Chuck D’s favourite Public Enemy songs ever: “Radio suckers never play me”
Public Enemy‘s music is still relevant today. The group, headed by Chuck D, their lead rapper and conceptualist, is on a mission to increase both sonic vocabulary and social impact through their work. They claimed that “Rap music was the invisible TV station that Black America never had.”
In an interview on Flavor Of The Week with Flavor Flav, Chuck D was asked which of the group’s music was his favourite. Below is a list of his responses:
Chuck D told Flavor Flav that “Keith [Shocklee] came in and put the spanking on that.”. And he was right; Shocklee did indeed spank the track. What makes this track that much more impactful was that it was written in response to some controversy sparked by a member of the group against the Jewish community. Professor Griff, the group’s “Minister of Information” at the time, said that “Jews are wicked. And we can prove this,” in an interview with the Washington Times. The furore following this remark led to Griff leaving Public Enemy altogether. Chuck D spoke at length about how this track responded to the incident and how the group would resolve the issue, with the line: “Tell the rab to get off the rag.”
It’s hard not to feel inspired when you hear the music behind ‘Harder Than You Think’. The melodic guitar, in combination with the trumpets, which are guaranteed to bring out goosebumps, are overwhelming enough. Layer on top the lyrics, which speak about resisting oppression, and you feel just about ready to fight in a war. Chuck D, when listing this track, said, “Cause it’s easy to do it, and it’s done so quick.” Whether he was talking about the making of this track (unlikely) or standing up for what is right, is up for debate.
With a slightly jarring sound that loops throughout the track (almost like a balloon which is being deflated at an inconsistent rate), ‘Rebel Without A Pause’ speaks of the importance of hip-hop in delivering key messages even when they were being suppressed. “Radio suckers never play me. On the mix, they just okay me”, speaks to how Public Enemy and similar artists were censored because of their potential impact.
A track which is relevant to certain factions today, ‘Shut Em Down’ is about the greed in corporate America. In an interview with Melody Maker in 1991, Chuck D said that: “‘Shut ‘Em Down’ is about major corporations like Nike taking profits from the black community, but not giving anything back, never opening businesses in black areas. And it’s saying that the best way to boycott a business is to start your own.”
You always remember your first, right? That’s what Chuck D said when Flavor Flav questioned this track’s inclusion. It was definitely the hit track of their first album, perhaps due to the ‘pause-tape’ method of production. Certainly an uncomfortable process for the Bomb Squad, the group’s in-house production team. In an interview with Red Bull Music Academy in 2013, Chuck D said: “Our whole thing is, ‘How can we present something that will make you feel uncomfortable?’ Don’t deal in comfort.”
Chuck D’s favourite Public Enemy songs:
- ‘Welcome to the Terrordome’
- ‘Harder Than You Think’
- ‘Rebel Without a Pause’
- ‘Shut Em Down’
- ‘Public Enemy No. 1’