The Coup in Canada

By Norman (Otis) Richmond

By Norman (Otis) RichmondToronto--After many years of phone conversations, emails and messages fromrelatives and friends I finally met Boots Riley. Riley is the face of thehip-hop crew, the Coup, along with Pam “The Funktress,” who was unable tomake the trip to Toronto for the Coup’s recent debut performance here atthe Reverb.

Despite driving himself, a three piece band and one backupvocalist/rapper, Riley and crew were more than able to please the crowd asthey breezed though tracks from their catalogue of CDs, which includesParty Music, Steal This Album, and Genocide & Juice. They also performedseveral tracks from their forthcoming CD, Picka Bigger Weapon. “MyFavorite Mutiny” and “Baby Let’s Make a Baby” were well received by theToronto crowd. “My Favorite Mutiny,” which features Black Thought (fromthe Roots) and Talib Kweli, heated up the spot. “Me & Jesus The Pimp In A79 Granada Last Night” and other tracks rocked the house.

However, the real crowd pleaser was Boots a cappella rendition of “TheUnderdog.” The group was forced to do an encore and they pleased theiraudience with “Ghetto Manifesto” and “Wear Clean Draws” which Bootsdedicated to his daughter. The Coup’s band sounded like Larry Graham (ofthe group Sly & The Family Stone) on bass, Jimi Hendrix (world’s mostinfluential guitarist) on guitar, and Earl Young (MFSB) on drums. Themusicians in the Coup band are Quebec Jackson, Drums; Riccol Johnson,Bass; and Steve Wyreman, Guitar. Silk-E is the vocalist/rapper with the group.

We caught up with Riley before the performance. The interview wasconducted as Riley drove himself to his hotel in Mississauga to come backand do his show. The Coup’s new CD Picka Bigger Weapon was discussed. The new album features a wide range of artists like Jello Biafra, dead prez,and members from the Parliament and the Gap Band. Riley spoke to us abouteverything from Hip Hop and politics to Katrina and Kanye West to the caseof Crip co-founder Stanley Tookie Williams.

Williams is The San Quentin inmate who was nominated for the 2001 NobelPeace Prize by a member of the Swiss Parliament. Williams, now 47, wassentenced to death in 1981 for four robbery-related murders.

The Crips, a notorious youth street organization (gang), which he and afriend started in South Central Los Angeles in 1971, spread to citiesthroughout the United States and Canada. Copycat gangs would soon crop upin South Africa and Switzerland. Williams experienced a reawakening in1993 and has since attempted to turn his life around. He's written TookieSpeaks Out Against Gang Violence, a series of eight readers aimed at urbanyouth, and Life in Prison, a biography detailing the isolation and despairof death row. He has done this in collaboration with his editor, BarbaraCottman Becnel, detailing the isolation and despair of death row.

The Sundance and Cannes Festival recognized 'Redemption', 2004 TV moviefilmed in Toronto, Canada and based on William’s life story featured astellar cast, including Jamie Foxx starring as the former Crips gangleader, 'Thin Line Between Love And Hate' actress Lynn Whitfield playingthe co-author of William’s books Barbara Becnel, and Canadian Hip-Hopforefather Maestro as former Crips lieutenant turned "Tookie Protocol ForPeace" ambassador.

Riley said that the climate is such that the right-wing Governor ofCalifornia, Arnold Schwarzenegger, could go ahead with December 13thexecution of Williams. Jamie Foxx, Danny Glover and Snoop Dogg have allcalled for Williams not to be executed.

Riley was excited that Melvin Van Peeples wants to produce the Coup’s next video. He says Van Peebles heard the track “We Are The One’s” and lovedthe story, adding that Van Peebles, father of Mario Van Peebles, bestknown as the director of Sweet Sweetback’s Baad Asssss Song, was soimpressed that he agreed not to be too rigid on the price of production.

This is not the first time that a successful Hollywood personality hasworked with the Coup. Roger Guenveur Smith who has acted in most of SpikeLee’s films produced Me And Jesus The Pimp In A 79 Granada Last Night.Back in 1999 the African Liberation Month Coalition and CKLN-FM 88.1screened the video of Me and Jesus the Pimp In A 79 Granada Last Nightalong with the Murder of Fred Hampton.

Riley feels we cannot trust the system because, at its core, it’s designedto exploit people. Over the past few years, U.S. imperialism has uppedthe ante, he says, adding that we need to do is be strategic and targetcompanies and their subsidiaries that do business or have any sort ofconnection to the war effort. We need to shut them down, he says.

The Chicago-born rapper said that he is impressed the many of the newflock of hip hop artists. He spoke about the fact that while 50 Centmaybe hot at the moment, in reality he is not selling tons of units. Rileybelieves it is in the interest of the system to promote the “Get Rich OrDie Tryin’” school of thought. According to Riley artists like dead prez,Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common and Kanye West are examples of the new breed of hip hop.Toronto-based journalist and radio producer Norman (Otis) Richmond can beheard on Diasporic Music, Thursdays, 8 p.m.-10 p.m., Saturday MorningLive, Saturdays, 10 a.m.-1 p. m. and From a Different Perspective,Sundays, 6-6:30 p.m. on CKLN-FM 88.1 and on the internet at www.ckln.fm/. He can be reached by phone at 416-595-5068 ext 2372 or by e-mail at Norman@ckln.fm.