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The Big Black Man Syndrome: The Rodney King

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Formed in 1986, NWA was one of the most influential leaders of gangsta rap in California. The group consisted of six members, Dr Dre (Andre Young), Ice Cube (O’Shea Jackson), Eazy-E (Eric Wright), Arabian Prince (Kim Nazel), DJ Yella (Antoine Carraby) and MC Ren (Lorenzo Patterson). However, this format for the group did not last long, as Ice Cube and Arabian Prince had both left the group before 1989 following the release of their debut album Straight Outta Compton (1988). NWA were still considered to be the most controversial, significant and popular hip-hop group in the genre’s history. Their lyrics sparked controversy over many years, questioning the way in which they depict their lives; the disrespect of women in their lyrics, the glorification …show more content…

Lawrence Vogelman wrote in The Big Black Man Syndrome: The Rodney King Trial and the Use of Racial Stereotypes in the Courtroom (1993) that “Rodney King was portrayed as the prototypical “Big Black Man….with superhuman strength” he goes on to describe how the jury had seen the videotape of the beating in the context of King as the aggressor who needed to be repressed. Similar to the investigation and battle against hip-hop track “Fuck Tha Police”, fear of rebellion surrounds the artificial representation and depiction of the black male. The black male is considered to be “superhuman” yet constantly repressed and incapable of receiving the justice and respect deserved as an American citizen and simply a human being. The L.A. riots sparked as the four officers were excused of all charges and police brutality was condoned by law and order again. During a time that was considered the era of Mass incarceration (which can now be considered the somewhat earlier stages of Mass Incarceration), black men were being arrested and paraded across television screens in handcuffs everyday; the stats increased drastically from the 1970s up until the present day. The lives of back males were being ruined, cut in half and there families were left waiting their entire lives for the men to be released from the states hold. Along with the brutal violence that the police placed upon the black male, the constant false accusations leading to arrest contributed to the rebellion of

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