The Coup’s conscious West Coast bump is non-ignorant rap that won’t blind you with bling. The group has four albums under its belt, including 2001’s crucial Party Music, which suggests that it is just reaching its stride. Frontman Boots Riley possesses the best Afro since Richard Roundtree, not to mention a potent, politically principled, poetic punch. Then there’s DJ Pam the Funkstress, an icon of feminine turntablism. Add to that the group’s jazz-funk band, rapper T-Kash, and singer Qween — and the result is a collection of incendiary musical components that make the Coup one of hip-hop’s best live acts.
