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.
Prophets of Rage
Public Enemy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With force I keep it away of course
And I'm keepin' you from sleepin'
And on stage I rage
And I'm rollin'
To the poor I pour in on in metaphors
Not bluffin', it's nothin'
That we ain't did before
The points made
You consider it done
By the prophets of rage
(Power of the people say)
I roll with the punches so I survive
Try to rock 'cause it keeps the crowd alive
I'm not ballin', I'm just callin'
But I'm past the days of yes y'allin'
Wa wiggle round and round
I pump, you jump up
Hear my words my verbs
And get juiced up
I been around a while
You can describe my sound
Clear the way
For the prophets of rage
(Power of the people say)
I rang ya bell
Can you tell I got feelin'
Just peace at least
Cause I want it
Want it so bad
That I'm starvin'
I'm like Garvey
So you can see be
It's like that, I'm like Nat
Leave me the hell alone
If you don't think I'm a brother
Then check the chromosomes
Then check the stage
I declare it a new age
Get down for the prophets of rage
Keep you from gettin' like this
You back the track
You find we're the quotable
You emulate
Brothers, sisters that's beautiful
Follow a path
Of positivity you go
Some sing it or rap it
Or harmonize it through Go-Go
Little you know but very
Seldom I do party jams
About a plan
I'm considered the man
I'm the recordable
But God made it affordable
I say it, you play it
Back in your car or even portable
Stereo
Describes my scenario
Left or right, Black or White
They tell lies in the books
That you're readin'
It's knowledge of yourself
That you're needin'
Like Vescey or Prosser
We have a reason why
To debate the hate
That's why we're born to die
Mandela, cell dweller, Thatcher
You can tell her clear the way for the prophets of rage
(Power of the people you say)
It's raw and keepin' you on the floor
Its soul and keepin' you in control
It's pt. 2 'cause I'm
Pumpin' what you're used to
Until the whole juice crew
Gets me in my goose down
I do the rebel yell
And I'm the Duracell
Call it plain insane
Brothers causing me pain
When a brothers a victim
And the sellers a dweller in a cage
Yo, run the acapella
(Power of the people say)
The lyrics of Public Enemy's song “Prophets of Rage” speak to the group's mission to raise awareness of inequality and injustice through their music. The song starts by describing the power of using a microphone to express oneself and convey an important message. Chuck D, the lead vocalist, emphasizes how strongly he feels about his words by using phrases such as “with force” and “keeping you from sleeping.” He explains that the goal is to reach "the poor" through his "metaphors" and make clear statements using "no bluffing."
Chuck D goes on to say that he has been in the music industry for a long time and is still passionate about performing for his audience. He describes himself as a survivor and someone who is now "past the days of yes y'allin'". However, he remains determined to create positive change through his music, as he encourages listeners to follow a path of positivity rather than negativity. The song finishes with a call to action, “power of the people say,” urging everyone to join in for the movement.
Line by Line Meaning
With vice I hold the mike device
I grip the microphone tightly in my hand
With force I keep it away of course
I use strength to prevent anyone from taking the microphone away from me
And I'm keepin' you from sleepin'
My performance is so engaging that you won't want to miss a moment
And on stage I rage
I become very passionate when I perform
And I'm rollin'
I'm feeling really good and unstoppable
To the poor I pour in on in metaphors
I use metaphors to communicate with and relate to those who are economically disadvantaged
Not bluffin', it's nothin'
I'm not pretending, it's easy for me
That we ain't did before
We've done this many times and it's nothing new
We played you stayed
We performed and you stayed to listen and enjoy the show
The points made
We made our message clear
You consider it done
You should understand what we're trying to say
By the prophets of rage
We, Public Enemy, are here to spread the message of rebellion and revolution
(Power of the people say)
Our ideas are supported by the people who have the power to make a difference
I roll with the punches so I survive
I adapt to challenges and maintain my position
Try to rock 'cause it keeps the crowd alive
I aim to keep the crowd pumped up and energized
I'm not ballin', I'm just callin'
I'm not trying to show off, I'm simply trying to spread my message
But I'm past the days of yes y'allin'
I've moved on from the traditional call-and-response style of rap performances
Wa wiggle round and round
I move around on stage to keep things interesting
I pump, you jump up
I provide the energy and you respond with enthusiasm
Hear my words my verbs
Listen closely to what I'm saying
And get juiced up
Get excited and motivated
I been around a while
I have been in the rap game for a long time
You can describe my sound
You can tell what type of music I create
Clear the way
Make way for Public Enemy
For the prophets of rage
We, Public Enemy, are here to spread the message of rebellion and revolution
(Power of the people say)
Our ideas are supported by the people who have the power to make a difference
I rang ya bell
I grabbed your attention
Can you tell I got feelin'
You can sense the emotion in my message
Just peace at least
At least let's try for peace
Cause I want it
I truly desire peace
Want it so bad
I crave it very much
That I'm starvin'
I'm very hungry for peace
I'm like Garvey
I'm similar to Marcus Garvey, the Jamaican political leader and activist
So you can see be
I want everyone to understand
It's like that, I'm like Nat
I'm like Nat Turner, the American slave who led a rebellion in the 1830s
Leave me the hell alone
Stop bothering me
If you don't think I'm a brother
If you don't consider me to be on your side
Then check the chromosomes
Then you'll see we have the same biological makeup
I declare it a new age
I'm taking a stand and calling for a new era
Get down for the prophets of rage
Support Public Enemy's message of rebellion and revolution
Keep you from gettin' like this
Our message is meant to keep people from becoming hopeless or oppressed
You back the track
You support the music and message
You find we're the quotable
You see that our lyrics are memorable and worth repeating
You emulate
You try to copy our style or message
Brothers, sisters that's beautiful
We appreciate and celebrate our supporters
Follow a path
Take a direction
Of positivity you go
Choose to have a positive outlook
Some sing it or rap it
Spread the message through music or poetry
Or harmonize it through Go-Go
Or perform it through the Go-Go music genre
Little you know but very
You may not realize, but it's the truth
Seldom I do party jams
I don't often create upbeat or celebratory music
About a plan
I focus on communicating a message or idea
I'm considered the man
I am respected and admired
I'm the recordable
My message is on record and can be played back
But God made it affordable
I was given the opportunity and resources to create my music and message
I say it, you play it
I speak it and you listen to it
Back in your car or even portable
You can listen to it wherever you go
Stereo
In stereo sound
Describes my scenario
My life story or experiences are depicted in my music
Left or right, Black or White
Regardless of political or racial identity
They tell lies in the books
The media conveys misinformation
That you're readin'
That the masses consume
It's knowledge of yourself
Know yourself and don't rely on others to define you
That you're needin'
What people really need is self-awareness and empowerment
Like Vescey or Prosser
Like Gabriel Prosser or Denmark Vesey, two slaves who led rebellions in American history
We have a reason why
We, Public Enemy, have a justification for spreading our message of rebellion and revolution
To debate the hate
To argue against and counteract the negativity and oppression present in society
That's why we're born to die
We are willing to sacrifice ourselves for our cause
Mandela, cell dweller, Thatcher
A reference to Nelson Mandela and his time in prison, also making a comparison to the former Prime Minister of UK, Margaret Thatcher
You can tell her clear the way for the prophets of rage
Step aside or move out of the way for Public Enemy's message of rebellion and revolution
(Power of the people you say)
Our ideas are supported by the people who have the power to make a difference
It's raw and keepin' you on the floor
Our performance is intense and captivating, making you want to dance along
Its soul and keepin' you in control
Our music has soul and keeps you feeling empowered
It's pt. 2 'cause I'm
This is a continuation of our message
Pumpin' what you're used to
We're creating music that's consistent with our previous style
Until the whole juice crew
Until all of our supporters and collaborators
Gets me in my goose down
Makes me feel confident and relaxed
I do the rebel yell
I shout out in defiance and rebellion
And I'm the Duracell
I'm energized and powerful
Call it plain insane
Some might consider our message crazy or radical
Brothers causing me pain
Other black men giving me grief or opposition, making it harder to spread my message
When a brothers a victim
When black men are the victims of oppression
And the sellers a dweller in a cage
And the powers that be are also imprisoned by their position and the system they enforce
Yo, run the acapella
Let me perform my music without any backing track
(Power of the people say)
Our ideas are supported by the people who have the power to make a difference
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: Brad Wilk, Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Eric T Sadler, Hank Shocklee, Louis Freese, Thomas B Morello, Timothy Commerford
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind