Public Enemy in Athens

Public Enemy is an influential hip hop group from Long Island, New York, known for its politically charged lyrics, criticism of the media, and active interest in the concerns of the African American community. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Public Enemy number forty-four on its list of the Immortals: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Public Enemy will play on 29th and 30th of November at Gagarin205.

Musically, Public Enemy was just as revolutionary as their production team, the Bomb Squad, created intense soundscapes that relied on avant-garde cut-and-paste techniques, unrecognizable samples, piercing sirens, ruthless beats and deep funk. It was chaotic and energizing music, made all the more enthralling by Chuck D's powerful vocals and the absurdist raps of his humorous foil, Flavor Flav. With his witty sunglasses and an oversized clock hanging from his neck, Flav became the group's visual focus, but he never buried the music. While critics embraced the group's late-'80s and early-'90s records, Public Enemy often ran into controversy with their militant stance and lyrics, especially after their 1988 album "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" made them into celebrities. After all the controversy settled in the early '90s, once the group entered a hiatus, it became clear that Public Enemy was one of the most influential and radical bands of their time.

20.11.2008