The songs lyrics discuss the 1992 Los Angeles riots and police brutality, whilst criticising gang culture and racism.

The song is written in the key of C major with a common time tempo of 164 beats per minute.

"Anger" was lyrically inspired Rey Oropeza's experiences witnessing, and his frustration of, the 1992 Los Angeles riots on April 29, 1992 when the riots began following the jury's not guilty verdict of the Los Angeles Police Department ("April 29/L.A.

swine not guilty"), as well as mentioning Latasha Harris, whose failed appeal on her murder played a significant role in starting the riots.

[3] "When your loved ones are murdered by the hands of this system and you are exposed to a lifelong dreary existence at the mercy of the welfare system and practically useless schooling by the LAUSD, I will guarantee you that you will build and feel a hate that only a starving poor ghetto-barrio child could fully understand.

My sincere identity in the graffiti art hip-hop true school world.

I am from the barrio-ghetto and it means much to me and my identity...."[7]In a 2016 interview on the "Talk Toomey" podcast (run by Primer 55 bassist Josh Toomey), bassist James Morris stated that the band had no jealousy or ill feelings towards Rage Against The Machine; "It was never anything for me but like ‘wow, are you kidding me?

I was always very happy to see what I was doing was so successful.”[8] "Anger" was initially released in January on Abstract Recordings as a 7-inch single, with the B-side being "Ritual".

After the band signed with Mercury in 1994, the song was released as a single for radio airplay on June 13, 1994.