KPFA - Hard Knock Radio

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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. Hosts Davey D and Anita Johnson give voice to issues ignored by the mainstream while planting seeds for social change.

Location:

United States

Description:

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. Hosts Davey D and Anita Johnson give voice to issues ignored by the mainstream while planting seeds for social change.

Language:

English

Website:

https://kpfa.org/program/hard-knock-radio/

Episodes

In Conversation with 16-year-old Richmond-based emcee Jayydon, a standout talent emerging from Kingmakers

6/6/2025

New Beginnings: 16-Year-Old Jayydon Debuts Bold, Reflective EP on Hard Knock Radio A Rising Voice from Richmond On this special edition of Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D sat down with 16-year-old Richmond-based emcee Jayydon, a standout talent emerging from the Kingmakers artist development program. With wisdom well beyond his years, Jayydon discussed his creative process, artistic inspiration, and his determination to carve out a lane grounded in authenticity—not stereotypes. Debut EP ‘New Beginnings’ Drops Friday Jayydon’s debut EP, New Beginnings, drops Friday, June 6 on Bandcamp, showcasing six tracks that combine lyrical introspection with a mission to uplift. The project is a product of Kingmakers Music and was engineered by Grammy-winner Kevin McCann at Cool Labs in West Oakland. Not Just an Artist—A Whole Human Jayydon’s growth as an artist is inseparable from his growth as a person. Guided by Kingmakers director Jahi, he’s been developing not just bars, but character. “We’re not trying to make the best rapper,” said Jahi, “we’re trying to develop better human beings.” Their first collaboration was a track on environmental justice created with Hip Hop Public Health, tackling issues like climate change and community health through a Black cultural lens. “That was my first time recording,” Jayydon recalled, “and Jahi helped me build confidence from the jump.” Music with Purpose, Not Posturing Inspired by the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Lauryn Hill, and KRS-One, Jayydon rejects the pressure to produce songs about violence and materialism. “I just want to speak truth,” he said. “I never lived that street life, so I’m not going to fake it. This EP is me—my struggles, my growth, my healing.” Tracks like Walls and Mirrors offer inner reflections about breaking mental barriers and silencing self-doubt. The closer, Gratitude, pays homage to the artists who paved the way without receiving their due, connecting today’s youth to Hip Hop’s deeper legacy. Ownership and Integrity In a moment that drew laughter and respect, Davey D jokingly offered Jayydon cash, cars, and contracts if he would pivot to rapping about pimping and violence. Jayydon’s firm response: “I’m not in it.” As Jahi noted, “He owns his masters, his publishing. We’re setting him up like Sam Cooke.” Celebrating the Launch The album release party will take place Friday from 6–8 PM at Cool Labs (1035 7th St, West Oakland), featuring live performances and the premiere of Jayydon’s new video for Walls, shot at Oakland Tech. Also on deck: the release of Kingmakers Beat Tape Vol. 1 showcasing fellow producers Dyson, Raymond, and Dice. Jayydon is the Future At a time when Black youth are often boxed into narrow narratives, Jayydon represents a bold countercurrent—artistic agency, lyrical depth, and cultural integrity. As Jahi puts it, “We’ll look back on this moment 10–20 years from now and say it started right here, in Oakland.” 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 In Conversation with 16-year-old Richmond-based emcee Jayydon, a standout talent emerging from Kingmakers appeared first on KPFA.

Right of Return Pilgrimage with Reverend Allison Tanner

6/5/2025

Hard Knock Radio with Reverend Allison Tanner In this powerful conversation, Davey D speaks with Reverend Allison Tanner about the upcoming Right of Return Pilgrimage, a 22-mile interfaith walk taking place Sunday, June 8, from 7 AM to 7 PM. The journey begins at the Islamic Cultural Center in Alameda and ends at the West Berkeley Shellmound, honoring Palestinian rights and connecting global struggles to local action. Rev. Tanner explains that the pilgrimage is more than symbolic—it’s a bold act of faith-based resistance grounded in calls for justice. Rooted in the tradition of “praying with our feet,” the event echoes civil rights-era activism while directly confronting genocide, displacement, and the weaponization of religion. Each of the seven walk segments will include distinct political calls to action, including: Restoring UNRWA funding Enacting an arms embargo against Israel Opposing California’s AB 715, which would erase Palestinian history from schools Supporting Alameda County’s ethical investment initiative Rev. Tanner also challenges the misuse of anti-semitism accusations to silence Palestine solidarity, especially as Christian Zionism—often driven by apocalyptic theology—co-opts both Christianity and Jewish identity. She points to Project Esther, a shadow campaign working to suppress pro-Palestinian voices under the guise of anti-hate measures, while ignoring actual antisemitism from high-profile political actors. Throughout the interview, Tanner stresses that this movement is about reclaiming faith, standing against empire, and lifting up the right to return, remain, and migrate—for Palestinians and all displaced peoples. Listeners are encouraged to register for the walk at bit.ly/RightOfReturnPilgrimage to receive a detailed guide with prayers, walking segments, and concrete actions to take—even if they can’t attend in person. 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 Right of Return Pilgrimage with Reverend Allison Tanner appeared first on KPFA.

Copaganda and the Crisis of Truth: Davey D in Conversation with Alec Karakatsanis

6/4/2025

In this powerful and timely episode of Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D sits down with civil rights attorney, writer, and abolitionist Alec Karakatsanis for an unflinching conversation about his groundbreaking new book, Copaganda: How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News. Karakatsanis, founder of Civil Rights Corps and a long-time advocate against mass incarceration and structural injustice, joins us to pull back the curtain on how law enforcement agencies use media to shape public perception, distract from systemic abuses, and distort our understanding of crime, safety, and justice. Drawing on years of legal advocacy and investigative work, Karakatsanis details how the police strategically push narratives that center individual crimes—often out of context or exaggerated—while obscuring the routine violence, constitutional violations, and economic exploitation that are part of the everyday machinery of policing in the U.S. He discusses how journalists, sometimes unwittingly and other times through cultivated relationships with police PR teams, amplify these stories without asking the critical questions that might reveal the deeper structural forces at play. Davey D and Karakatsanis explore real-world examples of how “copaganda” plays out in newsrooms and headlines—from viral “feel-good” videos of officers doing charity work to fear-mongering coverage of so-called crime waves. They also break down the impact this media manipulation has on public policy, jury decisions, election outcomes, and marginalized communities—particularly Black, Brown, Indigenous, and low-income populations. The conversation dives into the broader implications of media complicity in upholding carceral logic and offers strategies for both journalists and consumers of news to resist and challenge these narratives. Karakatsanis also speaks to the urgency of building alternative systems of safety and care, and why interrogating the stories we’re told about crime is crucial to building a just society. Whether you’re a journalist, organizer, policymaker, or someone trying to make sense of what justice really looks like, this episode is a vital listen. Tune in for an honest, eye-opening dialogue that unpacks one of the most insidious tools of modern policing—and what we can do to dismantle it. 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 Copaganda and the Crisis of Truth: Davey D in Conversation with Alec Karakatsanis appeared first on KPFA.

Duration:00:59:56

Hard Knock Radio – June 3, 2025

6/3/2025

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 Hard Knock Radio – June 3, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

Duration:00:59:57