The Coup

Formed in the early '90s, the Oakland-based rap duo the Coup featured the lyrical skills of Boots Riley and DJ Pam. They dropped their debut album, Kill Your Landlord, on Wild Pitch Records in 1993, and their in-your-face style of political rap quickly earned them respect from critics and fans across the nation. They were quickly signed by Capitol Records and released Genocide and Juice (1994), another scathing political tome.

After a four-year hiatus, the Coup returned in late 1998 with their third full-length album, the provocatively titled Steal This Album.