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.
Night of the Living Baseheads
Public Enemy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bam!
And you say, Goddamn
This is the dope jam
But lets define the term called dope
And you think it mean funky now, no
Here is a true tale
Of the ones that deal
Yeah
You can move if you want to move
What it prove
It's here like the groove
The problem is this, we gotta' fix it
Check out the justice, and how they run it
Sellin', smellin'
Sniffin', riffin'
And brothers try to get swift an'
Sell to their own, rob a home
While some shrivel to bone
Like comatose walkin' around
Please don't confuse this with the sound
I'm talking about BASS
I put this together to
Rock the bells of those that
Boost the dose
Of lack a lack
And those that sell to Black
Shame on a brother when he dealin'
The same block where my 98 be wheelin'
And everybody know
Another kilo
From a corner from a brother to keep another
Below
Stop illin' and killin'
Stop grillin'
Yo, black, yo (we are willin')
4, 5 o'clock in the mornin'
Wait a minute y'all
The fiends are fiendin'
Day to day they say no other way
This stuff
Is really bad
I'm talkin' 'bout bass!
Yo, listen
I see it on their faces
(First come first serve basis)
Standin' in line
Checkin' the time
Homeboys playin' the curb
The same ones that used to do herb
Now they're gone
Passin' it on
Poison attack, the Black word bond
Daddy-O
Once said to me
He knew a brother who stayed all day in his jeep
And at night he went to sleep
And in the mornin' all he had was
The sneakers on his feet
The culprit used to jam and rock the mike, yo
He stripped the jeep to fill his pipe
And wander around to find a place
Where they rocked to a different kind of bass
In Public Enemy's song Night of the Living Baseheads, Chuck D addresses the drug crisis and the impact it had on the black community in the 1980s. In the first verse, Chuck D defines the term "dope" and reveals the truth that drug dealers are actually the ones who fail. He then goes on to criticize drug use and how it destroys lives and communities. He emphasizes the negative effects of drugs by saying that some individuals become "comatose walking around" and "shriveled to bone."
Chuck D also points out the injustice of the situation, saying that drug dealers and users are "selling, smelling, sniffing, riffing" and that they "try to get swift" by selling to their own and robbing homes. He calls for black people to stand together and stop killing each other, and instead, focus on fighting the real enemy. He uses the metaphor of "bass" to represent the addictive nature of drugs, which can hook people and keep them coming back for more.
Overall, Night of the Living Baseheads serves as a social commentary on the devastating impact of drugs on black communities. Chuck D uses his lyrics to call for change and unity in the face of such destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
Here it is
The song is beginning
Bam!
The song starts with a powerful sound effect
And you say, Goddamn
The listener reacts with amazement or approval
This is the dope jam
This is a great song
But lets define the term called dope
Let's clarify what 'dope' means in this context
And you think it mean funky now, no
Contrary to popular belief, it doesn't mean something good or cool
Here is a true tale
This is a story based on real life
Of the ones that deal
About drug dealers
Are the ones that fail
They are destined to suffer or lose
Yeah
Agreement or emphasis
You can move if you want to move
You are free to dance or act as you please
What it prove
What does it accomplish or show?
It's here like the groove
The music is present and lively
The problem is this, we gotta' fix it
The problem with drugs needs to be solved
Check out the justice, and how they run it
Consider how law enforcement and courts handle drug-related issues
Sellin', smellin'
Drug dealing and usage
Sniffin', riffin'
Inhaling drugs and being unruly or disruptive
And brothers try to get swift an'
Some people try to get rich or powerful quickly
Sell to their own, rob a home
Drug dealers harm their own community and commit other crimes
While some shrivel to bone
Drug addicts waste away and suffer health problems
Like comatose walkin' around
People look like they are in a coma while still functioning
Please don't confuse this with the sound
Don't mistake the music for something that celebrates drug culture
I'm talking about BASS
The song highlights the importance of bass in music
I put this together to
The song was created to
Rock the bells of those that
Entertain and captivate the audience who
Boost the dose
Increase the amount of drugs consumed
Of lack a lack
Of low quality drugs
And those that sell to Black
Drug dealers who target African American customers
Shame on a brother when he dealin'
It's shameful when a fellow African American sells drugs
The same block where my 98 be wheelin'
In the same neighborhood where I drive my car
And everybody know
It's common knowledge
Another kilo
Another kilogram of drugs
From a corner from a brother to keep another
Drug trafficking between people in the same community
Below
Dependent on drugs or powerless
Stop illin' and killin'
Stop harming oneself and others
Stop grillin'
Stop interrogating or bothering me
Yo, black, yo (we are willin')
Addressing African American people, indicating their willingness to change
4, 5 o'clock in the mornin'
Very early in the morning
Wait a minute y'all
Pause or hold on
The fiends are fiendin'
Drug addicts are craving drugs
Day to day they say no other way
Drug addiction feels like the only option and consumes everyday life
This stuff
Drugs
Is really bad
It's extremely harmful
I'm talkin' 'bout bass!
The song emphasizes the importance of bass in music
Yo, listen
Attention, please
I see it on their faces
It's evident by their expressions
(First come first serve basis)
The principle of taking turns in order of arrival
Standin' in line
Waiting in a queue
Checkin' the time
Looking at the clock or watch to determine how long it takes
Homeboys playin' the curb
Friends hanging out on the sidewalk
The same ones that used to do herb
The same people who used to smoke marijuana
Now they're gone
They have died or disappeared
Passin' it on
Referring to drug addiction as a disease that spreads from person to person
Poison attack, the Black word bond
Drugs destroy the unity and trust among African American people
Daddy-O
Refers to someone called Daddy-O
Once said to me
Told me on a previous occasion
He knew a brother who stayed all day in his jeep
He knew someone who spent hours inside his car
And at night he went to sleep
He only slept at night
And in the mornin' all he had was
In the morning, he only possessed
The sneakers on his feet
His shoes
The culprit used to jam and rock the mike, yo
The person responsible used to make music
He stripped the jeep to fill his pipe
He sold car parts in order to buy drugs
And wander around to find a place
He would wander aimlessly in search of a spot
Where they rocked to a different kind of bass
Where they listened to a different genre of music that didn't necessarily glorify drugs
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: Carlton Ridenhour, Eric Sadler, Hank Shocklee
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mayssm
Not only one of the best educated rap groups, but musically, one of the best of all time.
@umad3592
I was a child when this came out..... Thank you Public Enemy.✊🏿
@andrashajdu2425
I barely understood English at the time, I was a white boy from an ex-socialit country and I was amazed by this video, I was trying hard to figure out what was happening... but I liked it a lot! :)
@perrynn7173
Me too. Haven't they aged so well??
Great comment.
@theubcr2pbc863
That makes you a well adjusted forward thinking adult now .. good stuff
@theubcr2pbc863
@@andrashajdu2425Great Take Away, You got enjoyment.
@billgrogan7856
I wasn't a child when this came out but thank you so much
@kenn_k
Public Enemy are a perfect example of timeless. Their music was and still is both ahead of its time and very necessary for its time simultaneously.
@thersten
Still doper than 99.9% of any music out in 2022. ✊🏼
Sike: you're just old and crusty and forgot how to appreciate music. 😂
@rithvikbonam8507
Listen to more music