Public Enemy’s song, “Harder Than You Think,” has been selected for NBC’s official Super Bowl XLIX Commercial, currently airing on the network with a voiceover by fellow hip hop legend Ice-T. “Harder Than You Think” was also featured in the UK’s powerful and emotionally-charged “Meet The Superhumans” 2012 Paralympics campaign, hailed as one of the best short films of the year by London’s Telegraph newspaper. After it debuted on 78 channels simultaneously throughout the UK in July 2012, the track went on to reach #4 on The Official UK Singles Chart and #1 on the Indie Singles Top 20 Chart.

Public Enemy’s music also provides the driving backbeat to the trailer for the Golden Globe nominated film Selma. The group’s “Say It Like It Really Is,” from their 2012 album The Evil Empire of Everything, provides a potent backdrop to the preview of the film that chronicles the months leading up to Selma-to-Montgomery civil rights marches.

Public Enemy (www.PublicEnemy.com) have spent over 25 years delivering socio-political messages that give voice to those who have long been ignored, are unafraid to question institutional injustices and challenge both leaders and laymen alike to work for change. Their musical and lyrical intensity, eloquence and depth are matched by few, an explosive combination that that feeds both mind and soul. Their artistry draws unwavering critical acclaim and legions of worldwide fans who have flocked to concerts in over 83 countries, during 2000 concerts, on 84 tours. The New York Times named Public Enemy’s music to their list of the “25 Most Significant Albums of the Last Century” and in 2005 The Library of Congress included Fear of a Black Planet in their National Recording Registry. Three albums are certified multi-platinum, three more are gold, with four gold singles and a platinum-selling home video. As resonant now as ever, Public Enemy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

Check out both spots below.

My newest piece for Cuepoint examines why Public Enemy’s It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back is the greatest rap album of all time. I spoke with Chuck D about the new reissues of Nation and Fear Of A Black Planet, why it took so long for them to come out, and got his thoughts on Killer Mike, Bobby Shmurda, and Kanye West. Read on, true believers….

It Took A Nation: The Greatest Rap Album Gets Its Due

Public Enemy’s It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back is finally getting its long-awaited deluxe edition reissue. The official description for the November 25th release is as follows:

2014 2CD/DVD Deluxe edition reissue.Includes the original album, executive produced by Rick Rubin, & produced by Hank Shocklee and Carl Ryder (aka Chuck D.), better known as the Bomb Squad. It features the classic tracks, “Bring the Noise,” “Don’t Believe the Hype,” “Louder Than a Bomb” and “Rebel Without a Pause.” The second disc includes 13 rare bonus mixes, among them the original “No Noise” version of “Bring the Noise,” instrumental versions of “Rebel Without a Pause,” “Night of the Living Baseheads” and “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos,” as well as the soundtrack version of “Fight the Power” from Spike Lee’s groundbreaking Do the Right Thing movie. The third disc is a DVD of the 1989 VHS release Fight the Power.. Live, directed by Hart Perry and long unavailable for sale. It includes the original videos for “Fight the Power,” “Black Steel in the Hourof Chaos” and “Night of the Living Baseheads” along with several live performances.

TRACKLIST:

Disc One:
1 Countdown to Armageddon
2 Bring the Noise
3 Don’t Believe the Hype
4 Cold Lampin’ with Flavor
5 Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
6 Mind Terrorist
7 Louder Than a Bomb
8 Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
9 Show ‘Em Whatcha Got
10 She Watch Channel Zero?!
11 Night of the Living Baseheads
12 Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
13 Security of the First World
14 Rebel Without a Pause
15 Prophets of Rage
16 Party for Your Right to Fight

Disc Two:
17 Bring the Noise (No Noise Version)
18 Bring the Noise (No Noise Instrumental)
19 Bring the Noise (No Noise a Cappella)
20 Rebel Without a Pause (Instrumental)
21 Night of the Living Baseheads (Anti-High Blood Pressure Encounter Mix)
22 Night of the Living Baseheads (Terminator X Meets Dst and Chuck Chill Out Instrumental Mix) Terminator X to the Edge of Panic (No Need to Panic Radio Version)
23 The Edge of Panic
24 The Rhythm, the Rebel (a Capella)
25 Prophets of Rage (Power Version)
26 Caught, Can We Get a Witness? (Pre Black Steel Ballistic Felony Dub)
27 B-Side Wins Again (Original Version)
28 Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos (Instrumental)
29 Fight the Power (Soundtrack Version)

Disc Three (DVD):
30 Countdown to Armageddon
31 Public Enemy Number One
32 Miuzi Weighs a Ton
33 Night of the Living Baseheads (Live)
34 Fight the Power
35 Bring the Noise
36 Don’t Believe the Hype
37 Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
38 Rebel Without a Pause
39 Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
40 Night of the Living Baseheads (Video)
41 Prophets of Rage

The early days of Public Enemy are examined by Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin in the new video clip, the third in a series examining the early days of Def Jam. With the aid of Elliott Wilson, the pair talk about Chuck D’s time with Spectrum City, the formation of the concept of Public Enemy, and the incendiary nature of their thought-provoking lyrics.

P.E. on the Tonight Show! In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Def Jam, Public Enemy performs their seminal single from Yo! Bum Rush The Show, with a little help from The Roots.

Combat Jack writes: “Internets, this is such an honor. It’s been few years of me trying to get the legendary Chuck D on The Combat Jack Show. It took current events, plus the Freddie Foxxx episode to make this happen (thank you Bumpy!). How do I even describe this 3 hour long discussion with Chuck D and Keith Shocklee? Def Jam, Hot 97, Dr. Dre, N.W.A., Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur, Marley Marl, Flavor Flav, Eric B and Rakim, COINTELPRO, Run-DMC, the Bomb Squad, the dearth of diversity on rap radio… so much knowledge. What I’m walking away with is how we have the power to control how we’re perceived in this culture. And how we have to stop making excuses. Now. Ladies and gents, we present to you, the Episode Without A Pause.”

Public Enemy has teamed with the BitTorrent community to release a remix EP of fan created remixes of their track, “Get Up Stand Up”, featuring Brother Ali. The tools for the project were released via BitTorrent in June 2013, and today the remix EP is released via iTunes and for free via BitTorrent. The five winners of the contest are Counter Intelligence, DJ APS, Jerome “Jay” Bosco, Tiger Mendoza, and T/RAZE.

In part one, on Arsenio’s original show, Chuck D said we need to be careful not to lose rap the way we lost jazz and the blues. Now, 20 years later, it’s time to ask: has that happened?

In part two, Arsenio had to ask Chuck D about the first time he met Flavor Flav, and what he was doing.

In part three, Chuck D is grateful for the recognition Public Enemy has received from The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but he’s also eager to shine the spotlight a crowd you may not expect.

In part four, Arsenio closed out his old school hip hop show with Rapper’s Delight performing a medley of “La La Song,” their legendary hit “Rapper’s Delight,” featuring Chuck D, Luther Campbell, and DJ Spinderella. Even Olympic figure skater Jason Brown got in on the action.

Serato has teamed with Public Enemy to produce a limited edition Serato Control Vinyl paired with P.E.’s classic single, “Shut ‘Em Down”. The official description is as follows:

A 2×12” Serato Picture Disc Pressing that features the legendary track ‘Shut Em Down’ by Public Enemy and its Instrumental version on the A sides, plus the Serato Control Tone (CV02.5) on the B sides. Each side of the record feature iconic Public Enemy logo artwork.

Vinyl is a strange old girl. The manufacturing process – one part sweat, one part maths and one part magic, is not an exact science. While every record pressed is a high quality product and will perform flawlessly, there can be some variation in the color throughout a run. Every record is unique.

Head on over to Serato.Com to purchase.

EPMD DJ Scratch talks about Jam Master Jay helping him out on the road and paying his dues with Run-D.M.C. and Public Enemy.

This we can get behind. P.E. will release a documentary chronicling their entrance to The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame earlier this year. The special will air on Centric TV on June 1st.

Flavor Flav gives an interview in Grand Junction, (“where you can function”), CO, and speaks about Public Enemy’s Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction.

Rap nerds unite. Each LL Cool J, Ice Cube, Public Enemy, De La Soul and DJ Z-Trip will come together for the Kings Of The Mic Tour, a 26-date U.S. excursion that sounds ripped from the 80′s. Yes, we will definitely be there.

LL Cool J w/ DJ Z-Trip, Public Enemy, Ice Cube, & De La Soul — 2013 Tour Dates
05/23 Tucson, AZ Ava Amphitheater
05/24 Las Vegas, NV Hard Rock Casino
05/25 San Francisco, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
05/26 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
05/30 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
05/31 Council Bluffs, IA Harrah’s Council Bluffs Stir Cove
06/01 St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center
06/04 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre
06/06 St. Petersburg, FL Mahaffey Theater
06/07 St. Augustine, FL St. Augustine Amphitheatre
06/12 Baltimore, MD Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric
06/14 Simpsonville, SC Charter Amphitheatre
06/15 Portsmouth, VA nTelos Wireless Pavilion
06/16 Durham, NC Durham Performing Arts Center
06/18 Newark, NJ New Jersey Performing Arts Center
06/19 Boston, MA Bank of America Pavilion
06/20 New York, NY Roseland Ballroom
06/22 Canandaigua, NY Constellation Brands Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center
06/23 Mount Pleasant, MI Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort
06/25 Cleveland, OH Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
06/26 Clarkston, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
06/27 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
07/01 Grand Prairie, TX Verizon Theatre
07/02 Austin, TX Stubb’s Waller Creek Outdoor Amphitheater
07/03 Houston, TX Bayou Music Center
07/05 New Orleans, LA Essence Music Festival

Public Enemy are one of the most influential, controversial and radical hip hop groups of all time. True pioneers, the band revolutionized hardcore rap in the late 80’s with a trailblazing blend of political themes and innovative music production. The Public Enemy 25th Anniversary Vinyl Collection celebrates a landmark 25 years since the band’s first release, bringing together the complete original Def Jam studio album catalogue on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl, in a limited edition box set.

Included in the set are each:

1. Yo! Bum Rush The Show
2. It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
3. Fear Of A Black Planet
4. Apocalypse 91: The Enemy Strikes Back (2LP)
5. Muse Sick N Hour Mess Age (2LP)
6. He Got Game (2LP)

The collection is due December 11th. Now, how about proper some deluxe double disc CD reissues, with bonus tracks, remixes, and instrumentals?