Northfield, MN - Raymond “Boots” Riley, an Oakland, California-based rapper and activist, will perform Friday, Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. in the Carleton College Concert Hall. The appearance, part of a series of events taking place at Carleton in conjunction with Black History Month, is free and open to the public.

Famous for combining his two passions, music and activism, Riley is attributed with creating a new medium called Raptivism, hip hop for social justice. Riley is co-founder of the hip hop group The Coup, a fiercely outspoken collective whose song titles, such as “5 Million Way to Kill a CEO,” are considered rallying cries for social activism. The Coup’s music is characterized by electronic sounds and bass driven beats overlaid with politically motivated lyrics on American politics, police brutality and racism. (more…)

In a land not very far away from here.
George W. Bush was drinking beer.
His daddy was head of the CIA.
Now listen up close to what I say.
The CIA worked for Standard Oil.
And other companies to whom they’re loyal.
In a whole nother land.
By the name of Iran.
The people got wise and took a stand.
Told the oil companies that this ain’t funny.
This is our oil, our land, our money.
CIA got mad and sent false info.
To Iraq to help start the Iran-Iraq war …

Saddam Hussein was their man out there.
They told him to rule by keeping people scared.
Saying any opposition to him, he must crush it.
He gassed the Kurds, they gave him the budget.

The Coup (Boots Riley) - “Head (of State)” from Pick a Bigger Weapon

  Rating:
  Release Date: April 25, 2006
  Website: The Coup Website
  Label: Epitaph / Ada

The Coup “Pick A Bigger Weapon” Album Review
I’ve always been a big fan of The Coup. I like the way front man Boots Riley flows, especially how he promotes a revolutionary mind state within entertaining and often funny stories. I’m always interested in what he has to say. And although some of those tough guy misogynist rap fans (c’mon, we all know a couple) clown on me for this, I think Pam the Funkstress makes some super dope beats and practices expert turntablism. She is one of my favorite hip-hop producers around today. (more…)