Hard Knock Radio

Hard Knock Radio – April 7, 2025

this episode is no longer available

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.


Hard Knock Radio

System Failure: From Police Violence to Poverty Resistance

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In this episode of Hard Knock Radio, we begin with a report from Free Willing Frank Sterling on the quiet release of former Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Deputy Andrew Hall, who served less than half of his six-year sentence for the fatal shooting of Laudemer Arboleda. The news has sparked outrage among community members and families … Continued


Hard Knock Radio

U.S. Deportations to El Salvadors Mega-Prison PT. 2 and ABC’s of HBCU’s with Claudia Walker

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Over the past few months, deeply unsettling images have emerged showing men with shaved heads, shackled, and made to kneel”lined up in scenes disturbingly reminiscent of war prisons. These arent images from a foreign battlefield, but snapshots of whats happening in El Salvador. Even more disturbing? Many of those detained were picked up in the … Continued


Hard Knock Radio

U.S. Deportations to El Salvadors Mega-Prison PT. 1

this episode is no longer available

Over the past few months, deeply unsettling images have emerged showing men with shaved heads, shackled, and made to kneel”lined up in scenes disturbingly reminiscent of war prisons. These arent images from a foreign battlefield, but snapshots of whats happening in El Salvador. Even more disturbing? Many of those detained were picked up in the … Continued


On Hard Knock Radio, Davey D spoke with Professor Butch Ware—hip hop artist, activist, and Green Party vice presidential candidate—about the deep links between culture, politics, and resistance. Ware opened the convo by emphasizing that music and hip hop aren’t just art—they’re tools for spiritual and political survival. Drawing on West African griot traditions, he called … Continued


Hard Knock Radio

Hard Knock Radio – March 31, 2025

this episode is no longer available

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.


Hard Knock Radio

Framed: The Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal and the System That Buried the Truth and Donald Lacy on Art, Gentrification, and the Power of Cultural Memory

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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 … Continued


Hard Knock Radio

Community Demands Accountability for Early Release of Convicted Officer

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Host Davey D speaks with Freewheelin’ Frank Sterling, Marvin Hall, Jennifer Arboleda, Melvin Wilson, and Bella Quinto on the continued fight for justice in Contra Costa County. Antioch Under Scrutiny Hard Knock Radio traveled to Contra Costa County to spotlight the unrest brewing in Antioch and surrounding cities. Host Davey D opened the conversation by … Continued


Hard Knock Radio

Dr. Mike Benitez: “This Is a Direct Attack on Academic Freedom and Democracy”

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The Political Push to Defund Diversity In a wide-ranging conversation on Hard Knock Radio, education leader and cultural scholar Dr. Michael Benitez issued a stark warning: “We’re watching academic freedom and democracy get hollowed out in real time.” Dr. Benitez, a former university vice president and longtime advocate for equity in higher ed, joined Davey D to break down … Continued


Hard Knock Radio

Roy Ayers Tribute w/ Jessica Care Moore, Ursula Rucker and Kwado Deterville

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In this powerful episode of Hard Knock Radio, Davey D brings together a trio of cultural powerhouses—spoken word trailblazers Ursula Rucker and Jessica Care Moore, alongside cultural historian and artist Kwadwo Deterville—to honor the expansive legacy of Roy Ayers. A true connector across generations, cities, and musical movements, Ayers was remembered with love, laughter, and deep reverence. Roy Ayers: Beyond ‘Everybody Loves the Sunshine’ Most … Continued