Boots Riley | |
---|---|
Born | Raymond Lawrence Riley April 1, 1971 |
Occupations | |
Years active | 1991–present |
Musical career | |
Origin | Oakland, California, U.S. |
Genres | |
Labels |
|
Website | Boots Riley on Tumblr |
Raymond Lawrence "Boots" Riley (born April 1, 1971) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, rapper, and radical socialist activist. [1] [2] He is the lead vocalist of The Coup and Street Sweeper Social Club. He made his feature-film directorial debut with Sorry to Bother You (released July 2018), which he also wrote. [3]
Riley was born in 1971 in Chicago into a family of social justice organizers. [4] He is the son of Walter Riley, an African-American attorney, and Anitra Patterson, whose father was African-American and whose mother (Boots' maternal grandmother) was a Jewish refugee from Königsberg who fled Europe with her parents as a teenager in 1938. [4] He is the second youngest of five siblings.
By the time Boots was one, his family had moved to Detroit, and when he was six they moved to Oakland, [4] [5] where he later attended Oakland High School. [6] When the school faced cutbacks in the 1980s, 2000 of Oakland High's 2200 students protested by participating in a walkout organized by Riley and friends. [7] Interested in politics at a young age, Riley joined the International Committee Against Racism at age 14 [8] and the radical Progressive Labor Party at age 15. [5]
In 1991, Riley founded the political hip hop group The Coup with E-roc. [9] Alongside rappers Spice 1 and Mopreme Shakur (then known as Mocedes), they released a song on a 1991 compilation album called Dope Like a Pound or a Key, released by Wax That Azz Records. [10] Group DJ Pam the Funkstress joined the following year. [11] Riley was both chief lyric writer and music producer of The Coup's albums.
In 1992, The Coup signed to Wild Pitch Records/EMI, [10] and released their debut album Kill My Landlord in 1993. Two of the album's singles, "Dig It" and "Not Yet Free" received play on national Black radio, BET and Yo! MTV Raps . [10]
In 1993, E-40 released the video for "Practice Lookin' Hard", a song based around Riley's lyric, "I got a mirror in my pocket and I practice lookin' hard", from the song "Not Yet Free". [12] The video featured Riley singing the chorus while he, E-40 and Tupac Shakur reflected light into the camera from a handheld mirror while dancing around. [13]
In 1994, The Coup released their second album, Genocide & Juice , featuring guest appearances by E-40 and Spice 1. Fueled by video play and some radioplay for the single "Fat Cats and Bigga Fish", the album shot up the charts, but stalled when EMI absorbed Wild Pitch. [14] At this point, E-roc left The Coup on amicable terms. [15]
1998's Steal This Album , released on indie label Dogday Records, was called "a masterpiece of slow-rolling West Coast funk" by Rolling Stone magazine. [16] The single, "Me and Jesus the Pimp in a '79 Granada Last Night", was an eight-minute song about the grown-up son of a prostitute driving his mother's killer to a secluded place in which to murder him. [17] A novel, Too Beautiful for Words by Monique W. Morris, based on the story characters and descriptions in the song, was published by HarperCollins in 2000. [18] Del the Funky Homosapien guests on the track "The Repo Man Sings for You".
The group's fourth album, Party Music , was released on 75 Ark Records in 2001. It was re-released in 2005 by Epitaph Records. The original cover art depicted group members standing in front of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center as they explode. [19] [20] Riley is depicted pushing a button on a bass guitar tuner and DJ Pam the Funkstress is shown holding conductor's wands. The photo was taken in May 2001, with the album scheduled to be released just after the September 11, 2001 attacks. In response to the uncanny similarity of the artwork with the attacks, the release was delayed until an alternative cover could be prepared. The album hit No. 8 in the 2001 Village Voice Pazz and Jop Poll- the most important year-end critics' list, was named "Pop Album of the Year" by The Washington Post , and "Hip-Hop Album of the Year" by Rolling Stone. The album included a guest appearance by dead prez on the song "Get Up".
Riley released a controversial press release on September 18, 2001, later published in the book, Another World Is Possible. The press release stated that "last week's events were symptomatic of a larger backlash against U.S. corporate imperialism". The controversy surrounding the cover art, press release and the lyrics from Party Music (specifically the song "5 Million Ways to Kill a CEO") led to Riley appearing on local network news affiliates all over the U.S. He appeared on Fox News's Hannity and Colmes and ABC's Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher. During this time, conservative commentator Michelle Malkin called Riley's lyrics "a stomach-turning example of anti-Americanism disguised as highbrow intellectual expression". [21] The Independent concluded it was "protest album of the year, by a million-man march". [22]
In 2006, The Coup released Pick a Bigger Weapon on Epitaph Records, featuring guest appearances by Tom Morello, Talib Kweli, Black Thought from The Roots, and Jello Biafra. [23]
In 2003, guitarist Tom Morello invited Riley to be part of the "Tell Us the Truth Tour", which was meant to shed light on the monopolization of the media and the coming FTAA agreements. [24] The tour, hosted by Janeane Garofalo and Naomi Klein, featured acoustic performances by Riley, Morello, Billy Bragg, Steve Earle, Mike Mills, and Jill Sobule. [25] [26]
In 2006, Morello approached Riley to form a band together under the name Street Sweeper. The duo, who later changed their name to Street Sweeper Social Club, releasing their self-titled debut album in 2009. They toured in support of it along with Nine Inch Nails and Jane's Addiction. [27] On May 24, a press release went out announcing Street Sweeper Social Club as one of the headliners of the 2010 Rock the Bells tour. Street Sweeper Social Club released The Ghetto Blaster EP in late July 2010.
In 1991, the same year Riley co-founded The Coup, he and other activists and hip hop artists created the Mau Mau Rhythm Collective. [28] The Collective put on "Hip-Hop Edutainment Concerts", which allied with and promoted the campaigns of community-based organizations like Women's Economic Agenda Project (WEAP), Copwatch, International Campaign To Free Geronimo Pratt, the Black Panther Alumni Association, and various anti-police brutality projects. [29] The Collective would use the growing popularity of their concerts to bring a large number of youth to take over a closed Oakland city council meeting and hold a public meeting. [30]
In 2005, Riley produced the score for an episode of The Simpsons entitled "Pranksta Rap". [31]
In 2007 and 2008, Riley toured heavily with New Orleans-based band Galactic. [32] The band performed The Coup songs behind Riley's vocals and they also performed their collaboration, "Hustle Up". In 2008, while performing with Galactic, police interrupted the concert and Riley was charged with using "abusive language"—a charge that had not been laid in 26 years, and never before against a performer. [33]
In 2010 and 2011, Riley recorded with Ursus Minor on the album I Will Not Take "But" for an Answer, and toured with the group in France. [34]
In 2012, Riley finished a screenplay for "an absurdist dark comedy with aspects of magical realism and science fiction", inspired by his own time working as a telemarketer. [35] In 2017, he was able to begin production on his screenplay for Sorry to Bother You , directing it himself, with stars Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson and Steven Yeun. [36] The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2018, and was theatrically released in the United States on July 6, 2018, by Annapurna Pictures. The film received acclaim for its cast and concept, as well as Riley's screenplay and direction.
In July 2018, Riley signed a TV script deal with Media Res. [37] In June 2020, he announced plans for a new seven-episode series entitled I'm a Virgo , starring Jharrel Jerome. The show premiered at South by Southwest on March 11, 2023, and was released on Amazon Prime Video on June 23rd 2023. [38]
In 2021, Riley signed a two-year overall television deal with Media Res. [37]
Riley identifies as a communist. [2]
When E-Roc left The Coup in 1994, Riley decided to stop making music in favor of forming an organization called The Young Comrades, [39] [40] [41] with a few other radical, black community organizers including journalist and activist JR Valrey. The organization mounted a few important campaigns in Oakland which yielded some minor victories, such as the campaign against Oakland's "no cruising" ordinance. [42]
In 2000, Riley, through his workshop on Art and Organizing at La Peña Cultural Center, led a group of young artists to create "Guerilla Hip-Hop Concerts" on a flatbed truck which traveled throughout Oakland to protest California's Proposition 21. [30] The workshop also distributed tens of thousands free cassettes of "The Rumble", which he called "newspapers on tape. [43]
In 2002, Riley taught a daily high school class, "Culture and Resistance: Persuasive Lyric Writing", at the School of Social Justice and Community Development in East Oakland. [44]
During the fall of 2011, Riley became heavily involved with the Occupy Oakland movement. [45] [46] In 2018, he spoke at the Socialism 2018 conference. [47]
At the 34th Independent Spirit Awards in 2019, Riley criticized U.S. involvement in the 2019 Venezuelan presidential crisis during his acceptance speech for the Best First Feature award for Sorry To Bother You. His speech, which was cut short, was delivered to the press. [48]
In February 2020, Boots announced his support for Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in the 2020 United States presidential election. [49]
Riley is a supporter of Palestinian liberation. [50] [51] In 2022, he signed onto the Musicians For Palestine pledge, refusing to perform in Israel following the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis. [52] He signed an October 2023 open letter, Artists4Ceasefire, calling for a ceasefire during the Israeli bombardment of Gaza. [53]
Year | Title | Director | Writer |
---|---|---|---|
2018 | Sorry to Bother You | Yes | Yes |
Year | Title | Director | Writer |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | I'm a Virgo | Yes | Yes |
The Coup is an American hip hop band from Oakland, California. Their music is an amalgamation of influences, including funk, punk, hip hop, and soul. Frontman Boots Riley's revolutionarily-charged lyrics rank The Coup as a renowned political hip hop band aligned to radical music groups such as Crass, Dead Prez and Rage Against the Machine.
Thomas Baptist Morello is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and political activist. He is best known for his tenure with the rock bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. Between 2016 and 2019, Morello was a member of the supergroup Prophets of Rage. Morello was also a touring musician with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Under the moniker the Nightwatchman, Morello released his solo work. Together with Boots Riley, he formed Street Sweeper Social Club. Morello co-founded Axis of Justice, which airs a monthly program on Pacifica Radio station KPFK in Los Angeles.
Jonah Kirsten Sorrentino, better known by his stage name KJ-52, is a Christian rapper from Tampa, Florida. The "KJ" part of his name refers to his old rap alias, "King J. Mac," a name which he later described in one of his podcasts as "horribly cheesy." "52", which is pronounced "five two", not "fifty-two", is a reference to the Biblical story of Jesus feeding the multitude with five loaves and two fish, which is also sung about in his song "Push Up" from The Yearbook and in the "KJ Five Two" on It's Pronounced 'Five Two. He was awarded the Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year for "Never Look Away" and Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year at the GMA Dove Awards of 2007. On July 28, 2009, KJ-52 released "End of My Rope", which is the first single for his album Five-Two Television.
Party Music is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group The Coup. It was originally released on 75 Ark on November 6, 2001. It was re-released on Epitaph Records in 2004.
Pick a Bigger Weapon is the fifth studio album by American hip hop group The Coup. It was released on Epitaph Records on April 25, 2006. It peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart, as well as number 35 on the Independent Albums chart.
Stanton Moore is an American funk, jazz, and rock drummer from New Orleans. Most widely known as a founding member of Galactic, Moore has also pursued a solo recording career and recorded with bands as diverse as jazz-funk keyboardist Robert Walter and heavy metal act Corrosion of Conformity.
Genocide & Juice is the second studio album by American hip hop group the Coup. It was released on Wild Pitch Records in October 1994. It peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart, as well as number 62 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
The Mail Man is an extended play by American rapper E-40. It was released on September 28, 1993 by Sick Wid It Records. The album features production by Mike Mosley, Sam Bostic, Studio Ton and E-40. It peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and at number 131 on the Billboard 200.
NINJA 2009 Tour Sampler is a free compilation EP by Nine Inch Nails, Jane's Addiction and Street Sweeper Social Club as part of the Nine Inch Nails and Jane's Addiction 2009 NINJA tour. It was released on March 20, 2009 for free, on the tour's official website. Both of Street Sweeper Social Club's songs that appeared on the album, "Clap for The Killers" & "The Oath", later appeared on their self-titled album. The two Nine Inch Nails tracks, "Not So Pretty Now" and "Non-Entity" were both originally recorded during the With Teeth sessions, but did not make it onto the final record. The two Jane's Addiction's songs are re-recorded versions of songs that had originally only live versions, from the band's first official record.
Street Sweeper Social Club is an American rap rock supergroup, formed in Los Angeles, California in 2006. The band primarily consists of guitarist Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and vocalist and emcee Boots Riley of The Coup. The band had been testing songs out during Tom Morello's Nightwatchman tour and released an album on June 16, 2009. Stanton Moore drummed for the group for the recording of the album although he did not join the band for the following tour. Street Sweeper Social Club opened for Nine Inch Nails and Jane's Addiction in May 2009. Street Sweeper Social Club describes itself as "more than a band, it's a social club." Their 2010 EP The Ghetto Blaster EP includes covers of M.I.A. "Paper Planes" and LL Cool J's "Mama Said Knock You Out".
Street Sweeper Social Club is the debut self-titled album by American rap rock supergroup Street Sweeper Social Club, composed of guitarist Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave and rapper/emcee Boots Riley of The Coup. The album was released by Warner Music Group on June 16, 2009.
Omari Latif Hardwick is an American actor known for his starring role as James "Ghost" St. Patrick, the protagonist of Starz's Power and his role as Vanderohe in Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead (2021). He is also known for his roles in Saved and Dark Blue, in Spike Lee's Miracle at St. Anna (2008), Kick-Ass (2010), Tyler Perry's For Colored Girls (2010) and as Andre in BET Network's Being Mary Jane.
Redman Presents...Reggie is the seventh studio album by rapper Redman. It was released on December 7, 2010, through his own label Gilla House Records in conjunction with Def Jam Recordings. The original title of the album, as promoted in the booklet of Blackout! 2, was going to be Reggie Noble "0" 9 1/2. It would also be his final album with Def Jam, after being signed to the label for 19 years.
Tune-Yards is the American, Oakland, California–based music project of Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner. Garbus's music draws from an eclectic variety of sources and uses elements such as loop pedals, ukulele, vocals, and lo-fi percussion. Tune-Yards’ 2011 album Whokill was ranked the number one album of that year in The Village Voice's annual Pazz and Jop critics’ poll.
The Ghetto Blaster EP is the first EP from the rap rock supergroup Street Sweeper Social Club, released on August 10, 2010. It features covers of "Paper Planes" by M.I.A. and "Mama Said Knock You Out" by LL Cool J as well as a remix of the band's second single "Promenade." They also cover The Coup song "Everythang". It has also been confirmed that the full touring band has recorded on the album. Tom Morello spoke about the EP in a press release, saying that they shot for an interesting combination of groups. "On The Ghetto Blaster EP we were shooting for a combo of the first Clash record and the Ohio Players greatest hits, interwoven with tractor trailer size riffs of course. This record definitely has more of a 'band' feel than the first, and Boots’ lyrics and delivery have never been sharper." Boots Riley has also said of the EP “We got a new EP that’s going to come out called The Ghetto Blaster EP. [You can expect] hard, hard, hard music and some raw as lyrics on top.”
Keenon Dequan Ray Jackson, known professionally as YG, is an American rapper from Compton, California. He released his debut mixtape 4Fingaz in 2008, and its follow-up, The Real 4Fingaz the following year. The latter gained recognition for its local hit song "Toot It and Boot It", which entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 67 and received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). He signed a recording contract with Def Jam Recordings in October 2009, which entered joint-venture with Atlanta-based rapper Jeezy's record label, CTE World, in 2013.
"Promenade" is the second single by rap rock supergroup Street Sweeper Social Club from their debut self-titled album. The version that was released as a single differs from that on the album, the original version on the album is 2:31 in length whereas the extended version is 3:40 in length. The extended version features a guitar solo by Tom Morello, the extended version is also on The Ghetto Blaster EP, but is listed as the 'Guitar Fury remix'.
Sorry to Bother You is the sixth and final studio album by American hip hop group The Coup. It was released on Anti- on October 30, 2012.
Sorry to Bother You is a 2018 science fiction black comedy film written and directed by Boots Riley, in his directorial debut. It stars LaKeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Omari Hardwick, Terry Crews, Patton Oswalt, David Cross, Danny Glover, Steven Yeun, and Armie Hammer. The film follows a young black telemarketer who adopts a white accent to succeed at his job. Swept into a corporate conspiracy, he must choose between profit or joining his activist friends to organize labor.
Nicholas Diego Leanos, better known as Lil Xan or simply Diego, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter from Redlands, California. He is best known for his song "Betrayed", which peaked at number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100. On April 6, 2018, Leanos released his debut studio album, Total Xanarchy.
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)We had a flatbed truck and basically make it into a stage and we'd get rappers and we'd drive around neighborhoods and do a show – guerilla theatre. We'd called them guerilla hip hop concerts.