Public Enemy Archives - Rolling Out

Great art will always stand the test of time. In the summer of 1989, Public Enemy released the most poignant protest song in hip-hop history in “Fight the Power” for Spike Lee‘s gut-wrenching film, Do the Right Thing. Thirty-one years later, the song speaks to a new generation of activists inspired by the killings of…

The BET Awards weekend has always had the feel of a summertime cookout or a family reunion. Events such as the BET Experience, exclusive parties and networking opportunities have made the BET Awards weekend the ultimate celebration of Black culture. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BET was forced to adjust to keep the legacy of…

Chuck D, the frontman for the iconic and pioneering hip-hop group Public Enemy, now says all the fireworks created with the recent public firing of Flavor Flav was a hoax. As you recall, Flavor Flav, 61, vowed not to appear at a political rally for Vermont senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, that was…

One of rap’s most legendary groups has fired its most revered hype man. On Sunday, March 1, 2020, Public Enemy’s lead rapper, Chuck D, revealed that Flavor Flav is no longer in the group. The dismissal comes days after Flavor Flav sent a cease-and-desist letter to Bernie Sanders over Public Enemy’s free concert in Los…

Chuck D, Jadakiss, Dave East and God Shammgod represent an era where rap, sneakers and basketball often collided. During the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend, the three rappers — Chuck D, Jadakiss and Dave East — and the basketball star, God Shammgod, participated in the “Def Talks X Public Enemy” panel, which was powered by Puma…

Flavor Flav wearing Patrick Ewing Knicks jersey (Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/DahnDahlas)

Flavor Flav reveals his favorite New York Knicks moment of all time while at the NBA Summer League game between the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers.

The Pulitzer Prize stands as the most prestigious award in terms of journalism, literature, and music composition. It’s an award where most winners do more than present ground-breaking pieces of work, their words and art shift culture. Kendrick Lamar became the first rapper to win the Pulitzer Prize with his album, DAMN. Dana Canedy, the…

The news of Russell Simmons stepping down from his businesses because of sexual harassment claims shocked hip-hop. Now rap legend Professor Griff from Public Enemy makes a startling claim about Simmons. According to Griff, Simmons went after girls and boys. Here is the graphic radio interview from the “Murder Master Music Show.”

Wes Williams, aka “Maestro Fresh Wes,” has had a key role in pioneering Canadian hip-hop. In 1989, he was the first Canadian rapper to have a top 40 hit with “Let Your Backbone Slide.” He was also the first Canadian rap artist to have gold and platinum albums. Since then, the artist has made appearances…

Music festival season just got sweeter for hip-hop purists. Rap music legend, actor and entrepreneur Ice T recently announced the launch of his 2016 Art of Rap Festival, an event set to celebrate the history of hip-hop by featuring a lineup of performances by some of the greatest MCs to ever hold a microphone. The…

It’s official: Straight Outta Compton reigns supreme at the weekend box office for the second week in a row, America couldn’t get enough of the story of five guys from Compton who went on to impact the world with their hard-hitting debut album that changed the face of music forever. In the week following its record-breaking…

Legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D approached National Record Store Day founder Michael Kurtz with a crazy idea: What if the increasingly popular day dedicated to vinyl had a radio station all its own? Kurtz then turned to DJ Skee and his recently launched DASH radio platform to make Chuck’s idea a reality. Beginning March 1,…

Legendary group EPMD recently blew through Chicago to give fans both old and new a taste of hip-hop’s golden era. Playing to a sold-out audience at The Shrine, Erick and Parrish Making Dollars easily breezed through their sizable catalog of classics, including “So Whatcha Sayin’,” “You Gots to Chill” and “Strictly Business.” Since their debut in 1987, the pair…

In cities across America, a quiet shift is taking place that could mean a lot for hip-hop fans and artists. The emergence of “classic rap” radio is becoming a very real phenomenon that many fans have been clamoring for since the late 1990s.

The Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn, New York is a bowling alley/concert venue, and it was rocking with Public Enemy performing live alongside Professor Griff, D.J. Lord, and S1W. Starting with “Rebel Without a Pause,” the iconic group kept the hits coming, following up with “911 is a Joke”, and “Don’t Believe the Hype.” Chuck D. and…

Public Enemy frontman Chuck D has been vocal in his criticism of mainstream urban radio in the past, but over the last several days, the rapper/speaker has taken aim at New York City’s Hot 97 in the wake of last week’s Summer Jam concert.

Seems Flavor Flav can’t stay out of the news, but he will manage to stay out of jail. Flav was facing felony assault and child endangerment with a weapon charges that carried up to 12 years in prison for allegedly threatening the 17-year-old son of his fiancée, Liz Trujillo. Trujillo says the Public Enemy hype man and…

Pete Seeger’s legacy of activism and his belief that music can be a tool for change resonates deeply in the consciousness of popular music. His ideology can be found in everything from Bob Dylan’s early 60s protest songs to Bob Marley’s 70s classics and Public Enemy’s 80s and 90s social consciousness.