PUBLIC ENEMY – BottleRock Napa Edition!

Public Enemy hasn’t mellowed much with age. At BottleRock Napa, the reengaged rap ensemble performed a vibrant set that frequently resonated with the intensity of a hip hop concert. The group’s classic material exploded on impact, with a live band and DJ Lord building dense walls of sound over which the yin-yang tandem of Chuck D and Flavor Flav exchanged verses.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary and recent nomination for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Public Enemy isn’t taking the career benchmarks lightly. The collective released two new records in the past months and organized its current tour as a revue featuring similar golden-era hip-hop acts. Speaking as the event’s master of ceremonies, Chuck D played history teacher and intellectual advocate. He interviewed opening artists, praised Chicago’s early adoption of hip-hop and cited several local figures (George Daniels, Pinkhouse) for helping develop the genre.

Reflecting his provocative and prolific presence on Twitter, the emcee refused to hold back or back down. The commentary paralleled socially resilient messages on in-your-face tunes like “Shut Em Down,” “I Shall Not Be Moved” and “Can’t Truss It.” Rooted in classic soul grooves and smothered in percussive beats and turntable scratches, songs teetered on the brink of chaos and raged with heavy-metal rawness. Chuck D‘s booming voice, seemingly hooked up to a built-in megaphone, increased the ferocity. Words were thrown akin to a prizefighter’s punches. He landed verses as quick jabs, and turned refrains into uppercuts.

(via BottleRock Napa.com)

Photo Credit: Carolina Dratva for All Access Music

About the Author

Nicole DeRosa joined the All Access Music Group family in February 2012. She loves the infectious energy and enthusiasm of the music industry and she feels right at home having music compliment her every day. Nicole blends her experience and skills which she has culled from her time working in New York as a photo researcher and editor at Entertainment Weekly and Harpers Bazaar Magazine. After New York, Nicole moved to London for school and there she stood in line for hours on Oxford Street to hear Paul McCartney play an impromptu concert on a rooftop. Another notable experience while living in London was her first time ever calling into a radio station, she won an invite to a record release party with the Beastie Boys for their album 'Ill Communication'. "I love London as it has such a vibrant and diverse music scene and I couldn't help but go out every night to check out gig after gig. It was a wonderful time." Living near the notable Sherpards Bush Empire music venue one of her most favorite concerts to date was seeing Bjork. Nicole has also worked for Walt Disney World in Product Development and later went on to work at Disney's Feature Animation Archives in Florida. Nicole has a passion for travel and adventure and has always wanted to live in California so she packed up and moved four years ago to the "left coast" and has been loving it ever since.