photography by rickycphotography.com
Hang time with Flava FLAV
After 20 years together, the godfathers of rap Public Enemy are still going strong. They still have an edge and still have something to say. They wrote songs loaded with rhymes that were as brutal as their ear-splitting music—bringing the noise of black militancy into the rap mainstream and burning their mark on a generation.
This past week, frontman Chuck D and his clock-sporting sidekick Flava Flav took time out to rock the Apple store in downtown San Francisco.
The hard-core fans wait.
A line formed around the block outside the Stockton Street store for an opportunity to witness a little musical history—rap veterans proving they still have it and two decades on they still do. This was more than a ride on the nostalgia train.
Flav on the fly.
The in-store concert for the lucky 100 who made it beyond the velvet rope was a thumping, high-octane, 80-minute set. Chuck D and Flava Flav pumped out classics like: “Fight the Power,” “Bring The Noise” and more. PE also introduced us to some new tunes from their new offering—“How you sell soul to a soul-less people who sold their soul”? Well, they got me.
DJ Lord of the Decks
The master rapper, Chuck D was spitting out raps and rhymes with as much gusto as ever. And Flava Flav played the court jester—working the room and climbing over chairs to high-five or go knuckle to knuckle with every free hand in house. DJ Lord manned the decks, serving up his trademark scratches and blockin’ beats.
Public Enemy have stood the test of time. They are as relevant now as they were in 1987 when they first brought their anger, politics and noise from the streets of Long Island to the world. PE has earned its permanent place on the musical map—their innovation, their individuality, their smarts and their creative brilliance ensured them that.
Hang time with Flava FLAV
After 20 years together, the godfathers of rap Public Enemy are still going strong. They still have an edge and still have something to say. They wrote songs loaded with rhymes that were as brutal as their ear-splitting music—bringing the noise of black militancy into the rap mainstream and burning their mark on a generation.
This past week, frontman Chuck D and his clock-sporting sidekick Flava Flav took time out to rock the Apple store in downtown San Francisco.
The hard-core fans wait.
A line formed around the block outside the Stockton Street store for an opportunity to witness a little musical history—rap veterans proving they still have it and two decades on they still do. This was more than a ride on the nostalgia train.
Flav on the fly.
The in-store concert for the lucky 100 who made it beyond the velvet rope was a thumping, high-octane, 80-minute set. Chuck D and Flava Flav pumped out classics like: “Fight the Power,” “Bring The Noise” and more. PE also introduced us to some new tunes from their new offering—“How you sell soul to a soul-less people who sold their soul”? Well, they got me.
DJ Lord of the Decks
The master rapper, Chuck D was spitting out raps and rhymes with as much gusto as ever. And Flava Flav played the court jester—working the room and climbing over chairs to high-five or go knuckle to knuckle with every free hand in house. DJ Lord manned the decks, serving up his trademark scratches and blockin’ beats.
Public Enemy have stood the test of time. They are as relevant now as they were in 1987 when they first brought their anger, politics and noise from the streets of Long Island to the world. PE has earned its permanent place on the musical map—their innovation, their individuality, their smarts and their creative brilliance ensured them that.
