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.
Move!
Public Enemy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I pour it on the breaks
Till it break laws
Givin' the gabbin'
So the brothers be havin' it
Or else the five fingers of dope'll
Be grabbin' it
Wit' no complaints
On the mike
Like Karl Malone in the paint
Why rip a rapper
When he flow like water
I rather rush a television reporter
The frauds that tried to front
Watch ya back
Stop pullin' those lil' stunts
Assault and battery
'Cause I snatched the battery
Off his back the TV pack
Why pop the rhyme
On a rhymer when I kick it
Rather spend my time, spittin' on a bigot
Who pumped the pimp
That fed the fiends
He got jumped by the brothers in Ft. Green
They slapped the mack
That kept us back
Sucker suckin' the hood like drack
So if ya draggin' us down
Wit' the wack attitude
Get up, lookout, get out the way
Move
Signed
Sealed
Definition of a set-up
Pourin' it on and won't let up
'Cause f-a-l-l-i-n
Never applied
To this brother that tried
To let ya know
The folk of the American joke
That kept us broke
Now I'm ready to rap
Strong fax I swing
Like Bo Jax
I'm never calm on a bomb track
60 percent 3/fifths
Constituted
Huh prostituted
Why I'm mad
'Cause it's written on the paper
Right now
motherfucker bow
Kicked
The
Lyric
About
The tricks
Of the trade and the money made
Who got the money betcha bottom
Dollar bill
Gonna find
Some rich ol' bloodline
But the blood is in the mud
Take the whack an attack it
Like a Skud
To the patriotic hater
That got paid off my people
I'm rude
Lookout, get out the way
Move
Signed
An what I'm gettin' is mine
I bring the noise
To town
So let's get down
I cranked the beats
Tearin' up the street
And the park
An it ain't Mozart
Jack movin' out
'Cause the black movin' in
And its old
I said it in
Who Stole The Soul?
(Listen) but ninety two bring
An attitude
That say I don't give a
Fuck
About the old way
This is a new day
Tell Jack stay in the back
And all the other
Suckers
That don't matter
You got
Somethin' to prove
Scatter
Get out the way
Move!
The lyrics of Public Enemy's song Move! are a call to action, urging listeners to take control of their lives, stop being held back by external forces and move forward, leaving behind those who do not share their vision or who seek to hinder their progress.
The song opens with the line "Signed, sealed, delivered I B yours", a reference to the idea that the singer has made a commitment to his cause and is willing to go all out to achieve it. He then goes on to say that he will "pour it on the breaks/Till it break laws", suggesting that he will not be limited by rules or conventions and will do whatever it takes to succeed.
Throughout the rest of the song, the singer continues to advocate for action and change, calling out and challenging those who stand in the way of progress. He refers to "frauds that tried to front", "pimps that fed the fiends", and "patriotic haters that got paid off [his] people", and encourages his listeners to "move" past them and take control of their lives.
Overall, Move! is a powerful and compelling song that urges listeners to take action and fight for their beliefs, no matter what obstacles they may face.
Line by Line Meaning
Signed, sealed, delivered I B yours
I am confident and committed to delivering my message through this song
I pour it on the breaks Till it break laws
I express my message in a way that challenges societal norms and expectations
Givin' the gabbin' So the brothers be havin' it
I use my words to uplift and empower those who have been oppressed and marginalized
Or else the five fingers of dope'll Be grabbin' it
If I don't use my words to empower others, they will resort to other means of getting what they deserve
Wit' no complaints Givin' uppin' I ain't On the mike Like Karl Malone in the paint
I am confident in my skills and abilities as a musician and will not back down from speaking the truth
Why rip a rapper When he flow like water I rather rush a television reporter
I am more interested in calling out the systemic issues and injustices perpetuated by the media than attacking other musicians
The frauds that tried to front Watch ya back Stop pullin' those lil' stunts Assault and battery 'Cause I snatched the battery Off his back the TV pack
I will not stand for those who try to deceive or mislead the public and will take action against them
Why pop the rhyme On a rhymer when I kick it Rather spend my time, spittin' on a bigot
I value using my platform to speak out against prejudice and hate more than targeting other musicians
Who pumped the pimp That fed the fiends He got jumped by the brothers in Ft. Green They slapped the mack That kept us back Sucker suckin' the hood like drack
I am unafraid to call out those who exploit and harm their own community for personal gain
So if ya draggin' us down Wit' the wack attitude Get up, lookout, get out the way Move
I will not tolerate those who try to hold us back from progress and will push forward regardless
Signed Sealed Definition of a set-up Pourin' it on and won't let up 'Cause f-a-l-l-i-n Never applied To this brother that tried To let ya know The folk of the American joke That kept us broke
I refuse to accept that failing is an option and will continue to use my platform to expose the systemic oppression that has kept marginalized groups in poverty
Now I'm ready to rap Strong fax I swing Like Bo Jax I'm never calm on a bomb track
I am always ready to speak truth to power and will not be silenced by those who seek to silence me
60 percent 3/fifths Constituted Huh prostituted Why I'm mad 'Cause it's written on the paper Right now motherfucker bow
I am outraged by the fact that the Constitution at one point considered African Americans to be worth only 60% of a person and will not back down in the face of this injustice
Kicked The Lyric About The tricks Of the trade and the money made Who got the money betcha bottom Dollar bill Gonna find Some rich ol' bloodline But the blood is in the mud
I am exposing the fact that those who have historically procured wealth and power have done so at the expense of marginalized and oppressed people
Take the whack an attack it Like a Skud To the patriotic hater That got paid off my people I'm rude Lookout, get out the way Move
I will not shy away from attacking those who perpetuate hate and ignorance, especially if they have done so through exploiting the labor and resources of oppressed groups
An what I'm gettin' is mine I bring the noise To town So let's get down I cranked the beats Tearin' up the street And the park An it ain't Mozart
I am proud of my work and will not let anyone stop me from using my music to speak truth to power
Jack movin' out 'Cause the black movin' in And its old I said it in Who Stole The Soul? (Listen) but ninety two bring An attitude That say I don't give a Fuck
I am part of a wave of Black musicians and artists who will not stand for the oppression and marginalization of our communities any longer
About the old way This is a new day Tell Jack stay in the back And all the other Suckers That don't matter You got Somethin' to prove Scatter Get out the way Move!
We are no longer willing to be silenced or pushed to the side by oppressive systems and those who uphold them. We will demand justice, progress, and liberation and anyone who stands in our way will be pushed aside.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CARLTON RIDENHOUR, GARY RINALDO, HANK SHOCKLEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind