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.
Super Agent
Public Enemy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, kick that shit G.
Nothin'.
Yea.
Sold, black gold, one strong buck,
To the Milwaukee Bucks, for a million bucks.
Just get him off the streets so he don't get bucked.
Uh, run nigga run to the auction block.
But you can't pledge allegiance to the block.
This buck here, is the right kinda stock.
For sale for passin', the right kinda rock.
Yo. Auctioneer Stern, to massive fuck.
Can a nigga go home to where he used to walk?
Come back, but super agent said, "You can't talk"
I didn't know basketball had a bauk.
Uh the Buck runs laps, while they run craniums.
Players be drainin' 'em, owners be claimin' 'em.
Super agents fraimin' 'em and then nicknamin' 'em.
Drainin' they ass, to pack them stadiums.
Super agent
(Super agent, where are you now?)
Super agent
(What a hell of a man)
(Where you at?)
Super agent
(Super agent, where are you now?)
Never flagrant
(Big daddy moves).
(Where you at?)
Super agent
(Super agent, where are you now?)
Super agent,
(Backstabbin') super agent,
(Super agent, where are you now?)
Never flagrant
(Watch yo back)
Let's get it on!
The players ear word for word verbatim.
Super agent got him locked.
Coaches be hatin him.
Super agent wouldn't even come in my hood.
If I had no skills, was wackin' no good.
Uh, in my neck of the woods the leagues concrete.
One can only dream about wood, yea.
Feel the grain and let the bills get paid.
Pay respect to the projects,
And the half court rejects.
Scholarships, save that college shit.
Then championships, don't pay for the head trips.
Can I get a chance if I don't sing or dance?
Right about romance? Or wear short pants?
So I rave and rant, and you can't say I can't,
Get my grants, cold chillin in a b-boy stance.
Super agent
(Super agent, where are you now?)
Super agent
(What a hell of a man)
(Where you at?)
Super agent
(Super agent, where are you now?)
Never flagrant
(Big daddy moves).
(Where you at?)
Super agent
(Super agent, where are you now?)
Super agent,
(Backstabbin') super agent,
(Super agent, where are you now?)
Never flagrant
(Watch yo back)
Let's get it on!
Fuck that trophy, find the loot then approach me.
Land a milk and honey can I get a quickness to the money?
All witness, no cheers the four years I ain't with this.
Hell with the N-see-double A 'cause my super agent's paid.
With his dollars I could buy a fuckin' college.
Mister Ra-ra campus isn't keepin' school bustas.
Lookin' who's lovin' ya, going for the juggeler.
They know they can't contain me on the regular.
Pimps pushes, the pocket book guzzeler.
Would you pardon my father please, Mister governor?
Thought he had it made, dreamin' about a trade.
Things we get, help but the roof on this bitch.
Dark side of the room when he jumped the broom.
Super agent got this player, nine figure wages.
Back of sports pages, off ghetto stages.
Shootin' sleepin' pills and runnin' to the hills.
Super agent
(Super agent, where are you now?)
Super agent
(What a hell of a man)
(Where you at?)
Super agent
(Super agent, where are you now?)
Never flagrant
(Big daddy moves).
(Where you at?)
Super agent
(Super agent, where are you now?)
Super agent,
(Backstabbin') super agent,
(Super agent, where are you now?)
Never flagrant
(Watch yo back)
Let's get it on!
Super agent
(Super agent, where are you now?)
Super agent
(What a hell of a man)
(Where you at?)
Super agent
(Super agent, where are you now?)
Never flagrant
(Big daddy moves).
(Where you at?)
Super agent
(Super agent, where are you now?)
Super agent,
(Backstabbin') super agent,
(Super agent, where are you now?)
Never flagrant
(Watch yo back)
Let's get it on!
In Public Enemy's song Super Agent, the lyrics speak to the complex world of professional basketball, where players are bought and sold like commodities and agents play an instrumental role in shaping their careers. The song critiques the auctioning off of black bodies for profit, comparing it to a slave auction. The lyric "Just get him off the streets so he don't get bucked" refers to the idea that black men are viewed as a threat and need to be controlled or contained.
The lyrics also touch on the power dynamic between agents and their clients, with the line "Super agent to the rescue so he won't get fucked." The agent is portrayed as a savior figure, but also as someone who has control over the player's career and success. The idea of being "locked" by the agent speaks to this control, as the player must depend on the agent to secure deals and opportunities for them.
Throughout the song, Public Enemy critiques the exploitation and corruption within professional basketball, highlighting the ways in which black bodies are commodified and controlled for profit.
Line by Line Meaning
Sold, black gold, one strong buck,
A powerful and talented black athlete is up for sale to the highest bidder like a commodity, making a million dollars for the buyer.
To the Milwaukee Bucks, for a million bucks.
The Milwaukee Bucks bought the athlete for a cool million buck to ensure he doesn't get in trouble off the streets.
Just get him off the streets so he don't get bucked.
Super agent makes sure that the athlete doesn't get into any trouble and creates the right kind of image for him.
Super agent to the rescue so he won't get fucked.
The athlete is protected by super agent from all kinds of exploitations, scams, and being taken advantage of.
Can a nigga go home to where he used to walk?
The athlete yearns for his hometown and memories, but super agent doesn't let him go back and has him pledge allegiance only to the sport.
Players be drainin' 'em, owners be claimin' 'em.
The players utilize their skills to make money for the owners while the owners claim all credit to their success.
Super agents fraimin' 'em and then nicknamin' 'em.
Super agents frame the players and give them nicknames, popularizing them to the audience so they can be marketed well.
Let's get it on!
Let's get started with the business and make as much money as possible while protecting the athlete's interests.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ABNES DUBOSE, CARLTON DOUGLAS RIDENHOUR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind