Nobody Moves ‘Till Boots Says Go – Boots Riley of Street Sweeper Social Club and The Coup
It was a landmark night at the legendary Blockley in Philadelphia, PA. Boots Riley, one of the greatest music artists of a generation, was in the house with his band, The Coup. Boots, best known for his political and socially relevant lyrics, has been a trailblazer in the industry for over 20 years. He founded The Coup in 1991, and the band quickly became one of the biggest bands in hip-hop. In 1998, the group released, Steal This Album. Widely regarded as one of the genre’s best in history, Rolling Stone Magazine referred to the album as “a masterpiece.” The Coup would release two more albums in the new millennium, 2001’s Party Musicand 2006’s Pick A Bigger Weapon. The latter was named “Album of The Year” by the Associated Press. In 2003, Boots was named one of Vibe Magazine’s “Most Influential People of 2002.”
After their 2006 effort, The Coup went on hiatus as Boots began to focus his energy on many different projects, and in 2009, he teamed up with guitarist Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave) to form Street Sweeper Social Club. The band released their self-titled debut album that same year. The album was so fresh, and is one of the greatest albums of all time, in any genre, in my opinion. Morello’s huge, heavy riffs are laced with Boot’s infections lyrics. Not only can Boots rhyme, but his lyrics are thoughtful, delivering message and meaning. Boots and I talked a lot about his creativity, and how he makes music. It was truly amazing to sit down and talk with such a genius musical mind, and talented performer.
The Coup’s live show that night was phenomenal. Full of rock, funk, rap, and soul, Boots Riley and The Coup are a truly unique musical treasure. The band is currently touring, and is planning to release a new album in September, which will serve as the soundtrack to a movie that Boots is currently working on as well. So much to look forward to from BootsRiley, but until then, go see their funk rock show and CRANK IT UP!