The New Yorker Radio Hour

Episode: The Director Boots Riley on “Sorry to Bother You”

Date: January 8, 2019
Host: David Remnick
Guest: Boots Riley
Interviewer: Doreen St. Felix

Episode Overview

This episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour features a lively and insightful interview with Boots Riley, the acclaimed writer-director of the 2018 satirical film “Sorry to Bother You.” The conversation, led by The New Yorker's Doreen St. Felix, delves into the inspiration behind the film, its potent critique of capitalism, Riley's upbringing in an activist household, and the intersection of his careers in music, organizing, and filmmaking.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Inspiration Behind “Sorry to Bother You”

• Setting & Story First, Style Later
  Boots Riley reveals that the genesis of the film was rooted in a telemarketing environment and a character’s ethical struggle.

  • “All I knew was that it was going to take place on a telemarketing floor...and there was going to be a struggle that he had to decide what side he was on. ...I didn't start thinking about the aesthetics of it until I had the story.”
    (Boots Riley, 01:22)

• The Protagonist’s Perspective
  Riley intentionally chose to have the protagonist, Cassius Green, be a Black man navigating the workplace, not shying away from nuance and moral conflict.

  • “If you don't, the choice is too easy. Like what? They're just gonna have a debate about it? ...I have to bring people through that thought process.”
    (Boots Riley, 02:15)

• Autobiographical Elements
  All characters are, in a way, vehicles for Riley’s voice:

  • “All of the lines were me talking to myself.”
    (Boots Riley, 02:54)

2. Critique of Capitalism & the Tech Boom

• Not Just About Tech Riley states that the film’s critique transcends the tech industry or any one era:

  • “This movie wasn't about the tech boom. I mean, it could have been made in any year that we've had capitalism pretty much.”
    (Boots Riley, 04:25)

• On Workplace Culture He parodies “new capitalism” and tech workplace euphemisms:

  • “This idea of the new capitalism is no capitalism. ...It's a bean bag room. Do stuff. Here, you don't work. Do stuff. This is called do stuff. It's not called work. And I'm not your boss. I just kind of tell you what to do.”
    (Boots Riley, 04:49)

• Media Gatekeeping & Capitalism Riley touches on changing attitudes in media, speculating his film might have been received differently in previous years depending on who's in political power.

3. Art and Political Language

• Avoiding the Word 'Capitalism' in Art Riley prefers not to use 'capitalism' directly in his creative work:
  • “In my artwork. I don't use the term capitalism...My goal is to have people be against capitalism. I want my art to inform, be more personal about how we think about the world and how things work.”
    (Boots Riley, 06:22)

4. Activist Upbringing

• Roots in Activism
  Riley was born into a family with activist roots, but his parents didn’t push ideology on him:

  • “He didn't push ideas on me...As I came into certain ideas, I knew...they wouldn't be mad at me for getting involved in organizations. But I also could think of it as my own thing.”
    (Boots Riley, 08:34)

• First Steps in Organizing
  He describes being introduced to activism through youth outreach:

  • Anecdote about being lured into political action by a youth organizer—with a van full of kids going to the beach, who instead attended a labor strike.
    (08:32–09:27)

• Early Action and Result Organizing student walkouts in Oakland led to direct change:

  • “We called for a walkout and...2,000 of the 2,200 students started walking out. ...the superintendent came out and read a prepared statement saying, 'We've decided not to have year round schools. Thank you.' ...We got drunk off power.”
    (Boots Riley, 09:40–11:40)

5. The Road from Activism to Music

• Early Interest in Performing Riley was drawn to music and performance, citing an early attempt to emulate Prince but discovered the potential of music as a tool for social change.

• Integrating Art and Activism A pivotal moment: seeing music fuel community resistance after police brutality in San Francisco projects.

  • “The biggest hit on the radio was Public Enemy, Fight the Power...Somebody started chanting...and they ran back. It made me see what place music could have—a rallying cry.”
    (Boots Riley, 13:01–15:00)

• Rapping as a Discipline Early failures in rapping were not a deterrent; Riley saw the need for practice and discipline, a lesson carried over from activist organizing.

6. Transition to Filmmaking

• From Film School to Music to Film Riley admits he couldn’t balance organizing and music simultaneously. After working with Tom Morello in Street Sweeper Social Club, he craved a medium wholly his own, leading him back to his filmmaking ambition.
  • “I came out of that really wanting to create something that was all out of my brain. ...You could create a whole world with a film.”
    (Boots Riley, 16:28)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On writing dialogue:
  “All of the conversations. All of the lines were me talking to myself.”
  (Boots Riley, 02:54)

• On workplaces of the new economy:
  “It's a bean bag room. Do stuff. Here, you don't work. Do stuff. This is called do stuff. It's not called work. And I'm not your boss. I just kind of tell you what to do.”
  (Boots Riley, 04:49)

• On the power of protest:
  “We got drunk off power.”
  (Boots Riley, 11:40)

• On the necessity of getting good at rapping:
  “That didn’t make it impossible. It just made me realize that I had to figure out how to get good so that I could do this.”
  (Boots Riley, 15:00)

• On filmmaking as ultimate creative control:
  “You could create a whole world with a film. I had the idea that I was going to make films in my head the whole time.”
  (Boots Riley, 16:28)

Important Timestamps

• 01:22 – Boots Riley on first imagining “Sorry to Bother You”
• 02:15 – Why the protagonist had to be conflicted, personal approach to character creation
• 04:25 – Riley on the film’s critique beyond the tech boom
• 06:22 – On not explicitly discussing capitalism in his art
• 08:34–09:27 – Riley’s early introduction to activism
• 09:40–11:40 – Story of organizing a student walkout with immediate results
• 13:01–15:00 – The moment music revealed itself as a tool for resistance
• 16:28 – The transition from organizing/music to filmmaking

Conclusion

Boots Riley’s conversation is a compelling weave of creative process, political conviction, and personal journey. With humor and reflective candor, he explores how “Sorry to Bother You” crystallized years of activism, musical discipline, and his aspirations as a storyteller. The episode offers listeners a window into the mind of an artist whose work—whether in hip hop or on screen—remains deeply intertwined with a vision for social change.