On the same day Officer Tara O'Sullivan of the Sacramento Police Department was laid to rest, a state lawmaker from Southern California chose to honor a rapper known for his anti-police lyrics. That reportedly has one or more members the Legislature upset.
Assemblyman Mike Gipson told News 93.1 KFBK that those who were reportedly upset with his Jay Rock tribute were overreacting. He claims there was no connection between the two events.
"It's really unfortunate that my (colleagues are) trying to paint some kind of inappropriate behavior on my part for honoring someone who was born in the same place I was born, who rose up from that community and now doing and giving positive things back to the community," said Gipson.
As a boy, Rock became a member of the Bounty Hunter Bloods street, but he gave up the gang lifestyle for a music career. Asked to explain Jay Rock songs like "F*** The Police", Gipson said that's a reflection of Rock's experience growing up in the Watts area of Los Angeles. Some Rock fans say that particular song is a veiled reference to the police and their treatment of people of color.
Gipsons says his experience in Watts was much different, "I grew up, pulled myself up, put myself through the police academy, graduated, and became a police officer to serve and protect."
The Assemblyman says he was unaware of some of the more controversial songs by Jay Rock and had no intention of being insensitive.
"I don't share or embrace that lyric, I didn't hear about it until today," Gipson noted. "It doesn't negate the work (Rock's) done for his community.
Gipson also extended his condolences to the O'Sullivan family and the brotherhood of police officers, while adding that he lost his partner during his time as an officer with the Maywood Police Department almost 30 years ago.
"To this day I have not been able to go to any funeral of any police officers," he explained. "I pray for the families of those who've lost loved ones in the line of duty, I send condolences to families and to the officers who have worked closely with that fallen officer."
He insists that attitude extends to O'Sullivan and her family.
"I grieve for Officer O'Sullivan whose life was cut down at 26-years-old."
At the 2019 Grammy Awards, two of Rock's songs were nominated in the Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song categories, respectively. One of those songs, "Kings Dead", garnered Rock his first ever Grammy award.