Public Enemy has gone through many lineup changes over the years, with Chuck D and Flavor Flav remaining the only constant members. Co-founder Professor Griff left in 1989 but rejoined in 1998, before parting ways again some years later. DJ Lord also joined Public Enemy in 1998 as the replacement of the group's original DJ Terminator X. In 2020, it was announced that Flavor Flav had been fired from the group. His firing was later revealed to be a publicity stunt that was called an April Fools' Day prank. Public Enemy, without Flavor Flav, would also tour and record music under the name of Public Enemy Radio which consists of the lineup of Chuck D, Jahi, DJ Lord and the S1Ws.
Public Enemy's first four albums during the late 1980s and early 1990s were all certified either gold or platinum and were, according to music critic Robert Hilburn in 1998, "the most acclaimed body of work ever by a hip hop act". Critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine called them "the most influential and radical band of their time". They were inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. They were honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at the 62nd Grammy Awards.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Enemy
Studio albums
Yo! Bum Rush the Show (1987)
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)
Fear of a Black Planet (1990)
Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black (1991)
Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age (1994)
There's a Poison Goin' On (1999)
Revolverlution (2002)
New Whirl Odor (2005)
How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul? (2007)
Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp (2012)
The Evil Empire of Everything (2012)
Man Plans God Laughs (2015)
Nothing Is Quick in the Desert (2017)
Loud Is Not Enough (2020) (released under the name Public Enemy Radio)
What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down? (2020)
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There are three other groups named Public Enemy:
2) The first Public Enemy, an Oi!/punk band formed in 1984 who released one LP album (England's Glory) and one 7 inch (Skinheads). This band was never white supremacist and has no connection to the "revived" Public Enemy:
3) White Power group from the UK, formed by Paul Burnley (of No Remorse). Released 3 CDs: “Paul Burnley Is The Real Public Enemy”, "There is only one..." and “Archives”.
4) Public Enemy was a Hardcore/Punk group from Tuscon, Arizona.
Brothers Gonna Work It Out
Public Enemy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Help me break this down from off the shelf
Here's a music servin' you so use it
Papa's got a brand new funk
Get down (party for your right)
Huh, let's get it on
Like we said before
They say the brothers causin' trouble
'Cause we rumble
From our lower level
To condition your condition
We're gonna do a song
That you never heard before
Make you all jump along to the education
Brothers gonna work it out
And stop chasin'
Brothers, brothers gonna work it out
You got it what it takes
Go get it where you want it?
Come get it get involved
'Cause the brothers in the street are willing to work it out
So many of us in limbo
How to get it on, it's quite simple
Three stones from the sun
We need a piece of this rock
Our goal indestructible soul
Answers to this quizzin'
To the Brothers in the streets, schools and the prisons
History shouldn't be a mystery
Our stories real history
Not his story
We gonna work it one day
Till we all get paid
The right way in full, no bull
Talkin', no walkin', drivin', arrivin' in style
Soon you'll see what I'm talkin' 'bout
'Cause one day
The brothers gonna work it out
Brothers, brothers gonna work it out
You got it what it takes
Go get it where you want it?
Come get it get involved
'Cause the brothers in the street are willing to work it out
Let's get it on we are willin'
Let's get it on, let's get it on we are willin'
Let's get it on, let's get it on, let's get it on we are willin'
Now we are ready if you are ready
In 1995, you'll twist to this
As you raise your fist to the music
United we stand, yes divided we fall
Together we can stand tall
Brothers that try to work it out
They get mad, revolt, revise, realize
They're super bad
Small chance a smart brother's
Gonna be a victim of his own circumstance
Sabotaged, Shell shocked, rocked and ruled
Day in the life of a fool
Like I said before to live it low
Life take you time, time yo go slow
Look here, not a thing to fear
Brother to brother not another as sincere
Teach a man how to be father
To never tell a woman he can't bother
You can't say you don't know
What I'm talkin' 'bout
But one day brothers gonna work it out
Come on
You got it what it takes
Go get it where you want it?
Come get it get involved
'Cause the brothers in the street
Are willing to work it out
Let's get it on we are willin'
Let's get it on, let's get it on we are willin'
Let's get it on, let's get it on, let's get it on we are willin'
Now we are ready if you are ready, come on (huh!)
The song "Brothers Gonna Work It Out" by Public Enemy is a passionate call to action for black men in America to work together and rise up against the injustices and challenges they face. The opening lines, "Help me break this down from off the shelf, Here's a music servin' you so use it," invite the listener to pay close attention to the message being conveyed. The lyrics argue that black men have the power to overcome their difficult circumstances and that by working together, they can create a better future for themselves and their communities.
The song touches on several themes that are central to the black experience in America, including police brutality, mass imprisonment, and institutionalized racism. Public Enemy advocates for education and the preservation of black history, arguing that knowledge is power and that by learning about their past, black men can more effectively fight for their rights in the present. The song's chorus, "Brothers gonna work it out," serves as a rallying cry for unity and strength, encouraging black men to stand together and fight for a better future.
Ultimately, "Brothers Gonna Work It Out" is a powerful testament to the resilience and perseverance of black men in America. It is a reminder that despite the many challenges they face, they have the power to effect change and create a brighter tomorrow for themselves and their communities.
Line by Line Meaning
Uh, your bad self
Hey, you're pretty cool
Help me break this down from off the shelf
Let's analyze this music together
Here's a music servin' you so use it
Listen to this music, it's here for you to enjoy
Papa's got a brand new funk
We've got a new style of music to share with you
Get down (party for your right)
Let loose and have a good time
Huh, let's get it on
Let's get started
Like we said before
As we've mentioned previously
They say the brothers causin' trouble
People accuse us of causing problems
Hate to bust their bubble
We don't want to disappoint them, but...
'Cause we rumble
We stand up for ourselves and fight back
From our lower level
We come from humble beginnings
To condition your condition
We want to help improve your situation
We're gonna do a song
We're going to use music to convey our message
That you never heard before
Our music is unique and new
Make you all jump along to the education
We'll have you dancing while you learn something new
Brothers gonna work it out
We're going to come together and fix things
And stop chasin'
We'll stop pursuing things that don't matter
Brothers, brothers gonna work it out
All of us, together, will work things out
You got it what it takes
You have the ability to achieve your goals
Go get it where you want it?
Do what you need to do to succeed
Come get it get involved
Join in and be a part of this movement
'Cause the brothers in the street are willing to work it out
Everyone is willing to come together and find a solution
So many of us in limbo
Many of us are stuck in a difficult position
How to get it on, it's quite simple
The solution to our problems is simple
Three stones from the sun
We're not as far off from success as we think
We need a piece of this rock
We want to claim our fair share of success
Our goal indestructible soul
We're determined and nothing can stop us
Answers to this quizzin'
We're looking for answers to our problems
To the Brothers in the streets, schools and the prisons
This message is for everyone, no matter where you are
History shouldn't be a mystery
We need to learn the truth about our history
Our stories real history
We want to tell our own stories, not the ones that have been forced on us
Not his story
We don't want to hear history from the perspective of the oppressor
We gonna work it one day
We'll keep working until we succeed
Till we all get paid
We want to see everyone succeed and reap the benefits
The right way in full, no bull
We want everyone to succeed fairly and honestly, without any lies or deception
Talkin', no walkin', drivin', arrivin' in style
We're not just talking about our goals, we're actively working to achieve them
Soon you'll see what I'm talkin' 'bout
Our hard work will soon pay off and everyone will see the results
'Cause one day the brothers gonna work it out
We're confident that we will eventually find the solution together
Let's get it on we are willin'
We're motivated and ready to work
Now we are ready if you are ready
We're prepared to work together, are you?
In 1995, you'll twist to this
This message will still be relevant in the future
As you raise your fist to the music
As you get excited and passionate about our message
United we stand, yes divided we fall
We're stronger together than we are apart
Together we can stand tall
We can overcome anything if we work together
Brothers that try to work it out
We're trying our best to find a solution
They get mad, revolt, revise, realize
Sometimes the process is frustrating, but we'll eventually come to a realization
They're super bad
We're determined and powerful
Small chance a smart brother's
There's a slim chance that someone who's intelligent will be negatively affected by their circumstances
Gonna be a victim of his own circumstance
It's unfortunate when someone's circumstances prevent them from succeeding
Sabotaged, Shell shocked, rocked and ruled
We've faced many obstacles and challenges
Day in the life of a fool
It can be hard to navigate the world when you're not given the tools to succeed
Like I said before to live it low
Take things slow and steady
Life take you time, time yo go slow
Take time for yourself and don't rush through life
Look here, not a thing to fear
Don't be afraid, everything will be okay
Brother to brother not another as sincere
We're all in this together and we're being honest with each other
Teach a man how to be father
We need to teach men how to be responsible fathers
To never tell a woman he can't bother
We need to promote gender equality and respect for women
You can't say you don't know
You have no excuse not to know what's going on
What I'm talkin' 'bout
I'm talking about working together for a better future
Come on
Let's do this
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CARLTON RIDENHOUR, DAVID L. SPRADLEY, ERIC T. SADLER, GARRY MARSHALL SHIDER, GEORGE JR. CLINTON, KEITH M. BOXLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@markufoto
For me, this album is the greatest rap album of all time.
@karmaisreal111
I second that
@NBC.SATURDAY.NIGHT.LIVE.
This Canadian loves it
@durterebelz
Facts. #realheadsknow
@Openmountain1
I say the before this one was better It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
@justintime8922
Definitely
@johnnunes2993
This is rap music, not the garbage we have today.
@Stonez
I cannot get over how INSANE this beat is.
@Xillasun
Could never replicate the technique. Wall of the nastiest, grimiest, dirtiest sonics.
@tayfuny824
Same here 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥