public domain from Bankrobber1 via WikipediaRaymond Lawrence "Boots" Riley (born 1971) is a musician, poet, screenwriter, and political activist. He's the lead vocalist and best known member of the music groups The Coup and Street Sweeper Social Club.
Riley was born in Chicago, but his family moved to Oakland by the time he was 6. He founded political hip hop group The Coup in 1991. The Coup has played in venues around the world.
The Coup gained notoriety when several months before the 9-11 terrorist attack on the US, it released the album "Party Music" which showed Riley holding a detonator and the World Trade Center exploding in the background. The album was pulled. 1,2
Riley is the author of a book, Boots Riley: Lyrics in Context, 1993-2012, which is due out in August, 2015.
Videos
Note: the music videos may include NSFW lyrics.
Links and References
- Boots Riley on Wikipedia
- Boots Riley on Tumblr
- Video: Fox News Astonished that Boots Riley is a Communist East Bay Express August 26, 2014
- The Coup's Boots Riley on Political Art and the Importance of Needing to Get Laid SF Weekly July 17, 2013
- 2014 LKWD Music Fest: The Coup, The GZA and the Awkward Interview Lakewood Citizen August 24, 2014
- Boots Speaks Out About 9-11 on DaveyD.com
- Party Music on Wikipedia
