers were acquitted of the brutal assault, even after the incident was caught on videotape by an amateur cameraman.

Uprising: Hip-Hop & The L.A. Riots, the April, 2012 documentary will feature commentary from the likes of Rodney King himself, N.W.A.'s DJ Yella, Eazy E , Chuck D, Ice T, Tupac, Da Lench Mob, Too Short and pretty much all West Coast artists active at the time of the riots.  Plus, Nas Big Boi and KRS-One will tell how they felt and add commentary to a story that unfortunately is still very relevant in America.

 

 

Earlier this year, Inglewood, California emcee Thurz (a/k/a Thurzday) made an album, L.A. Riot, inspired by the events surrounding the events.

Parents use caution this video may include explicit content.

So far Rock Docs Uprising: Hip-Hop & the L.A. Riots doesn't have an air date, but I will keep you posted.

 

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