Public
Enemy
To people of privilege, the rap group Public
Enemy was considered to be worst than their
name implied. In a society that has problems
disguising its uneven playing field, Chuck D
and Flavor Flav shined light on a system in
a way that frightened many suburban Americans.
This group from the late 1980s expressed radical
political views and highlighted incidents of
discrimination across the United States. Sometimes
called the “black CNN,” Public Enemy
encouraged social activism and often condoned
revolutionary tactics of resistance. For example,
martial arts and fake Uzi’s were used
in their performances while the Security of
the First World dancers, led by choreographer
Professor Griff, were dressed in all black or
army fatigues.
Public Enemy’s debut album, Yo! Bum Rush
the Show, was released in 1987. This album received
good reviews in the black community but was
overlooked by the mainstream R&B and rock
culture. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold
Us Back, Public Enemy’s second album,
was as revolutionary as rap and rock critics
expected. The album contained positive endorsements
of Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of
Islam that could not be ignored. Additionally,
the single Fight the Power caused a major uproar
because it criticized certain public figures
who were considered idols and role models by
the mainstream of society:
Elvis
was a hero to most
But
he never meant sh*t to me you see
Straight
up racist that sucker was
Simple
and plain
Mother
f**k him and John Wayne
Cause
I'm Black and I'm proud
I'm
ready and hyped plus I'm amped
Most
of my heroes don't appear on no stamps
Sample
a look back you look and find
Nothing
but rednecks for 400 years if you check
(©
1995 Def Jam Records; From: www.publicenemy.com)
This album represented the beginning of rap
music being used to promote social change.
Public Enemy’s other albums had similar
impact on society. Their third album release,
Fear of a Black Planet, also caused controversy.
The first single released from this album, Welcome
to the Terrordome, claimed that they were persecuted
for sending a message of truth, just like Jesus
was. Some claimed the albums views and lyrics
were anti-Semitic. By the fourth album, Apocalypse
91, Public Enemy began to try to speak to their
white audience by collaborating with the metal
group Anthrax. This album received amazingly
positive reviews. Unfortunately, Public Enemy
began to lose popularity as other rap artists,
influenced by their style, began to emerge on
the scene.
Reference: http://www.publicenemy.com/
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/public_enemy/bio.jhtml
http://lyrics.rare-lyrics.com/P/Public-Enemy/Fight-The-Power.html
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