The Coup

The Coup is a marxist hip-hop group fronted by Raymond "Boots" Riley and DJ Pam the Funkstress. Based in Oakland, California, The Coup formed as a three-member group in 1992 (the third member, E-Roc, left on amicable terms after their second album). Boots Riley is known as a community activist and a communist, whose views are often in line with those of the Black Panther Party.

Their debut album was Kill My Landlord, a mix of leftist resistance and 70s funk. In 1994 Genocide and Juice was released to waves of critical praise.

For the next four years the group was faced with potentially career-ending changes, but returned in 1998 with the independently-produced Steal This Album, a title reminiscent of anarchist Abbie Hoffman's book, Steal this Book.In 2001, The Coup released Party Music to widespread praise; however, due to distribution problems, sales of the album were low. Part of the distribution problem was the album art, which illustrated the World Trade Center towers exploding (a metaphor for the destruction of capitalism). The group reprinted the cover to feature a flaming Martini after September 11.

In 2006, they made yet another comeback with Pick a Bigger Weapon, which received mixed reviews. The album was released on Epitaph Records, better known for their punk music releases.

The Coup are politically radical in their music and align themselves with other radical hip-hop groups like Dead Prez. Their music is characterized by electronic sounds and bass-driven backbeats overlaid by humorous, cynical and sometimes violent lyrics criticizing capitalism, prostitution, American politics, and police brutality, among other things. Rumor has it that the FBI keeps a file on this band as subversive.

http://www.thecoupmusic.net