Boots Riley on Power, Propaganda and Building a New World, PT.2 and Afro-Latino Identity: Reclaiming History and Building Bridges

There are moments when the political landscape shifts so dramatically that ideas once dismissed as too radical suddenly don’t sound so radical anymore. On Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D sat down with filmmaker, musician and longtime political provocateur Boots Riley to examine whether we are living through one of those moments. From rising economic pressure and labor organizing to war, propaganda and growing distrust of traditional political institutions, Riley argued that today’s turmoil is not simply a collection of separate crises. Instead, he sees long-standing contradictions becoming harder to ignore and, at the same time, more people beginning to question where power actually resides and what it would take to change the conditions around them.

At the center of the conversation was a deceptively simple question: What happens when people realize they have more power than they’ve been led to believe? Riley pointed to organized labor and the ability of workers to collectively withhold their labor as one answer. That discussion opened the door to his latest film, I Love Boosters, which uses comedy, absurdity and unexpected twists to explore capitalism, race, exploitation and solidarity across cultural and national boundaries. Davey and Riley also examined how social media and propaganda can exaggerate divisions, making people believe they are more isolated in their political thinking than they actually are. For Riley, both organizing and art can help break through that isolation by showing people not only what they are up against, but what might become possible when they act collectively.

Later on Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D spoke with Gina Madrid and David Saenz about the history and meaning of Afro-Latino identity and the upcoming fifth annual Afro-Latinx Concert in San Francisco’s Bayview. The conversation challenged the widespread misconception that Black and Latino identities are somehow separate. Saenz pointed to the long history of Africans, Indigenous peoples and Europeans throughout Latin America and emphasized how those histories continue to live through music, dance, food and other cultural traditions. The concert is intended to make those connections visible while creating a space where people can learn about an Afro-Latino presence that is often overlooked.

Madrid emphasized that Afro-Latinidad cannot be determined simply by skin color or stereotypes about what Black or Latino people are supposed to look like. Davey D connected those misconceptions to colonialism, racial caste systems and historical narratives that have obscured longstanding relationships among African-descended, Latino and Indigenous communities. Rather than allowing those histories to become another source of division, the guests described the concert as an intentional effort to bring communities together. Through performances, food, visual art and conversation, the gathering celebrates the diversity of the African diaspora while reminding people that Afro-Latino communities have deep roots throughout the Americas.

Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.

The post Boots Riley on Power, Propaganda and Building a New World PT. 2 and Afro-Latino Identity: Reclaiming History and Building Bridges appeared first on KPFA.

There are moments when the political landscape shifts so dramatically that ideas once dismissed as too radical suddenly don’t sound so radical anymore. On Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D sat down with filmmaker, musician and longtime political provocateur Boots Riley to examine whether we are living through one of those moments. From rising economic pressure and labor organizing to war, propaganda and growing distrust of traditional political institutions, Riley argued that today’s turmoil is not simply a collection of separate crises. Instead, he sees long-standing contradictions becoming harder to ignore and, at the same time, more people beginning to question where power actually resides and what it would take to change the conditions around them.

At the center of the conversation was a deceptively simple question: What happens when people realize they have more power than they’ve been led to believe? Riley pointed to organized labor and the ability of workers to collectively withhold their labor as one answer. That discussion opened the door to his latest film, I Love Boosters, which uses comedy, absurdity and unexpected twists to explore capitalism, race, exploitation and solidarity across cultural and national boundaries. Davey and Riley also examined how social media and propaganda can exaggerate divisions, making people believe they are more isolated in their political thinking than they actually are. For Riley, both organizing and art can help break through that isolation by showing people not only what they are up against, but what might become possible when they act collectively.

Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.

The post Boots Riley on Power, Propaganda and Building a New World PT. 1 appeared first on KPFA.

On Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D spoke with Nina Oishi, a voting rights attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project, about growing concerns over voting access in Tarrant County, Texas, where officials have eliminated 92 polling locations ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Oishi described Tarrant County, home to Fort Worth and Arlington, as one of Texas’ largest and fastest-growing counties, with more than 2.2 million residents. Despite that growth and strong turnout in recent elections, the county will have fewer polling locations than it did during the previous midterms. Oishi argued that the impact is not evenly distributed. Communities with higher poverty rates and fewer households with multiple cars are more likely to have lost polling locations, creating additional barriers for people already facing transportation and economic challenges.

The conversation also examined the impact on Black and Latino voters. Oishi pointed to previous county redistricting that reduced the ability of voters of color to elect candidates of their choice, along with the elimination of a county-supported program that provided transportation to the polls.

Davey D and Oishi paid particular attention to younger voters. The University of Texas at Arlington lost its campus polling location despite serving thousands of students, including large numbers of Black and Latino students. Oishi recalled students traveling to Fort Worth and waiting hours to address county commissioners, only to see the polling location eliminated anyway.

Oishi placed the closures within a broader Texas voting landscape that includes strict voter-registration deadlines, limited eligibility for mail-in voting, voter-roll challenges and complicated election laws.

She also stressed that community organizations are responding. The NAACP, Divine Nine organizations and other groups are organizing transportation and voter outreach.

Oishi closed by encouraging people to become involved in nonpartisan election-protection efforts, emphasizing a basic principle behind the Texas Civil Rights Project’s work: the people should choose who holds power, not the other way around.

Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.

The post Tarrant County Voting Site Closures & Voter Suppression appeared first on KPFA.

On this edition of Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D sat down with Akilah Kinnison, daughter of the late scholar and activist Ward Churchill, and Churchill’s wife, retired law professor Natsu Taylor Saito, for a wide-ranging conversation honoring his life, work and political legacy.

The discussion moved beyond Churchill’s public image to reveal the person behind decades of scholarship and activism. Saito remembered his humor, humility and remarkable ability to keep political battles from consuming his home life. Even while facing intense public attacks, Churchill remained focused on the work he believed he was called to do. Kinnison described a father and grandfather whose activism was rooted in fierce love for family and community. His lesson to her was simple but demanding: you cannot control what others do, but you can determine how you carry yourself and whether you remain committed to the work before you.

A major theme was Churchill’s insistence on understanding oppression through the framework of colonialism and self-determination. Saito explained how Churchill helped shift her thinking beyond seeking rights and remedies within existing institutions toward asking deeper questions about liberation. Kinnison recalled Churchill rejecting the familiar phrase “speaking truth to power.” His formulation was sharper: he spoke truth “in the teeth of power” while speaking truth to the people.

Davey D also explored Churchill’s efforts to connect Black and Indigenous liberation struggles. His books Agents of Repression and The COINTELPRO Papers documented parallels between government repression of the Black Panther Party and the American Indian Movement. Kinnison emphasized that understanding these historical tactics can help new generations recognize efforts to divide movements and disrupt solidarity.

The conversation ultimately turned toward what victory looks like during difficult political times. For Kinnison and Saito, survival itself is resistance. Communities continuing to exist, preserve history, raise children, experience joy and pass knowledge from generation to generation represents a profound victory.

Churchill’s lasting challenge was not that everyone follow his path, but that people discover their own strengths and ask a fundamental question: Does what I am doing reinforce the status quo, or move us collectively toward liberation and self-determination?

Audio Credit: Ward Churchill audio heard at the beginning of today’s program is from the documentary COINTELPRO 101. Special thanks to the filmmakers and producers for this important archival work, Freedom Archives.

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On Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D spoke with Akilah Kinnison, daughter of the late scholar and activist Ward Churchill, and his wife, retired law professor Natsu Taylor Saito, about the man behind the public controversies and the lessons contained in his life’s work. They described Churchill as deeply committed to family, community and Indigenous liberation, but also as someone with humor, humility and discipline. Even while enduring years of political and institutional attacks, he tried not to bring those battles into his home. Akilah recalled one of his central lessons: you cannot control what other people do, but you can control how you carry yourself and whether you remain focused on what you are called to do.

The conversation also examined Churchill’s larger political legacy, particularly his work exposing COINTELPRO, colonialism and government repression. Davey D, Akilah and Saito discussed the importance of recognizing the connections between Black and Indigenous liberation struggles and understanding how division, disinformation and historical erasure can weaken movements. Churchill believed history should equip future freedom fighters to recognize patterns of repression rather than repeatedly falling victim to them. As Akilah explained, attacks on Ethnic Studies, critical race studies, museums and history itself underscore why preserving these stories matters. Churchill saw truth as something people could actively use against a society built around denial. Ultimately, the conversation framed Churchill’s legacy around self-determination, solidarity, survival and liberation—and the responsibility of each generation to discover how its own talents can contribute to that struggle.

Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.

The post Ward Churchill’s Legacy: Truth, Resistance and the Road to Liberation appeared first on KPFA.

On Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D spoke with Zahra Billoo of CAIR and Sabiya Ahamed of Palestine Legal about H.R. 4795, a bill that has passed the House and could threaten federal funding for universities that participate in certain boycotts or divestment efforts aimed at Israel. Ahamed explained that the measure arrives at a time when students across the country are already facing disciplinary actions, suspensions and increased scrutiny for organizing around Palestine. She argued that college campuses have become a major battleground over First Amendment rights, with criticism of Israel increasingly being treated as antisemitism.

The conversation broadened into a larger discussion about Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism, political influence and the long-term consequences of suppressing dissent. Billoo warned that students and activists are facing pressure not only from universities, but also from outside organizations, political institutions and media campaigns. Davey raised concerns about the bipartisan support for H.R. 4795 and questioned why boycotts are accepted in other political contexts but become controversial when directed at Israel. Both guests stressed that the issue extends beyond Palestine: allowing the government to restrict one movements right to protest could create a precedent for restricting many others. Ahamed closed by encouraging students to continue organizing, noting that similar anti-boycott laws have faced constitutional challenges in court.

5 Key Takeaways

H.R. 4795 could financially punish universities for boycotting Israel. Schools that participate in certain boycott or divestment campaigns could risk losing federal funding.

Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.

The post H.R. 4795, Palestine Advocacy, and Academic Freedom appeared first on KPFA.

On Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D marks the 30th anniversary of the passing of Tupac Shakur, reflecting on the life, legacy, and lasting influence of one of hip-hop’s most important and complicated voices.

September 13, 2026, marks three decades since Tupac’s death at just 25 years old. Yet 30 years later, his music and message continue to resonate across generations. Beyond the records, celebrity, and controversies that often dominate conversations about Tupac, his work confronted racism, poverty, policing, incarceration, inequality, misogyny, and the everyday realities facing Black communities in America.

The conversation looks beyond the mythology surrounding Tupac to examine the political and social consciousness that shaped him—from his family’s connections to the Black Panther Party and Black liberation movements to the contradictions, vulnerability, anger, and hope that appeared throughout his music.

Davey D reflects on Tupac as both an artist and a product of a particular political moment, asking what gets remembered, what gets overlooked, and why his words continue to feel relevant in 2026. Three decades after his passing, Tupac remains more than a figure from hip-hop history—his life and work continue to provoke conversations about Black resistance, survival, justice, and the conditions he spent much of his short life speaking about.

Later in the program, we turn to Poor News Magazine, bringing the voices, stories, and perspectives of poor and unhoused communities too often ignored by mainstream media.

Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.

The post Tupac 30th Anniversary and Poor News Magazine appeared first on KPFA.

As the nation approaches 25 years since the September 11 attacks, Hard Knock Radio host Davey D sat down with UC Berkeley professors Hatem Bazian and Michael Mark Cohen to examine a part of the story too often overlooked: what happened after 9/11.

Bazian argued that the attacks gave the federal government an opening to expand policies that had been developing for decades. He connected the post-9/11 security apparatus to earlier government surveillance programs, the 1996 Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, and the passage of the Patriot Act. In his view, the War on Terror “rewired” the legal system, weakening privacy, protest, assembly and other constitutional protections.

Muslim communities bore the brunt of that transformation. Bazian described widespread surveillance of mosques, organizations and individuals, along with government informants and cases built around entrapment or what he called “preemptive prosecution.” These policies, he emphasized, eventually expanded beyond Muslim communities and became part of a broader system affecting activists, immigrants and political organizations.

Cohen challenged the popular image of post-9/11 America as a nation united by tragedy. That unity, he argued, was built around militarism, censorship and repression. People who questioned the Bush administration, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, or America’s foreign policy were frequently labeled unpatriotic and, in some cases, pushed out of their jobs or public platforms.

Davey D noted that Hip Hop artists were also targeted, despite more than 100 antiwar songs emerging from the culture. Artists including Boots Riley, KRS-One and De La Soul faced scrutiny, while a larger antiwar Hip Hop movement was largely erased from public memory.

The conversation also explored how post-9/11 surveillance evolved alongside smartphones, social media, algorithms and corporate data collection. Cohen described a direct line from warrantless government surveillance to a world where people carry devices that constantly collect information. At the same time, those technologies have documented police violence and allowed people to witness the devastation in Gaza in real time.

Both guests stressed the need to preserve history, strengthen local organizing and defend education. Cohen concluded that 9/11 should be understood not simply as a tragedy commemorated once a year, but as a historical portal for examining endless war, surveillance, political division and America’s changing position in the world.

Davey D introduces the conversation by asking what changed after 9/11, especially for generations too young to remember life before the attacks. Professor Hatem Bazian traces the War on Terror to earlier government surveillance programs, including COINTELPRO and the 1996 Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act. He argues that 9/11 became the justification for weakening privacy, protest and constitutional protections. Bazian also discusses attacks on ethnic studies and the university’s declining role as a protected space for dissent.

Professor Michael Mark Cohen challenges the idea that Americans came together after 9/11. He argues that the country was mobilized for war while Arab Americans, Muslims and immigrants faced raids, surveillance and repression. Cohen connects this climate to censorship and the punishment of public figures who questioned the government. The conversation also examines how the War on Terror fractured both political parties and helped create openings for Barack Obama, Donald Trump and later political movements.

Bazian explains how “preemptive prosecution” allowed authorities to target people who had not committed crimes but were considered potential threats. He discusses the Patriot Act, government informants, mosque surveillance and entrapment cases. Cohen then connects these policies to today’s digital surveillance system. Smartphones, social media, metadata and street cameras created a world where government agencies and corporations continuously collect information. Davey describes social media as entertainment covering up a massive surveillance operation.

The guests examine the contradictions of digital technology. Phones and social media can expose police violence and document atrocities, but constant exposure can also overwhelm and desensitize people. Davey discusses how algorithms isolate communities and feed them customized racial resentment and political outrage. Cohen explains that anger drives online engagement and corporate profits. The segment closes with a discussion of 9/11 as a televised media event and the difficulty younger generations face when they have never been taught its broader history.

Cohen explains that many students have little knowledge of Hurricane Katrina, the 2008 financial collapse, the Tea Party or Occupy Wall Street. He argues that educators are confronting a growing war against history and critical scholarship. Davey asks how organizers can preserve evidence and protect physical records in a world where digital information can be altered or removed. Bazian calls for locally grounded organizing, free education, healthcare and access to basic necessities.

Cohen closes by arguing that 9/11 should not be isolated as a tragedy remembered once a year. It should be understood as a historical turning point that helps explain endless war, mass surveillance, censorship and the decline of American global power. He describes the post-9/11 period as the beginning of the end of the American empire and says Americans must reconsider their place within an increasingly multipolar world.

On Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D spoke with UC Berkeley professors Hatem Bazian and Michael Mark Cohen about how 9/11 transformed the United States far beyond the attacks themselves. Bazian argued that the War on Terror expanded government powers that had been developing since COINTELPRO and the 1996 Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act. After 9/11, the Patriot Act, mass surveillance, government informants and “preemptive prosecution” weakened privacy and other constitutional protections. Muslim, Arab and immigrant communities were the first major targets, but the same tools eventually spread to activists, protesters and the wider public.

Cohen challenged the familiar story that 9/11 brought the country together, arguing that this supposed unity was built around militarism, censorship and the silencing of dissent. Davey highlighted the overlooked history of antiwar Hip Hop and the artists who were condemned for questioning the Bush administration. The conversation connected post-9/11 surveillance to smartphones, social media, corporate data collection and algorithms that profit from outrage and division. Both guests stressed that 9/11 must be studied as a historical turning point—one that helps explain endless war, political polarization, attacks on education and the erosion of civil liberties.

Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.

The post 25 Years Later: The Lasting Aftermath of 9/11 appeared first on KPFA.

On Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D spoke with Professor Lina-Maria Murillo about the dismantling of ethnic studies and gender studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Murillo, an associate professor of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, explained that UT has consolidated African and African Diaspora Studies, Mexican American and Latino Studies, American Studies, and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies into one massive department.

Murillo argued that the move is part of a broader attack on higher education that accelerated following the multiracial protests and organizing sparked by the 2020 murder of George Floyd. That moment, she said, frightened powerful interests because young people were beginning to connect race, class, gender, policing, and economic inequality. Ethnic studies departments help students understand those connections, making them direct targets for conservative lawmakers and wealthy donors seeking to reshape public education.

Davey D connected the crackdown to what he called a “distraction ecosystem.” While voting rights, immigration enforcement, environmental injustice, and academic freedom are under attack, social media algorithms amplify cultural conflicts designed to divide Black, Latino, LGBTQ, and other marginalized communities. Murillo agreed, describing much of the outrage circulating online as manufactured “rage bait” that benefits billionaire-owned technology companies while pulling attention away from structural issues.

At UT Austin, the consolidation is being accompanied by the expansion of a heavily funded conservative academic structure centered around the School of Civic Leadership. Murillo said millions of dollars are being directed toward programs emphasizing Western civilization, while students are offered generous scholarships to enter those programs. At the same time, courses in African American history, Latino history, and gender studies are being removed from UT’s core curriculum.

Murillo emphasized that UT’s actions cannot be explained as a financial necessity. The university has enormous resources, but those resources are being redirected toward a competing ideological vision of education.

The conversation closed with a call to action. Murillo warned Californians not to assume they are protected, noting that austerity can accomplish what right-wing legislation is doing elsewhere. She urged listeners to contact elected officials, investigate what is happening at local colleges, and defend the ability of faculty and students to teach, organize, and imagine more just futures.

Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.

The post The Assault on Ethnic Studies: Professor Lina-Maria Murillo Sounds the Alarm appeared first on KPFA.

Hard Knock Radio host Davey D sat down with filmmaker and cultural organizer David Roach to discuss the 24th annual Oakland International Film Festival, an 11-day celebration of independent cinema, community conversation and stories too often pushed outside the mainstream.

Roach reflected on how dramatically filmmaking and distribution have changed since the festival began. Digital projection and streaming have made it easier to create and circulate films, but Davey D questioned whether that access is as open as it appears. With a handful of billionaires controlling major platforms, filmmakers with challenging political messages can still be buried, censored or shut out.

That concern lies at the heart of the festival’s mission. Roach emphasized the need to build independent platforms where filmmakers can tell their own stories and communities can see themselves without having their experiences diluted or filtered through Hollywood.

This year’s lineup reaches from Oakland to Italy, Colombia and other parts of the world. Featured films explore Native history, domestic violence, gun control, gentrification, political organizing, Hip Hop, food, cultural preservation and resistance. A People of the West examines the relationship between Red Power and Black Power, while Set Her Free follows women who fought to change laws affecting survivors of domestic violence imprisoned for defending themselves.

Other highlights include Free Speech Costs Plenty, comedian Donald Lacy’s examination of censorship and political comedy; Guardians of Oakland Chinatown, which documents residents protecting elders, schools and neighborhood institutions; and films honoring Oakland community advocate Bill Patterson and beloved musician and educator Dr. Loco.

The conversation also explored Hip Hop’s international reach. Davey D praised a film documenting Italy’s politically engaged Hip Hop movement, where artists and activists resisted fascism, defended community spaces and pushed back against record companies seeking to weaken their message.

Roach stressed that the festival is about more than watching movies. Extended panels allow filmmakers to explain their creative journeys, exchange knowledge and engage directly with audiences. Screenings are paired with food, music, networking and community gatherings throughout Oakland.

Ultimately, the Oakland International Film Festival offers more than entertainment. It creates a space where people can laugh, cry, learn, debate and leave inspired to protect their communities and tell their own stories.

Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.

The post Oakland International Film Festival Brings Independent Stories, Political History and Community to the Screen appeared first on KPFA.

Today on Hard Knock Radio, we sit down with acclaimed children’s author, illustrator, and teaching artist Tiffany Golden for a conversation about Black childhood, sisterhood, imagination, and the importance of young people seeing the fullness of themselves reflected in the stories they read.

At the center of our conversation is Golden’s latest book, Rikki & Rai: The Everyday and Sometimes Epic Adventures of the Tucker Sisters, a funny and heartfelt celebration of two sisters navigating family, friendship, and the unexpected adventures tucked inside everyday life.

We also discuss Golden’s picture books I Want to Be Big and Wash Day, her work as a teaching artist, and why creating spaces where Black children can be curious, imaginative, complicated, joyful, and gloriously themselves matters.

It’s a conversation about storytelling, representation, creativity, and reminding young people that their lives—and their stories—are worthy of being seen, heard, and celebrated.

Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.

The post Black Childhood, Big Imagination: Tiffany Golden on Storytelling, Sisterhood, and Joy [Rebroadcast] appeared first on KPFA.