Sydney McMurray
Mrs. Mihalik
Honors English 9
1 December 2017
“Fight The Power”
Seventy percent of the world’s population is made up of people of ethnicity. Caucasians are a minority when compared to the rest of the world. So why is it that groups of people speak out about “white supremacy”? The color of a person’s skin creates a fantastical division of power. Public Enemy’s music, image, and societal views are the perfect representation of the unjust, imaginary oppression of the African-American population in the 1980s and 1990s.
Public Enemy’s lyrics are a distinguishing feature of the group. These lyrics come straight from their opinion on humanity during their decades. The powerful lyrics, “Freedom of speech is freedom or death. We got …show more content…
The group was famous for Flavor Flav’s large clock and their baggy clothes (#109). This “gangster” look is iconic of the group as well as a popular trend of the 80s and 90s, making the group relatable and showing people that Public Enemy is just a group of average people who decided to speak their mind. The group is also often depicted surrounded by buff security guards with hefty guns (#109). This provokes a sense of fear and is showing the seriousness of the issue. Having physical reinforcement, they further strengthen the severity of the issue they face. The group as a whole is eclectic. As shown in the picture to the right, serious black men in dark outfits fill the space with one eccentric man in bright clothing and flashy jewelry in the center of it all (Getty). The diversity of the group represents their notions as well as their music. Amongst all the noise and non-descript movement is a glaring message that draws attention, yet no one wants to address. Public Enemy’s trademark image is yet another part of the group that makes them prominent figures of their …show more content…
An interview was conducted with Chuck D, a member of Public Enemy, in which the group’s ideals are discussed. Chuck D states that he believes blacks were taught to keep quiet when talking about their troubles and their problems with the lifestyles of other ethnicities (Kazi-Ferrouillet). This was precisely why Public Enemy spoke through their music to bring attention to this dilemma. If they started to raise their voice, they hoped to inspire others to do the same, and therefore correcting the issue. One of these serious problems was the depletion of knowledge, according to Chuck D (Kazi-Ferrouillet). By saying “depletion of knowledge”, the intended meaning is that African-Americans have a right to know everything about their surrounding and the life around them. So much happened that went unacknowledged that could potentially affect lives in the
Mrs. Mihalik
Honors English 9
1 December 2017
“Fight The Power”
Seventy percent of the world’s population is made up of people of ethnicity. Caucasians are a minority when compared to the rest of the world. So why is it that groups of people speak out about “white supremacy”? The color of a person’s skin creates a fantastical division of power. Public Enemy’s music, image, and societal views are the perfect representation of the unjust, imaginary oppression of the African-American population in the 1980s and 1990s.
Public Enemy’s lyrics are a distinguishing feature of the group. These lyrics come straight from their opinion on humanity during their decades. The powerful lyrics, “Freedom of speech is freedom or death. We got …show more content…
The group was famous for Flavor Flav’s large clock and their baggy clothes (#109). This “gangster” look is iconic of the group as well as a popular trend of the 80s and 90s, making the group relatable and showing people that Public Enemy is just a group of average people who decided to speak their mind. The group is also often depicted surrounded by buff security guards with hefty guns (#109). This provokes a sense of fear and is showing the seriousness of the issue. Having physical reinforcement, they further strengthen the severity of the issue they face. The group as a whole is eclectic. As shown in the picture to the right, serious black men in dark outfits fill the space with one eccentric man in bright clothing and flashy jewelry in the center of it all (Getty). The diversity of the group represents their notions as well as their music. Amongst all the noise and non-descript movement is a glaring message that draws attention, yet no one wants to address. Public Enemy’s trademark image is yet another part of the group that makes them prominent figures of their …show more content…
An interview was conducted with Chuck D, a member of Public Enemy, in which the group’s ideals are discussed. Chuck D states that he believes blacks were taught to keep quiet when talking about their troubles and their problems with the lifestyles of other ethnicities (Kazi-Ferrouillet). This was precisely why Public Enemy spoke through their music to bring attention to this dilemma. If they started to raise their voice, they hoped to inspire others to do the same, and therefore correcting the issue. One of these serious problems was the depletion of knowledge, according to Chuck D (Kazi-Ferrouillet). By saying “depletion of knowledge”, the intended meaning is that African-Americans have a right to know everything about their surrounding and the life around them. So much happened that went unacknowledged that could potentially affect lives in the