Public Enemy (music group)
Public Enemy is a highly influential American hip-hop group that formed in 1982, known for its politically charged lyrics that address social issues within the African American community. The group was initially composed of Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Professor Griff, and DJ Terminator X, with later member DJ Lord joining after Terminator X's departure. Public Enemy gained prominence with their second album, *It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back*, which achieved significant commercial success and critical acclaim, solidifying their place in hip-hop history. The group’s music often intertwines themes of racism, politics, and black nationalism, with Chuck D delivering serious commentary while Flavor Flav offers a contrasting humorous perspective. Over the years, Public Enemy has released numerous albums, garnering several certifications and awards, including induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Although the group faced challenges, including lineup changes and periods of hiatus, they have continued to produce music that resonates with contemporary social issues, as demonstrated by their consistent output in the 2000s and beyond. Their work remains relevant, reflecting ongoing conversations about race and politics in America.
Public Enemy (music group)
Public Enemy is an American hip-hop group that formed in 1982. The group's original members included Carlton "Chuck D" Ridenhour (vocals), William "Flavor Flav" Drayton (vocals), Richard "Professor Griff" Griffin (vocals, choreography), and Norman "Terminator X" Rogers (DJ). Following the departure of Rogers, the group's later lineup included Lord "DJ Lord" Aswod. The group also featured dancers from an activist organization known as S1W (Security of the First World). Public Enemy's music is known for its politically inspired lyrics that highlight the social problems within the African American community. The group saw four of its albums certified gold or platinum throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Public Enemy continued to produce a variety of records in the following years, earning multiple awards and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Early Career
Carlton Ridenhour, also known as Chuck D, formed Public Enemy in1982 while studying graphic design at Adelphi University of Long Island in New York. As a disc jockey (DJ) for the campus radio station, he met Hank Shocklee and Bill Stephney, who later acted as producers of his music. The three had common interests in hip-hop and politics. The trio released the hip-hop single "Public Enemy No. 1" together on Stephney's radio show. Shocklee wrote the music for the song and Chuck D rapped over the track. Executives at Def Jam Recordings heard the song and contacted them about a recording contract. Adding rapper Flavor Flav, DJ Terminator X, and choreographer Professor Griff, the group called itself Public Enemy and released its first album, Yo! Bum Rush the Show, in 1987.
It was Public Enemy's second album that led to critical success, however. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back hit shelves in 1988. The album reached number one on Billboard's R&B charts and went on to sell more than one million copies. The group fared similarly well with its next album, the Grammy-nominated Fear of a Black Planet, which was Public Enemy's first recording to make it onto the top ten albums chart. The group's lyrics continued to voice concerns about racism and politics, connecting hip-hop culture with black nationalist ideologies. Chuck D was the major proponent of this philosophy, which advocated black separation and independence from white society. Rapping partner Flavor Flav counterbalanced Chuck D's narrative with humorous lyrics, such as those found in the song "911 Is a Joke," which pokes fun at the response time black neighborhoods experience when residents call 911 for help.
The group's next album, 1991's Apocalypse 91…The Enemy Strikes Black, reached number four on the charts. The album featured a remix of Public Enemy's popular song "Bring the Noise" with the heavy metal styling of Anthrax. It introduced the group's sound to a new fan base and earned Public Enemy a Grammy nomination for best rap performance by a duo or group. Public Enemy and Anthrax toured together the following year. Public Enemy also opened for U2's Zoo TV Tour that year. The group went on a hiatus in 1993 as Flavor Flav attempted to kick his drug addiction, returning the following year with Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age. The album was the group's first failure, and soon after, the group left Def Jam and halted further touring. Terminator X shattered his left leg in a motorcycle accident in 1994, an event that eventually led to his departure from Public Enemy in 1998. DJ Lord came in as a replacement and later became the group's full-time DJ.
Later Career and Comeback
Chuck D announced plans for a new Public Enemy album following the release of his solo debut in 1996. The reassembled Public Enemy began work on three albums in 1998. The group earned praise for its work on the soundtrack to the Spike Lee film He Got Game. Now signed with music label Atomic Pop, Public Enemy released its seventh album, There's a Poison Goin' On..., in July 1999. The group also released several of the album's singles via MP3 download before the album was available for purchase.
The group took a three-year break after There's a Poison Goin' On..., moving to music label Paint and releasing an album of new and remixed tracks titled Revolverlution in 2005. The group also released New Whirl Odor that year, an album of entirely new tracks. The following year, Public Enemy put out the album Rebirth of a Nation, which had lyrics written exclusively by San Francisco rapper Paris. The group also put together a collection of B-side tracks at the end of the year titled Beats and Places, and released How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul? in 2007. None of Public Enemy's records from the 2000s sold very well, though each release revealed an evolving sound.
Public Enemy made a major comeback in 2012, releasing two new albums, Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp and The Evil Empire of Everything, to critical acclaim. The group also began touring again in 2013. That year, Public Enemy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The artists then began work on their thirteenth studio album. Released in the summer of 2015, Man Plans God Laughs featured more lyrical rants about political and racial violence. Frontman Chuck D called the album the group's most intense of its career. The group released their fifteenth album in 2017, Nothing Is Quick in the Desert.
In March 2020, the group performed at a campaign rally for Bernie Sanders in Los Angeles. Sanders was running for the Democratic Party's presidential nominee. Prior to this, the band members announced that Flavor Fav had been fired from the group but later claimed that the announcement was a publicity stunt. Flavor Fav condemned the action, publicly stating that he had no part in it. Also in March 2020, the band released the album Loud Is Not Enough. In June 2020, Flavor Fav and the rest of the band released their anti-Donald Trump song, "State of the Union (STFU)." Public Enemy released their album What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down? in September of that year.
Bibliography
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"Public Enemy Biography." Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. Web. 22 Dec. 2015. https://rockhall.com/inductees/public-enemy/bio/
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