On this Hard Knock Radio episode, host Davey D speaks with G1 (Gonzalo) of Rebel Diaz about Chicago’s escalating ICE raids and the broader drift toward authoritarianism. G1 describes the city as “under siege,” arguing that far-right and white-nationalist elements have been actively recruited into ICE and CBP. He details raids where families are zip-tied, tear gas is deployed near schools, and workers are harassed in places like Home Depot parking lots. For G1, the pattern echoes Chile under Pinochet—an “iron fist” used to enforce a capitalist transition—now reappearing in the U.S. amid global crises.
Despite the repression, he spotlights community responses: Know-Your-Rights trainings, mutual aid, neighborhood blockades, and everyday people organizing for self-defense. Algorithmic siloing and a coordinated propaganda push try to normalize the crackdowns, he notes, pitting Black communities against migrants and framing Chicago as uniquely lawless. Davey counters that this narrative is sensationalized, and G1 points to right-funded astroturfing that deepens divisions.
Drawing lessons from Chile, G1 underscores operational security—mindful communications, “don’t snitch” in the organizing sense (don’t advertise actions, don’t expose comrades)—and the need for cadre-level political education rooted in local base-building. He links domestic repression to U.S. geopolitical pivots: defeats in Gaza and Ukraine, a resource scramble, encirclement of Venezuela, and the rise of “pre-crime” surveillance infrastructures (naming Palantir and expansive executive orders). The takeaway: the target isn’t only immigrants; it’s the broader working class.
The conversation turns to culture as a frontline. G1 and Davey call out the culture war’s new players—state officials engaging right-wing influencers—and critique liberal institutions for treating art as garnish rather than a central pillar of resistance. They argue movements must both hold mainstream artists accountable and materially support politically grounded artists who already lead with substance.
G1 closes with what’s next: Rebel Diaz’s 20th-anniversary releases and tours, plus an Indigenous Peoples’ Day weekend international Indigenous hip-hop gathering in the Bronx featuring DJ Kool Herc and Cindy Campbell—bridging pioneers with a transnational artist network. Through it all, the message is clear: organize locally, think internationally, protect each other, and wield culture as a weapon for liberation.
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.