Public Enemy is an enemy only to ignorance. Their music is more than something enjoyable to listen to, it's an education, and the themes and ideas presented on their albums take excellent mixes and killer deliveries and elevate them to legendary status in music history.
420 to 30: A Music Retrospective
Here's 7 of my favorites from Public Enemy.
Week 29: PUBLIC ENEMY
#198/420 - Public Enemy, “Give It Up”
One of the great rap vocal duos, Chuck D and Flavor Flav, with one of their best hooks and some of their best verses and backing. One of the aspects of Public Enemy’s music that stands out is their consistent use of guitar throughout their discography, uncommon to the genre, and here it really does a lot to make it more of party song. Rock and Rap, one could say...
Chuck D’s rhymes are crisp and Flavor Flav does what he does best, bring the hype and get completely in the zone as he does it.
#199/420 - Public Enemy, “Hazy Shade of Criminal”
For a “greatest misses” album, this is pretty damn good. Unreleased songs and outtakes, one of the best of the collection is a very interesting and politically charged song against the criminals in politics. Echoes of John Lennon 20 years earlier with “power to the people”. Here Public Enemy is calling for a wake up to the corruption in government, false promises, bribery, wrongful imprisonment, etc. Who are the real criminals?
It’s a hazy version of crime when it happens from within.
A great song and album, passing this one up would just be dumb, “dumb diggetty dumb diggetty dumb.”
#200/420 - Public Enemy, “Louder Than a Bomb (JMJ Telephone Tap Groove)”
My favorite of Public Enemy's greatest misses is originally from their second album, but gets a remix here and I find it to be even better than the original. It happens sometimes. The original is also very good, of course, but here you really get that, well, as the title states, “telephone tap groove” behind it that is quite enjoyable, and also fitting, since Chuck D talks about his telephone being tapped in the lyrics.
Basically, like any voice of controversy that causes mass numbers of people to think differently, Public Enemy have been victims of scrutiny from the powers that be. Because Chuck D is “louder than a bomb.” And probably true. Speaking out can do more to change the world than any bomb could ever accomplish.
It’s a good groove and great instance of the artist saying, fuck it, I’m going to say what I’m going to say. And good on ‘em.
#201/420 - Public Enemy, “Don’t Believe the Hype”
“Don’t believe the hype.” How true it is. How people manipulate. How people make judgments. And how good is this song.
#202/420 - Public Enemy, “911 Is a Joke”
Flavor Flav takes the reins on this one and it’s a classic as well as another scathing commentary on another American institution, 911 emergency. A lot of times your quality of care depends on where you live and who you are, and to some, the idea of emergency service is a joke.
Besides what Public Enemy has to say here, it is a funky song, easy to “get up, get, get, get down” to. And as always, the Vincent Price maniacal laughter sample is more than welcome in any song.
#203/420 - Public Enemy, “She Watch Channel Zero?!”
Public Enemy + James Brown + Slayer = a pretty fucking cool song and one of my favorites from Chuck D and Flavor Flav. The guitar shredding is awesome here behind the vocals with some of the best rhythm in their discography.
She watch channel zero.
Great song with a great message that remains just as relevant today as people continue idolizing bullshit TV/Internet and modeling their lives after garbage and trash.
Look, don't nobody look like that
Nobody even look that, you know what I'm sayin'?
You watchin' garbage, nothin' but garbage
Straight up garbage
Yo, why don't you just back up from the TV
Read a book or somethin’!
Ironically, Flavor Flav would go on to star in such a show, “Flavor of Love” on VH1. Though not quite “Channel 0”, “1” is not a far-off number. But granted, this is the only reason my mom knows who Flavor Flav is (though she probably still doesn’t know “Public Enemy”) so I guess it had some… impact of meaning.
Nonetheless, this is one of Public Enemy’s best jams, best digs, and best fusions of metal and rap out there.
#202/420 - Public Enemy, “Harder Than You Think”
Best comeback track by any band/group ever? I think so. It’s my favorite by Public Enemy and one of the coolest songs from my first summer away from home in 2007. This was made a full 20 years after Public Enemy was first formed, but it doesn’t skip a beat. Chuck D and Flavor Flav are in as good of form as ever and the backing track certainly helps make it into the epic, bodacious track that it is.
This was the song that firmly established Public Enemy as public enemy number one in not only New York, but also D.C., Cleveland, Ohio, St. Louis, New Jersey, Cincinnati, Chicago, Detroit, Oakland, Baltimore, Miami, Indiana, L.A., Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, the Carolinas, and who knows, probably even more. Probably even more. Yeah, that’s right, Chuck, man, that’s what you got to do. You got to tell ‘em just like that.
I mean, this could have easily come across as two guys way too old to be doing their thing, but it just didn’t and just doesn’t. This I think is a real mark of their talent, and something few musicians can pull off. 20 years in and produce a hit like this. Who else? McCartney? Lennon? Michael Jackson? Sinatra? A few others but ultimately very, very few. Only the legends. “Get up, still a beautiful idea.”
I am a big proponent of free speech and free expression and few artists have ever pushed the boundaries of discussion through an artform like Public Enemy has done with their music. It’s not only thought-provoking but highly listenable and often very fun.
Just like that.
Next week, another favorite from my brief college years and one group that actually found its way into one of my films. They are still making fine music today, but next week I will revisit my seven favorites from the first decade of Stuart McLamb’s The Love Language.
420 to 30: A Music Retrospective
Week 2: The Jackson 5/The Jacksons
Week 3: A Tribe Called Quest
Week 4: Weezer
Week 5: Bob Dylan
Week 6: Led Zeppelin
Week 7: 2Pac/Makaveli
Week 8: Billy Joel
Week 9: Electric Light Orchestra
Week 10: Elvis Presley
Week 11: Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band
Week 12: The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Week 13: Nirvana
Week 14: The Doors
Week 15: The Rolling Stones
Week 16: Gnarls Barkley
Week 17: Gábor Szabó
Week 18: Galaxie 500
Week 19: Simon & Garfunkel
Week 20: Gorillaz
Week 21: Ennio Morricone
Week 22: The Moody Blues
Week 23: Koji Kondo
Week 24: Rob Zombie/White Zombie
Week 25: Paul McCartney/Wings
Week 26: George Harrison
Week 27: Phil Spector
Week 28: John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
View the full list of "420 Songs" here: https://tinyurl.com/y8fboudu (Google spreadsheet link)