Description
Book SynopsisBoots Riley is best known as the lyricist and frontman for Oakland's underground hip hop group, The Coup, as well as for The Street Sweeper Social Club which he founded with guitarist Tom Morello. For two decades, Riley's lyrical style has combined politically-charged dissidence with radical sensibility and sardonic humour to create what can only be described at sheer hip hop poetics. Now his lyrics are available in full, right down to the last word. Boots Riley also includes unreleased lyrics, photos and backstories.
Trade ReviewPraise for Boots Riley and The Coup Praise for Boots Riley: Collected Lyrics and Writings Every line of Boots Riley’s work brims with the grit of the underdog, burns with rage, wit, and tenderness. It’s no secret he is one of the most influential poets and thinkers of this generation.” Jeff Chang, author of Can’t Stop, Wont Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation Boots lyrics contain the wit and satire to match their venom and their potent political punch. His intricate yet relatable rhymes are like a combination of a Richard Pryor sketch and a guerrilla warfare manual.” Tom Morello Boots’s unparalleled lyrics are here, but there’s so much more, tooall of it bearing Boots’s trademark combination of revolutionary politics, absurdist humor, and rare lyricism. This is a great book about a great man.” Dave Eggers Marx wrote, To be radical means to go to the root, and the rootis man himself.’” For Boots Riley, man’ is the people,’ the root is where he lives, creates, and resists, and this book is one of the most genuine expressions of a radical voice you will find anywhere. His lyrics, musings, and memories reveal a brother at home in the world; no struggle or corner of the globe goes unthought, unsung, or unmoored from its mythical veneer. No mere compendium of rhymes, Boots Riley: Collected Lyrics and Writings is his Red Bookat once a manifesto, a work of art, an archeology of knowledge, a genealogy of revolutionary funk, and a window onto a world of injustice and joy, pain, and possibility. Dig it!” Robin D. G. Kelley, author of Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original The very existence of a person like Boots Riley is a miracle: he unites profound theoretical insights into the deadlocks of global capitalism, authentic political engagement in the Occupy movement, and wonderful musical performances. I am simply proud to be associated with himas long as guys like Boots are around, the radical Left is not dead!” Slavoj Žižek It’s not every day that you have a poet from Oakland kick start a political hip-hop movement, but that’s what Boots Riley specializes in: bringing the concentrated, undiluted vision of his area to the world. When you look at the traditions of poetry he evokes from Iceberg Slim, The Watts Prophets, Amiri Baraka, Allen Ginsberg, Chuck D, Claude McKay, The Last Poets, Jean Toomer, Saul Williams, Sarah Jones, and moreyou can see where this collection of his poetry comes from. This is the sound of twenty-first-century paradoxbeautiful, enigmatic, deep like a river. Boots Riley’s poetry is distilled from the strength of his insights into the abstract but made all the more powerful for its concerns with the everyday life of the people that his words speak of. As Allen Ginsberg once said, Whoever controls the media, the images, controls the culture.’ Boots Riley’s poetry takes aim at that situation, and puts it front and center, where it should be. Oakland flow, y’all. Check it.” DJ Spooky I’ve always respected and admired Boots’ unique style as a lyricist. He is at once a storyteller, agitator, educator, comedian, poet, and emcee with a degree in authenticity and a double major in empathy. I’m happy to see this collection come together from my friend and comrade who is so humble yet an icon in hip-hop. All Bob Marley ever had was redemption songsand all Boots ever wrote are lyrics of liberation!” STIC of dead prez For more than two decades, the music of Boots Riley and The Coup has been my soundtrack: a spicy synthesis of filthy funk and prophetic political fire. Boots Riley: Collected Lyrics and Writings is an epic achievement: twenty-five years of genius between two covers. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.” Dave Zirin, author, What’s My Name, Fool? Boots Riley is the voice of his generation. There is anger here for a heartless system, but there is also a great deal of compassion and hope for the future of humanity. Inside these lyrics and these sentences can be measured the heart rate of Occupy, BlackLivesMatter, Anonymous, Dreamers, Dream Defenders.” Vijay Prashad, author, The Poorer Nations When I tried to open the document a message said, unable to open because there is trouble with the content.’ Now you know that must be some hip shit!” Amiri Baraka Praise for The Coup The Coup isn’t a rock n’ roll band. It’s a hip-hop band. But they are a miracle of everyday life and proved it at Emo’s on Saturday night. I have no idea when the Coup turned into one of the best bands on the planet, but here we are.” Austin American Statesman I’d be surprised if I see anything at Outside Lands that impresses me more than the Coup’s set. It’s always the same deal with this East Bay troupe, led by genius rapper Boots Riley. Whether they are playing Coachella or Rock the Bells or, now, Outside, they always seem to outshine the competition.” San Jose Mercury/ Oakland Tribune Silk E sings and struts like Tina Turner raised on hip-hop.” Pitchfork.com Considerable musical chops... The Coup throws one fine party.” Los Angeles Times Incendiary... Live instrumentation to challenge even the wildest rock music.” Punknews.com
Praise for Boots Riley and The Coup Praise for Boots Riley: Collected Lyrics and Writings “Every line of Boots Riley’s work brims with the grit of the underdog, burns with rage, wit, and tenderness. It’s no secret he is one of the most influential poets and thinkers of this generation.” —Jeff Chang, author of Can’t Stop, Wont Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation “Boots lyrics contain the wit and satire to match their venom and their potent political punch. His intricate yet relatable rhymes are like a combination of a Richard Pryor sketch and a guerrilla warfare manual.” —Tom Morello “Boots’s unparalleled lyrics are here, but there’s so much more, too—all of it bearing Boots’s trademark combination of revolutionary politics, absurdist humor, and rare lyricism. This is a great book about a great man.” —Dave Eggers “Marx wrote, ‘To be radical means to go to the root, and the root—is man himself.’” For Boots Riley, ‘man’ is ‘the people,’ the root is where he lives, creates, and resists, and this book is one of the most genuine expressions of a radical voice you will find anywhere. His lyrics, musings, and memories reveal a brother at home in the world; no struggle or corner of the globe goes unthought, unsung, or unmoored from its mythical veneer. No mere compendium of rhymes, Boots Riley: Collected Lyrics and Writings is his Red Book—at once a manifesto, a work of art, an archeology of knowledge, a genealogy of revolutionary funk, and a window onto a world of injustice and joy, pain, and possibility. Dig it!” —Robin D. G. Kelley, author of Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original “The very existence of a person like Boots Riley is a miracle: he unites profound theoretical insights into the deadlocks of global capitalism, authentic political engagement in the Occupy movement, and wonderful musical performances. I am simply proud to be associated with him—as long as guys like Boots are around, the radical Left is not dead!” —Slavoj Žižek “It’s not every day that you have a poet from Oakland kick start a political hip-hop movement, but that’s what Boots Riley specializes in: bringing the concentrated, undiluted vision of his area to the world. When you look at the traditions of poetry he evokes from Iceberg Slim, The Watts Prophets, Amiri Baraka, Allen Ginsberg, Chuck D, Claude McKay, The Last Poets, Jean Toomer, Saul Williams, Sarah Jones, and more—you can see where this collection of his poetry comes from. This is the sound of twenty-first-century paradox—beautiful, enigmatic, deep like a river. Boots Riley’s poetry is distilled from the strength of his insights into the abstract but made all the more powerful for its concerns with the everyday life of the people that his words speak of. As Allen Ginsberg once said, ‘Whoever controls the media, the images, controls the culture.’ Boots Riley’s poetry takes aim at that situation, and puts it front and center, where it should be. Oakland flow, y’all. Check it.” —DJ Spooky “I’ve always respected and admired Boots’ unique style as a lyricist. He is at once a storyteller, agitator, educator, comedian, poet, and emcee with a degree in authenticity and a double major in empathy. I’m happy to see this collection come together from my friend and comrade who is so humble yet an icon in hip-hop. All Bob Marley ever had was redemption songs—and all Boots ever wrote are lyrics of liberation!” —STIC of dead prez “For more than two decades, the music of Boots Riley and The Coup has been my soundtrack: a spicy synthesis of filthy funk and prophetic political fire. Boots Riley: Collected Lyrics and Writings is an epic achievement: twenty-five years of genius between two covers. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.” —Dave Zirin, author, What’s My Name, Fool? “Boots Riley is the voice of his generation. There is anger here for a heartless system, but there is also a great deal of compassion and hope for the future of humanity. Inside these lyrics and these sentences can be measured the heart rate of Occupy, BlackLivesMatter, Anonymous, Dreamers, Dream Defenders.” —Vijay Prashad, author, The Poorer Nations “When I tried to open the document a message said, ‘unable to open because there is trouble with the content.’ Now you know that must be some hip shit!” —Amiri Baraka Praise for The Coup “The Coup isn’t a rock ‘n’ roll band. It’s a hip-hop band. But they are a miracle of everyday life and proved it at Emo’s on Saturday night. I have no idea when the Coup turned into one of the best bands on the planet, but here we are.” —Austin American Statesman “I’d be surprised if I see anything at Outside Lands that impresses me more than the Coup’s set. It’s always the same deal with this East Bay troupe, led by genius rapper Boots Riley. Whether they are playing Coachella or Rock the Bells or, now, Outside, they always seem to outshine the competition.” —San Jose Mercury/ Oakland Tribune “Silk E sings and struts like Tina Turner raised on hip-hop.” —Pitchfork.com “Considerable musical chops... The Coup throws one fine party.” —Los Angeles Times “Incendiary... Live instrumentation to challenge even the wildest rock music.” —Punknews.com
Table of ContentsIntroduction Lyrics, with select back stories, by Album 1. Kill My Landlord (1993) 1. Dig It! 2. Not Yet Free 3. Fuck a Perm 4. The Coup 5. I Know You 6. I Ain’t the Nigga 7. Last Blunt 8. Funk 9. Pam’s Song 10. Fo ‘Da Money 11. Foul Play 12. Kill My Landlord 2. Genocide and Juice (1994) 1. Intro (G-Nut Talks Shit from the Gut) 2. Fat Cats, Bigga Fish 3. Pimps (Free Stylin' at the Fortune 500 Club) 4. Takin' These 5. Hip 2 tha Skeme 6. Gunsmoke 7. This One's a Girl 8. The Name Game 9. 360 Degrees 10. Hard Concrete 11. Santa Rita Weekend 12. Repo Man 13. Interrogation 14. Outro 3. Steal This Album (1998) 1. The Shipment 2. Me And Jesus The Pimp In A '79 Granada Last Night 3. 20,000 Gun Salute 4. Busterismology 5. Cars & Shoes 6. U.C.P.A.S. 7. Pizza Man (Skit) 8. The Repo Man Sings For You 9. Underdogs 10. Sneakin' In 11. Do My Thang (Skit) 12. Piss On Your Grave 13. Fixation 4. Party Music (2001) 1. Everythang 2. 5 Million Ways to Kill a C.E.O. 3. Wear Clean Draws 4. Ghetto Manifesto 5. Get Up 6. Tight 7. Ride the Fence 8. Nowalaters 9. Pork and Beef 10. Heven Tonite 11. Thought About It 2 12. Lazymuthafucka 13. Ride the Fence 5. Pick a Bigger Weapon (2006) 1. Bullets And Love 2. We Are The Ones 3. Laugh/Love/Fuck 4. My Favorite Mutiny 5. I Just Wanna Lay Around All Day In Bed With You 6. Head (Of State) 7. Shoyoass 8. Yes Em To Death 9. Ass- Breath Killers 10. Get That Monkey Off Your Back 11. Mindfuck 12. Two Enthusiastic Thumbs Down 13. I Love Boosters! 14. Tiffany Hall 15. Babyletshaveababybeforebushdosomethingcrazy 16. Captain Sterlings Littel Problem 17. The Stand 6. Street Sweeper Social Club (2009) 1. Fight! Smash! Win! 2. 100 Little Curses 3. The Oath 4. The Squeeze 5. Clap for the Killers 6. Somewhere in the World It’s Midnight 7. Shock You Again 8. Good Morning Mrs. Smith 9. Megablast 10. Promenade 11. Nobody Moves 7. The Ghetto Blaster EP (2010) 1. Ghetto Blaster 2. Everything 3. Paper Planes 4. The New Fuck You 5. Scars 6. Mama Said Knock You Out 7. Promenade 8. As of yet unreleased album