4:00 PM PACIFIC TIME: MONDAYS - FRIDAYS
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.
The conversation on Hard Knock Radio shifted from politics to the economics of music as host Davey D challenged the growing gap between record industry profits and what artists actually earn from streaming. Joined first by activist, educator, and recording artist Ras Ceylon, and later by Living Legends co-founder Sunspot Jonz, the discussion explored what …
Hard Knock Radio host Davey D welcomed longtime Bay Area artist, educator, and organizer Ras Ceylon to discuss his ninth album, Scrolls of Lion Rock, and the role politically conscious music continues to play during a period of growing repression, war, and social upheaval. The conversation began with Davey D asking whether songs like “Free the World” are created with the intention … Continued
On a recent edition of Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D sat down with Bay Area organizer Rachel Jackson and veteran anti-fascist organizer Daryle Lamont Jenkins, founder of the One People’s Project, to unpack what they described as a growing and coordinated assault on civil liberties, political dissent, and independent journalism in the United States. … Continued
One of the most thought-provoking conversations I’ve heard this week on Hard Knock Radio wasn’t simply about the passing of music executive Clive Davis—it was about power, ownership, and the lasting impact of Black music on American culture. Host Davey D assembled an impressive panel of scholars and music historians, including author and funk historian … Continued
Ethnic Studies Under Fire: Educators Sound the Alarm on Hard Knock Radio I recently tuned into a powerful Hard Knock Radio roundtable hosted by Davey D that tackled a subject every parent, student, and community member should be paying attention to: the growing attacks on Ethnic Studies in California and across the nation. Joining the … Continued
On Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D sat down with community activist and journalist Jesse Strauss and longtime civil rights attorney Walter Riley to discuss their new book, Civil Rights and Structural Attacks: Conversations with Walter Riley. The conversation explored Rileys decades of movement work, the importance of preserving radical history, and the lessons todays … Continued
On this edition of Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D continues an important conversation about media, race, and the power of storytelling. In Part Two of our discussion on Black-Asian relations, Davey D is joined by San Francisco State University professor and activist Russell Jeung and journalist, artist, and community organizer Rocky Rivera. Together, they … Continued
What happens when media narratives, social media algorithms, and historical trauma collide? That was the focus of a powerful Hard Knock Radio conversation hosted by Davey D featuring San Francisco State University professor and activist Russell Jeung and journalist, artist, and community organizer Rocky Rivera. Together, they unpacked the growing tensions between Black and Asian communities while offering … Continued
If you think the battle over artificial intelligence only affects tech companies and Silicon Valley insiders, think again. On a recent episode of Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D sat down with music industry heavyweight Damion “Damizza” Young to break down how AI is rapidly changing the rules for artists, educators, content creators, and everyday … Continued
We use Google so much that it’s become a verb. Need information? Google it. Need directions? Google it. Need to settle an argument? Google it. But what happens when Google stops showing us a range of sources and starts giving us a single AI-generated answer? That’s the question explored on Hard Knock Radio as host … Continued
As Juneteenth approaches, the San Francisco Black Film Festival (SFBFF) returns with a powerful lineup of films, community events, and cultural programming designed to celebrate Black life, history, and creativity. On Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D spoke with SFBFF Executive Director Cree Ray, who discussed the festival’s legacy, this year’s theme, and why preserving Black stories … Continued
