Public Enemy – Black Sky Over The Projects: Apartment 2025 (Enemy Records) – We haven’t much time, how far can it go? Where the sense of rightness? Right here. What’s that bit there, is a there beef with the mighty JVC Force? Surely not? Kiss my clock? Who’s taking about who? That does sounds like a strong slice of Strong Island right there.

“After a five year hiatus, Chuck D and Flavor Flav return to the scene with a new Public Enemy album, bringing their always insightful commentary over rugged and shapeshifting beats. From the opening diagnosis of Siick all the way to the insanity of school shootings during March Madness, the red, Black, and green machine is back to clean up the scene”.

Hey, we just grabbed ourselves a copy of the unexpected unannounced new album and yes, as yer man says, kill that autotune shit and hey look around you, here comes the real deal, rampage, get back, here come the drums!  God ain’t on your side. hey, I’m not that bothered about your god or any god, I am bothered about those damn god bothering righteous dangers controlling way too much right, (June Osbourne’s world is very very real!) and yes, call it like it is Public Enemy, go go go! Way to go, “Public Enemy is coming through!” Oh I loved this band or crew or group or whatever we call them since the first time I heard them, probably on the radio on the Capital Rap Show, straight after the Friday Rock Show and he got it 99 percent nailed again, 99 percent and a trick ain’t one, no 1% missing here, this is one hundred percent nailed. Public Enemy is coming through!  

Ageism is in the crosshairs, “that shit is worse than racism”, he said it! I might think it, he has the right to say it, the samples are cleared so here it comes, is that a bit Brian Eno?  Hey, I’m not going to write a review, like I was trying to say a minute ago, I’ve loved them since that first bite somewhere back in the mid 80s when that Olds first drove by on the radio and what you got? You got to do something? 65, blind in one eye, well almost there, I’m not quite that old yet, he is and time moves on but the clock remains, damn they’re sounding good! Public Enemy are not mellowing, they’re still angry, they’re still biting, they’re still bringing the noise, they’re not stepping back, what you got? You gotta do something. Hey, I’m on my first listen here, blasting it out loud from the East London bunker in the Friday afternoon, already made one passer by stop in his tracks, hey knew their sound instantly and hey it could be no one else. I’m still unpacking all those words, tuning in, catching lines, a shot at the NRA just went past, they are still hitting it home, fear of a what? Wonder who’s bringing the metal? Set ’em up Chuck let’s go, no gangstas, that ain’t the way he wants to go, evil is a terrible waste…      

“Public Enemy have spent over 35 years delivering powerful messages that challenge institutional injustices and call for change. Their musical and lyrical intensity, eloquence and depth are an explosive combination that feeds both mind and soul. PE have released 15 studio albums, toured 100+ countries, they’re rightly in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and have received a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award” and hey, they’re sound like they far from finished, and no, this isn’t a review, we haven’t that much time, need to get it out there, this is important stuff…

And right now, for the next 72 hours (don’t ask me when that clock started ticking, like they said, we haven’t got much time) you can go grab a download off Bandcamp and pay whatever you want… and kick back, here come the drums, go grab it you culture vultures, Public Enemy are sounding a good, as big, as important, as wired in and as uncompromised as ever, here you go… they make hip hop, kiss that clock, this still matters, they’ ain;t getting releplaces by no AI! What you got? You got to do something. Got to go paint while this is loud and fresh, 911 is still a joke… (sw)

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