In a time where civil unrest is at an all-time high out of sheer necessity to survive, Public Enemy's "Fight The Power" proves to be a timeless protest song that's just as relevant as ever in 2020. Back at the BET Awards this June, the group opened the award show with the debut of the 2020 remix to the song featuring Nas, Rapsody, Black Thought, YG, Jahi, and Questlove. The track hit streaming services at a tragic time as many protest the streets demanding justice for Jacob Blake and the countless other Black Americans who've been subject to systemic injustice and police brutality.
The song also dropped shortly after news of Public Enemy inking a deal with Def Jam for their forthcoming project, What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down.
Check the song out below.
Quotable Lyrics
But look, I think of images that fuel my youth
Been influenced by Craig Hodges and Abdul-Rauf
Examples like Olympic, Black Power salutes
To Panther troops, I saw as I pursued my truth
If racism is the cancer, Black Thought's the answer
Gotta get up off the back porch, emancipate your minds
Get your bodies back from ransom
And all black hands up for the anthem
About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years.
Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021.
Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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