A Long Island hip-hop crew called Spectrum City evolved into Public Enemy in the mid-’80s, signed to Def Jam, and became one the most politically outspoken and musically innovative groups the genre had, and has, ever seen. Chuck D and Flavor Flav have been the group’s only two consistent members over the years: the high-minded […]
This article originally appeared in the September 1999 issue of SPIN. “You must be high.” We heard that a lot during the time we spent preparing this issue. Which is understandable. Pronouncing the 90 greatest albums of the ’90s is a somewhat presumptuous thing to do. When you’re measuring the music this decade is offering to […]
Name Masta Ace Best known for Sittin’ On Chrome! Current city Northern New Jersey. Really want to be in Any place less racist than here! Excited about This hip-hop musical I’m writing and my next album with Marco Polo! My current music collection has a lot of ‘70s and ‘80s disco and soul. And a […]
This article originally appeared in the January 1988 issue of SPIN. Critics don’t like them. Black radio stations won’t play them. But in less than a year Public Enemy has managed to sell 275,000 copies of their debut LP, Yo! Bum Rush the Show, and has toured the U.S. and Europe with L.L. Cool J. […]
In keeping with the dark lyrics of Public Enemy’s single “Grid,” the group dropped an appropriately apocalyptic video featuring pals Cypress Hill and George Clinton. The clip includes footage from PE’s performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Directed by David C. Snyder, the video for “GRID” is the latest from PE’s recent album, What […]
Let’s face it: With most “Best Albums” lists, you know the broad strokes of the ranking before you even click. Part of that predictability is understandable: Most iconic records earn their reputation. But these rankings shouldn’t be fossilized, and a shit-ton of amazing LPs have been shoved aside in the pursuit of maintaining the status […]
As part of our 35th anniversary, we’re naming the most influential artists of the past 35 years. Today, we’re at #9. From Long Island, New York, here are Public Enemy. CREDIT: Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images Formed around the nucleus of rappers Chuck D and Flava Flav, production collective the Bomb Squad and others, Public […]
Public Enemy recently released their first album with Def Jam in a number of years with What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down? They also recently teamed up with George Clinton and Cypress Hill to release the animated video for “Grid,” and now they’ve done the same thing for “Public Enemy Number Won.” Featuring […]
Days after announcing their new album, What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down?, Public Enemy just revealed who they collaborated with on the new record. They definitely enlisted some heavy hitters. George Clinton will be featured on both “When the Grid Goes Down” and “Grid,” which also brings in Cypress Hill. Mike D and […]
A few months after surprise releasing their “State of the Union (STFU)” single that was produced by DJ Premier, Public Enemy has finally announced their new album, What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down, their first album for Def Jam in more than 20 years. “Cultural Institutions are important. Being an integral part of one is […]