Boots Riley

Raymond Lawrence "Boots" Riley (born April 1, 1971) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and filmmaker. He is the lead vocalist of The Coup and Street Sweeper Social Club. He made his feature film directorial debut as the writer and director of the science fiction dark comedy film Sorry to Bother You (2018), which originated from The Coup's 2012 album of the same name, and went on to create and direct the surrealist comedy series I'm a Virgo (2023) and the feature film I Love Boosters (2026). He is also known for his political activism.

Infobox

Born

Raymond Lawrence Riley (1971-04-01) April 1, 1971 Chicago, Illinois, U .

Origin

Oakland, California, U .

Genres

Political hip hop alternative hip hop funk rock rap rock

Occupations

Rapper songwriter record producer filmmaker

Years active

1991–present

Labels

Anti Epitaph Wild Pitch EMI

Member of

The Coup Street Sweeper Social Club

Tables

· Filmography

2018

Sorry to Bother You

Role(s)

Yes

Notes

Yes

2026

I Love Boosters

Role(s)

Yes

Notes

Yes

Year	Title	Director	Writer
2018	Sorry to Bother You	Yes	Yes
2026	I Love Boosters	Yes	Yes

· Filmography

2023

I'm a Virgo

Role(s)

Yes

Notes

Yes

Year	Title	Director	Writer	Executive Producer
2023	I'm a Virgo	Yes	Yes	Yes

References

Democracy Now!

2018
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/7/17/boots_riley_on_how_his_hit
"Boots Riley Talks About a Socialist Alternative for Society"

2019
https://www.vice.com/en/article/boots-riley-talks-about-a-socialist-alternative-for-society/
Boston Review

2018
http://bostonreview.net/race-literature-culture/robin-d-g-kelley-sorry-not-sorry
The New York Times Magazine

2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/22/magazine/how-boots-riley-infiltrated-hollywood.html
Easy Bay Express

2006
https://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/the-life-of-riley/Content?oid=1080907
Creative Activism: Conversations on Music, Film, Literature, and Other Radical Arts

2018
https://books.google.com/books?id=Ym9PDwAAQBAJ&q=boots+rileyy+2000+student+walkout+oakland+high&pg=PA187
PULSE Magazine

2019
https://stanfordpulse.com/2019/02/20/boots-riley/
www

2020
https://www.npr.org/2020/03/23/820433758/boots-riley-the-coup-sorry-to-bother-you-and-more
Boots Riley Biography Archived 2023-05-30 at the Wayback Machine. All American Entertainment. All American Speakers Bureau.
https://www.allamericanspeakers.com/speakers/423418/Boots-Riley
Espinoza, Joshua. 2017 December 29. "Boots Riley Shares Heartfelt Post Remembering Pam the Funkstress." Complex.
https://www.complex.com/music/2017/12/boots-riley-shares-story-on-pam-funktress
WhoSampled

2017
http://www.whosampled.com/sample/89309/E-40-Practice-Lookin'-Hard-The-Coup-Not-Yet-Free/
E-40 – Practice Lookin' Hard

2009
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avkToQqG1qw