If It's Too Loud...

Photo via Facebook Bringing you a new song featuring Chuck D every Monday is a tradition we can get behind. This week sees a new single from Skyzoo featuring the legendary Public Enemy MC. "Courtesy Call" is the perfect style of song to feature Chuck D. It's a little smoother and less raw than classic Public Enemy, but it does have an edge to it that classic PE had. I'll take Chuck D doing anything, but we'd be thrilled to bring you "Courtesy Call" even if it didn't feature the living legend on the chorus. Skyzoo has created this perfect classic sounding hip hop song that still has its footing planted right in 2024. Skyzoo says of his latest single: “The idea behind 'Courtesy Call' came from the energy of the beat itself.  The track, produced by The Dagger, out of Michigan, is bare-boned and layered all at once; between the subs and the 808’s going neck and neck with the breakbeat drums.  It’s sort of a double entendre in its own right, and t...

The latest single from Consequence features Chuck D of Public Enemy, and it might be one of the most unique hip hop songs ever recorded. "What Has America Done" is a rap song without beats. Musically, it's quite sparse. It's mostly piano and a capella harmonies behind the verses for much of the song. The song is somber and never boring despite (or perhaps because of) its refusal to follow traditional hip hop tropes. "What Has America Done" forces you to pay attention to Consequence and Chuck D's lyrics, since those are at the forefront of the song. This song is an absolute must listen. Consequence says of his latest single: “The results of the 2024 Presidential Election are a reflection of who and where we are as a nation.  Like it or not, especially if you’re African American, we must continue to pursue our equalities and make sure we do everything in our power to level the playing field as best we can. In doing so, we can forget where we’ve been and wh...

Chuck D named his 2016 album The Man in Black , so it shouldn't be too shocking that he's covering the Johnny Cash song of the same name, but it still is. The Public Enemy frontman covering anything even remotely country wasn't something I expected to hear anytime soon, but since I'm a huge fan of both I'm definitely in. What is truly shocking is how perfectly it works. Chuck D's version of "Man in Black" is more of a spoken word song with hip hop beats paired with country/blues guitar licks. This is perfect for those of us that "Old Town Road" never clicked for. I expected this cover to be interesting, and I was hoping it wouldn't be horrible. I didn't expect it to be this great. You can listen to Chuck D and Bob Log III covering "Man in Black" below. It will be included on JR Vol. 3: A Tribute to Johnny Cash . The album will also feature covers by Left Lane Cruiser, Charlie Parr, and more, and is due out November 4 on Hill...

Photo via Facebook I know, I know. At this point we're all having election fatigue at this point, and just want this over. But, for those of us that grew up in the 90's obsessed with hip hop, the latest from De La Soul is a complete dream project come true. "Remove 45" is obviously an anti-Trump song, but, aside from that, it features Styles P (The Lox), Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch, Mysonne, and Public Enemy's Chuck D. From that line up alone there's no way I'm not going to bring this song to you. Plus, it's a great song. A lot of times a song with eight MCs with a message can be an overbloated mess, but everyone keeps this song under control and on focus. Each rapper gets a verse, interspersed with sound bites from the subject matter. In fact, "Remove 45" might be the best thing that everyone involved has released this century. You can listen to "Remove 45" below. You can find the song here . For more on De La Soul, check out their...

Photo via Facebook Last year, I had a very confusing relationship with Prophets of Rage. Combining Rage Against the Machine with Public Enemy and adding B Real of Cypress Hill in the Flava Flav role might have been the most exciting thing that ever happened to my inner teenage self. Unfortunately, the reality of that didn't live up to the expectations. First there was the tour with pit tickets selling for multiple hundreds of dollars (face value, not even through scalpers). Sure, they had $20 tickets, but those were waaaaaaaaaaaaay in the back. They gave a lot of the money raised on the expensive tickets to charities, but having the people that can afford those prices right up front seems contrary to the whole point. Hell, I knew Trump supporters that took a limo to go to the show. And then there was the whole virtually unlistenable EP they released last year. The worst part of it was that, in the 2016 political climate, Tom Morello and Chuck D couldn't write a song, and ju...

Hip hop pioneers De La Soul and Chuck D have teamed up for this new track, "The People." For musicians that have been around for almost 3 decades, this track is unbelievably fresh, with jazz riffs and an almost uncomfortable, disjointed feel which comes across as free form and abstract. It's about what everyone faces as human beings, and wasn't planned to coincide with the Ferguson decision, but feels like it was. Originally scheduled for June, it was delayed until Black Friday. Currently you can download "The People" off De La Soul's website . Also, they have updated their merch section , with proceeds going to aid business owners affected by the Ferguson protests. Regardless of where any of us stand politically, I think we can all agree that's a great cause.