Public Enemy -- still right after 28 years

[ancianita]

Yeah that's right, this cut goes out to all y'all
That's been missin' us for mad years
One love, yo, yeah that's right
He's got game, PE 1998

If man is the father, the Son is the center of the earth
In the middle of the universe
Then why is this verse comin' six times rehearsed?
Don't freestyle much but I write 'em like such (Word)

Amongst the fiends, controlled by the screens
What does it all mean all this shit I'm seein'?
Human beings screamin' vocal javelins
Signs of a local nigga unravelin' (Uh-huh)

My wandering got my ass wondering
Where Christ is in all this crisis
Hatin' Satan never knew what nice is
Check the papers while I bet on Isis

More than your eye can see and ears can hear
Year by year, all the sense disappears
Nonsense perseveres prayers laced with fear
Beware 2 triple O is near

It might feel good, it might sound a lil' somethin'
But damn the game if it don't mean nuttin'
What is game, who got game, where's the game in life?
Behind the game, behind the game
I got game, she's got game
We got game, they got game, he got game
It might feel good, it might sound a lil' somethin'
But fuck the game if it ain't sayin nuttin'

Damn was it somethin' I said?
Pretend you don't see so you turn your head
Race scared of it's shadow, does it matter?
Thought of reparations got 'em playin' wit the population

Nothing to lose, everything's approved
People used even murders excused
White men in suits don't have to jump
Still a thousand and one ways to lose with the shoes

God takes care of ol' folks and fools (Uh)
While the Devil takes care of makin' all the rules
Folks don't even own themselves
Payin' mental rent to corporate presidents

One out of one million residents
Being dissident, who ain't kissin' it?
The politics of chains and whips
Got the sick missin' chips and all the championships

What's love got to do with what you got?
Don't let a win get to your head or a loss to your heart
Nonsense perseveres prayers laced with fear
Beware 2 triple O is near

It might feel good, it might sound a lil' somethin'
But damn the game if it don't mean nuttin'
What is game, who got game, where's the game in life?
Behind the game, behind the game
I got game, she's got game
We got game, they got game, he got game
It might feel good, it might sound a lil' somethin'
But fuck the game if it ain't sayin' nuttin'...

... There's something happenin' here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
(Yeah that's right, haha)
Telling me that I got to beware
It's time we stopped children
What's that sound everybody look
What's going down

Hey yo, I don't think they heard ya Stephen
Kick it to them again, one more time
It's time we stopped children
What's that sound? Everybody look
What's going down
That's right boy PE in full effect boy
'Til the year 2000, yo

Stop, look what's that sound? (C'mon, sing)
Everybody knows what's going down (Sing it again y'all, c'mon)
Stop, look what's that sound (Hey, ha-hey!)
Everybody knows what's going down

Hey yo
These are some serious times that we livin' in G
And our new world order is about to begin
You know what I'm sayin', now the question is
Are you ready for the real revolution
Which is the evolution of the mind?

If you seek then you shall find that we all come from the Divine
You dig what I'm sayin? Now if you take heed to the words of wisdom
That are written on the walls of life then universally we will stand
And divided we will fall 'cause love conquers all
You understand what I'm sayin'?

This is a call to all you sleepin' souls
Wake up and take control of your own cycle
And be on the lookout for those spirits tonight trying to steal your light
You know what I'm sayin', look what's inside yourself for
Peace, give thanks, live life and release, you dig me, you got me?
Everybody knows what's going down
Stop, look what's that sound?
Everybody knows what's going down

[Whyisthisstillclose]

1. Wonderful! Never heard it before. Genius...

[OmegaX]

2. Public Enemy...

...is arguably the best hip-hop group in the history of the genre (although the Wu Tang Clan is an equally-deserving contender); their album "It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back" is a veritable masterpiece...

[ancianita]

3. Agree. They used to be on heavy rotation in my home.

[IbogaProject]

4. I loved them from when they were a local band in the NYC area.

I liked the mix of far left politics, dense multilayered samples and black activism.

[IbogaProject]

5. Here is the song they did when Arizona was holding out on recognizing MLK day