More hip hop contemplation from our newest contributor.
*****
Public Enemy serves as evidence as hard as the asphalt of the Long Island streets in ‘86 for the pervasion of hip-hop in today’s culture, as well as the music’s ability to transcend time, race, economic and political standing. And what could serve as a better example than their breakout album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back? Exhibit A: Public Domain’s “Operation Blade,” an eight-and-a-half minute techno odyssey that hit European dance charts hard in 2000. This song features, and is constructed around, a sample taken from the beginning of Public Enemy’s “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos,” when Flav introduces the group to the audience and kicks it off to Chuck D with the line, “Bass for your face, London!” This is not, perhaps, the most obvious example of Public Enemy’s influence on music in the new millennium, as their sounds are used as samples for numerous hip-hop songs; however, this instance of Public Enemy’s leaking, or, rather, bursting through the mainstream and flooding into such varied genres of music is probably just what they were going for.
It’s a well-known fact that Public Enemy has a lot to say on the political front. Whether Chuck D is addressing the issue of white oppression, the apparently unnoticed hardships of the streets (perpetuated not only by that white power, but even by the brothers themselves; check “Night of the Living Baseheads”: “Shame on a brother when he dealin’…From a corner from a brother to keep another below”) or even the question of the legality of utilizing samples for tracks, Public Enemy is gonna make sure that their message gets across. To everyone. With its solid drum beats, Chuck D’s unmistakable voice, velvety-smooth yet rough enough to hit your ears and leave ‘em ringing, Flav’s hyping yells, and often strident samples (“Rebel Without A Pause”…’nuff said), Nation of Millions refuses to be ignored. Lyrics and messages aside, this album is LOUD. Public Enemy knew just what they were doing—people are forced to hear them, even if they don’t want to listen.
Apparently, the media didn’t want Public Enemy to rock the populous, as Chuck D points out with, “Radio/Suckers never play me/On the mix, just O.K. me.” Luckily, the boys of PE found a way to reach people regardless by using a crazy variety of samples to bolster their rhymes. This album stands as a true synthesis of great music, brought together to create even more great music. Even if an upper-middle class white kid in 2009 picks up this CD, he’s gonna be able to find something on it to relate to or recognize musically. Maybe this kid won’t understand or know about the politically charged aspects of Public Enemy’s music, but Nation of Millions is socially conscious enough to know how to reach out in other ways. It then promotes understanding and knowledge after the initial dive into this hardcore political hip-hop. It’s important to see this and tip your hat to PE for pulling it off.
The genius of Public Enemy’s use of so many samples—such as “Angel of Death” by Slayer, “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party)” by the Beastie Boys, and “Funky Drummer” by James Brown—is that every sample used not only comes together in a perfectly cohesive sound, but also stands to bolster the messages in every song. Twenty years down the road, Public Enemy’s music still appears on its own and in samples for newer songs. It’s clearly influenced the use of samples in hip-hop and other types of music on a larger scale. In 2009, we’ve seen the mash-up generation steadily gaining steam (think Girl Talk, Super Mash Bros., N.A.S.A.), undoubtedly sparked by Nation’s ability to mishmash hip-hop with metal, rock, funk, and even speeches and quotes. PE’s Nation of Millions, with its library of samples that rivals those of most club DJs these days, paved the way for artists who know what beats get people moving and listening. The most important part is that they taught us to do this together by using things that speak to people from any walk of life. Then they drop the bombs.
0 comments:
Post a Comment