Boots Riley is the frontman for the rap group The Coup and a successful writer and director. His lyrics are full of intense left-wing messages and disgust for authoritarianism. Although he is not what one would call a chart topper, The Coup remains incredibly popular in the indie and underground music scene, especially in Oakland, Riley's hometown.

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After years of modest success in the underground, Boots Riley became an in-demand filmmaker thanks to the success of his 2018 movie Sorry to Bother You. The film stars Lakeith Stanfield from Selma and Straight Outta Compton, Steven Yeun from The Walking Dead, and Armie Hammer (who now faces sexual abuse allegations) as the villain. But how did an underground rapper from Oakland become a successful filmmaker with major Hollywood stars attached to his pet project?

8 Boots Riley Was Raised As An Activist

Boots Riley was radicalized by his family, all of whom are prominent social justice activists. He was born in Detroit but raised in Oakland, and in both cities, Riley was exposed to the realities and pains of growing up poor in the city. His activism began in high school when he and his friends organized a successful walkout to protest the school cutting funding for important programs.

7 He Continued To Fight The Good Fight As He Grew Up

When he was only 14 he joined the International Committee Against Racism and at 15 he joined the Progressive-Labor Party, a Marxist-Leninist party. Later, he would be a vocal supporter of several striking unions in Oakland as well as Occupy Oakland, who organized a shut down of the Bay Area ports in 2012. Obviously, class politics plays an important role in Riley's life.

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6 Boots Riley Founded The Coup In 1991

When he was 20 years old he created his band The Coup to express his political messages to the world. Members of the band included Silk-E, JJ Jungle, and their DJ Pam The Funkstress who passed away in 2017 due to complications from an organ transplant surgery. Their first album was simply titled The EP but their following albums would feature titles that more prominently displayed their anti-capitalist messaging, including Kill The Landlord, Steal This Album, and Genocide and Juice.

5 Boots Riley Released The Album 'Sorry To Bother You' In 2012

With a mix of rock guitars, hip hop beats, and anti-capitalist messages the band soon developed a following of radicals and underground rap fans. Their sound and style were comparable to other radical rap bands like Dead Prez or Rage Against The Machine. Tom Morello, the former guitarist for Rage Against The Machine, had The Coup open for him on his 2008 tour. From here on the band started to see more mainstream success. In 2012, Riley would write the album that would go on to inspire his film Sorry To Bother You. After the album was released, Riley wrote the film and began putting the project together. However, because he was a Hollywood outsider it took him a long time to get the project together.

4 His Script Did Not Get Picked Up For 5 Years

Although the script was ready in 2012, Riley did not get a green light for production until 2017. The movie was very dark and a bit bizarre for most producers to attach themselves to. If you have not seen the film prepare for some spoilers, it tells the story of a telemarketer who ends up working for a company that is trying to create hybrid horse people. To fight the company, the main character and his cohorts try to unionize the workers. Also, the film was shot and takes place in Oakland. Fortunately for Riley, he eventually got enough funding and stars attached to the film to get it made.

Actor Forest Whitaker attached himself as a producer, and in addition to the already mentioned stars Riley got other stars to play supporting roles. He also got other activists involved, like Danny Glover who is also a well-known activist. Although the film did not make it to the top of the box office, it turned a great profit. It had a $3 million budget but it made $18 million. It also developed a following among other activists because of its pro-union message.

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2 Boots Riley Got A Deal For A Television Series

Thanks to the success of Sorry To Bother You, Riley has earned the attention of Hollywood producers, despite his intense politics. Although the COVID pandemic complicated production across the board in Hollywood, Riley's project was greenlit in 2020. The show I'm A Virgo stars Jharel Jerome, who audiences will remember from Moonlight.

1 Boots Riley Remains A Prominent Activist

Although he has gained momentum as a writer and director, Riley continues to make music and is still incredibly politically active. The Coup recorded the soundtrack for Sorry To Bother You and Riley remains a member of several organizations. He campaigned for Bernie Sanders in 2020 and he posts about politics regularly on his social media accounts. Boots Riley seems poised to remain an in-demand filmmaker and the face of his political movement for a long time to come.

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