Boots Riley

Boots Riley
Boots Riley
Background information
Birth name	Raymond Lawrence Riley
Born	1971 Chicago, Illinois, US
Origin	Oakland, California, US
Genres	Political hip hop, alternative hip hop, rap rock, funk rock
Occupation(s)	Poet, Rapper, producer, community organizer, lecturer, screenwriter
Years active	1991–present
Labels	ANTI-, Epitaph, 75 Ark, Dogday, Polemic, Wild Pitch, EMI, Circus, SSSC, Cooking Vinyl, The Null Corporation, Raptivism
Associated acts	The Coup, Street Sweeper Social Club
Website	Boots Riley on Tumblr

Raymond Lawrence Riley (born 1971), better known by his stage name Boots Riley, is an American rapper and producer best known as the lead vocalist of The Coup and Street Sweeper Social Club. Riley is known for his energetic, charismatic, "punk"-like presence on-stage, combined with dancing

Most of his works, although often about a personal experience (love, sex, broken-down cars, getting drunk, etc.), are tied to a radical class analysis of the current system and or situation. Some of his songs call for the overthrow of the ruling class by the working class.

Boots Riley was born in 1971 into a family of radical organizers in Chicago. The family later moved to Detroit and then to Oakland by the time he was 6. His interest in politics began at a young age, inspiring him to join the radical Progressive Labor Party and the International Committee Against Racism at the age of 14.

In 1991 Riley founded the political hip hop group The Coup with fellow United Parcel Service worker E-roc.Pam the Funkstress, DJ for the group, joined in 1992. Boots was chief lyric writer and produced the music on the albums. They released a song on a 1991 compilation album called Dope Like A Pound Or A Key along with fellow former UPS worker Spice-1 and future Thug Life member Mopreme Shakur, then known as Mocedes. The album was released on Wax That Azz Records, which was owned by Pierre "The Beat Fixer" James, Too Short's DJ.

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