The Coup 106327 226164070 2008-07-17T02:58:15Z 65.191.180.233 /* Boots Riley */ {{dablink|'''The Coup''' is also the title of a novel by [[John Updike]] and an [[The Coup (The Office episode)|episode of "The Office"]].}} {{Infobox musical artist | Name = The Coup | Img = 101 0034.JPG | Img_capt = Boots Riley performing with Galactic at Voodoo Fest 2007 | Img_size = | Background = group_or_band | Alias = | Origin = [[Oakland, California]], [[United States]] | Genre = [[Hip hop music|Hip hop]], [[political hip hop]] | Years_active = 1991 to present | Label = [[Wild Pitch Records]], Dogday Records, 75 Ark Records, [[Epitaph Records]] | Associated_acts = | URL = http://www.thecoupmusic.net/ | Current_members = Boots Riley<br>DJ Pam the Funkstress | Past_members = E-Roc | Notable_instruments = }} '''The Coup''' is a [[political hip hop]] group based in [[Oakland, California]]. It formed as a three-member group in 1992 with rappers Raymond "Boots" Riley and E-Roc along with DJ Pam the Funkstress. E-Roc left on amicable terms after the group's second album, but appears on the track "Breathing Apparatus" on The Coup's third album, [[Steal This Album]]. The group is now a duo. == History == The Coup, part of the sub-genre of [[political hip hop]], is politically radical and [[Marxist]] in their music, and align themselves with other radical hip-hop groups like [[Dead Prez]]. Their music is characterized by electronic sounds and [[bass drum|bass]]-driven [[backbeat]]s overlaid by humorous, cynical and sometimes violent lyrics criticizing [[capitalism]], [[American politics]], pimping as a form of patriarchal exploitation, and [[police brutality]], among other things. The Coup's debut album was 1993's ''[[Kill My Landlord]]''. In 1994 they released their second album, ''Genocide and Juice''. After a four-year recording hiatus, the group released the critically acclaimed ''Steal This Album'' in 1998, the title of which was reminiscent of [[lifestylist]] [[Abbie Hoffman]]'s ''[[Steal this Book]]''. The album featured the stand-out single "Me and Jesus the Pimp in a '79 Granada Last Night". The online magazine ''Dusted'' called ''Steal This Album'' "the best hip-hop album of the 1990s".<ref>{{cite web | last =Hunt | first =Sam | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =Buy This Album | work = | publisher =[[Dusted Magazine]] | date =[[2002-08-26]] | url =http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/328 | format = | doi = | accessdate =2007-09-28 }}</ref> In 2001, The Coup released ''[[Party Music]]'' to widespread praise. However, in part due to distribution problems, sales of the album were low. The original album cover art depicted group members Pam the Funkstress and Riley standing in front of the twin towers of the [[World Trade Center]] as they are destroyed by huge explosions; Riley is pushing the button on a guitar tuner. The album's planned release date was just after the events of the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]], and the cover art was withdrawn hastily. The cover art was finished in June 2001; there was no connection between the band and the attacks. The album release was held back as alternative cover art was prepared. The attention generated to the album's cover art generated some criticism of the group's lyrical content as well, particularly the ''Party Music'' track "5 Million Ways to Kill a CEO". The song's rap includes lines like, "You could throw a twenty in a vat of hot oil/When he jump in after it, watch him boil". Conservative columnist [[Michelle Malkin]] cited the song in calling The Coup's work a "stomach-turning example of anti-Americanism disguised as highbrow intellectual expression".<ref>{{cite web | last =Malkin | first =Michelle | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =Stop giving America a bad rap | work = | publisher =[[Jewish World Review]] | date =[[2001-12-28]] | url =http://www.jewishworldreview.com/michelle/malkin122801.asp | format = | doi = | accessdate =2007-09-28 }}</ref> On [[November 15]] [[2005]], Tarus Jackson (AKA Terrance), who had joined the group as a promoter, was shot dead during a robbery at his home in Oakland.<ref>{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =Member of The Coup Killed in Robbery | work = | publisher =Hiphopmusic.com | date =[[2005-11-16]] | url =http://www.hiphopmusic.com/archives/001242.html | format = | doi = | accessdate =2007-09-28 }}</ref> [[December 2]] [[2006]] saw another tragedy for The Coup: About two hours following a performance at the [[San Diego]] [[House of Blues]], the tour bus in which they were riding drove off the road and flipped over before becoming engulfed in flames.<ref>{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =The Coup survives bus crash; cancels tour dates! | work = | publisher = | date =[[2006-12-04]] | url =http://www.epitaph.com/news/news/2755 | format = | doi = | accessdate =2007-09-28 }}</ref> All passengers managed to climb out alive, though some were badly injured. They did, however, lose all of their clothes, computers, cash, identification, house/car keys and cell phones as well as all of their instruments and sound equipment. Since an insurance settlement is potentially a year away, they were forced to cancel the rest of their tour. Their songs "My Favorite Mutiny" and "Pork & Beef" were featured in the 2007 film [[Superbad]], while "Ridin' The Fence" was featured in the 2007 [[skateboarding]] [[video game]], [[EA Skate]]. ==Current members== ===Boots Riley=== :I think that people should have democratic control over the profits that they produce. It is not real democracy until you have that. And the plain and simple definition of communism is the people having democratic control over the profits that they create.<ref>{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =Boots Riley on Communism, Capitalism and Patriotism | work = | publisher =Lyricsdownload.com | date =[[2001-10-25]] | url =http://www.lyricsdownload.com/coup-the-boots-riley-on-communism-capitalism-and-patriotism-lyrics.html | format = | doi = | accessdate =2007-09-28 }}</ref> In 1991, he and other artists founded the Mau Mau Rhythm Collective, a group set up to use the power of hip hop music to publicize other efforts and movements. The next year, Riley founded The Coup. Riley wrote and performed the music for ''[[The Simpsons]]'' episode "[[Pranksta Rap]]". Matt Selman wrote the lyrics for the songs. Riley was charged with abusive language for allegedly using profanity on stage while performing with Galactic in Norfolk, VA on June 21, 2008. ===Pam the Funkstress=== Pam the Funkstress was a student of the late [[DJ Prince of Charm]]. In addition to [[DJing]], she currently owns and operates a successful catering business in northern California. As of the 2006 tour promoting ''[[Pick a Bigger Weapon]]'', Pam does not tour with The Coup. Instead, Boots performs with a three-man band. == Discography == {| class="wikitable" !align="left" width="650"|Album information |- |align="left"|'''''[[Kill My Landlord]]''''' *Released: [[May 4]], [[1993]] *Label: [[Wild Pitch Records]] *Billboard 200 chart position: - *R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #83 *Singles: "Dig It"/"Fuck a Perm", "Funk"/"The Liberation of Lonzo Williams", "Not Yet Free"/"I Ain't the Nigga" |- |align="left"|'''''[[Genocide & Juice]]''''' *Released: [[October 18]], [[1994]] *Label: [[Wild Pitch Records]] *Billboard 200 chart position: - *R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #62 *Singles: "Fat Cats, Bigga Fish", "Takin' These" |- |align="left"|'''''[[Steal This Album (The Coup album)|Steal This Album]]''''' *Released: [[November 10]], [[1998]] *Label: Dogday Records *Billboard 200 chart position: - *R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #51 *Singles: "Me & Jesus the Pimp in a '79 Granada Last Night"/"20,000 Gun Salute"/"U.C.P.A.S.", "The Shipment" |- |align="left"|'''''[[Party Music]]''''' *Released: [[November 6]], [[2001]] *Label: 75 Ark Records *Billboard 200 chart position: - *R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - *Singles: "5 Million Ways to Kill a C.E.O." |- |align="left"|'''''Steal This Double Album''''' (''Steal This Album'' re-release) *Released: [[August 13]], [[2002]] *Label: Polemic Records *Billboard 200 chart position: - *R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - *Singles: |- |align="left"|'''''[[Pick a Bigger Weapon]]''''' *Released: [[April 25]], [[2006]] *Label: [[Epitaph Records]] *Billboard 200 chart position: - *R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - *Singles: "My Favorite Mutiny"/"Laugh/Love/Fuck" |} ==References== <references/> ==External links== *[http://www.thecoupmusic.net The Coup's official website] *[http://www.speakoutnow.org/People/BootsRiley.html Speakoutnow.org on Boots Riley] *[http://people.bandwave.net/~djjasond/bio.htm people.bandwave.net] *[http://www.piccadillycatering.com/ Piccadilly Catering] Pam the Funkstress' catering business [[Category:West Coast rappers]] [[Category:San Francisco Bay Area rappers]] [[Category:San Francisco Bay Area hip hop groups]] [[Category:Epitaph Records artists|Coup, The]] [[Category:American communists|Coup, The]] [[fr:français]]