This week on Hard Knock Radio, Davey D sat down with Rachel Wolkenstein—longtime attorney and advocate for political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. Gearing up for the upcoming Freedom Tour, Rachel breaks down the real story behind Mumia’s 43-year incarceration: a case rooted in FBI surveillance, COINTELPRO tactics, corrupt Philadelphia cops, and a justice system built to protect itself.
They talk about why the frame-up narrative has been sidelined, how key evidence was manufactured, and what the public can do to help push the needle toward Mumia’s release. It’s a powerful, eye-opening conversation that exposes the machinery of state repression—and the resilience of those who challenge it.
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Donald Lacy on Art, Gentrification, and the Power of Cultural Memory
This week on Hard Knock Radio, Davey D sat down with longtime friend, artist, and truth-teller Donald Lacy—a man who wears many hats: playwright, actor, comedian, activist, and community voice.
They discussed his new film The Masquerade, premiering April 1 at Oakland’s Grand Lake Theater, and his return to the stage with Campo Santo’s latest production at the Magic Theatre. Directed by the visionary Jocelyn Rose Lyons and executive produced by former 49er Vernon Davis, The Masquerade explores the deep impacts of gentrification and cultural loss in Black communities.
But this conversation was more than just promotion—it was a deep dive into what it means to protect culture in a time of displacement, to honor our artistic ancestors, and to use theater and film as tools for liberation.
Donald shared stories from the End Zone comedy days, the spiritual teachings of St. John Coltrane Church, and how method acting connects him to history in ways that are both personal and political.
He said it best: “When progress and tradition collide, how do we hold on to the soul of our communities?”
That’s the question at the heart of this episode.
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.