Pitchfork Music Festival 2008: Public Enemy's It Takes A Nation Of Millions... Will Not Be Overshadowed, Not Even By Flavor Flav
"Cut for cut, track for track ... It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back." Even the most basic statements of fact come from Chuck D as poetry, with the right rhythm, at the perfect pitch. It's why It Takes A Nation... is a stone cold classic, and it's why last night Public Enemy's set lit up Union Park with sheer awesomeness. Before PE hit the stage, the Bomb Squad -- the production team behind Enemy's beats -- amped up the crowd with 15 minutes of earth shaking beats. You could feel the bass in your nostrils, which I'm pretty sure means it was good. A few minutes later, it was Public Enemy time.
This record meant a lot to me as a kid, and in thinking about this set, I'm sure I wasn't alone in my fear that this set would be overshadowed -- if not hijacked -- by the insane exploits of VH1's most bankable celebreality star. Sure enough, during a tone-setting "Bring The Noise," Chuck D prowled the stage alone at the mic, backed only by his DJ and his dancing bodyguard guys the S1Ws; Flav could be heard, but not seen. "Where the fuck is Flavor Flav?"
Chuck asked afterwards. And then Flav made his inevitable, grandstanding entrance. Instead of it being a tense moment, though, D scolded him playfully while Flavor explained: "Yo Chuck I was trying to get my family into the park!" I was worried for a minute, but ultimately that wasn't giving enough credit to the record, or Chuck, or the night in general: There was no way Friday was going to be about anything else but Public Enemy.
Flav has always been the hammy hype man, and on that stage that lunatic shtick once again seemed, sensible. Like, more than wearing horns and generally being lecherously batshit crazy for the benefit of the Viacom corporation's bottom line, here he had a function with actual utility: to punctuate the assault of Chuck D's lyrics, to balance his disciplined clarity and gravity with that absurdist, anarchic edge. Flav told us the story behind "Cold Lampin' With Flavor," even remembering the name of the radio DJ (Mr. Magic) whose on-air dis the track was a response to (which is really impressive since earlier Flav mangled the name of his own album, calling it It Takes The Nation Of A Million To Hold Us Back; oh, words). Later in the set he lit it up on "911 Is A Joke." And he closed the set by being better than you on the drum kit. Now I don't feel so bad for thinking there was something to the guy all those years ago.
After PE were done holding us back, they ripped out Apocalypse '91's "Can't Truss It," and closed it all with a "Fight The Power" that morphed and closed out horned-up soul revue style. Again, Flav stepped into the spotlight: "Put two fingers in the air, and on the count of three say what that stands for." The crowd boomed in "peace." Yep, Flavor Flav actually commanded an inspiring moment. After hearing that album, though, there was just no other way to end it. So many photos await.
FLAV TAKES OFF HIS HUMONGOUS WRIST WATCH
THE BOMB SQUAD
Posted at 2:27 PM by amrit in Concert
Tags: Pitchfork Music Festival | Public Enemy
i wish i could have seen this!
Score = 1
i was 14 in 88 when nation of millions came out and to my 14 year old ears it was the greatest thing i never knew i needed to hear. now 20 years later it still stands as one of the greatest pieces of music ever put to tape. very jealous, i wish i could have seen this.
Score = 1
Chuck D needs to wear sleeves.
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That's awesome: Da Bomb Squad have a vinyl banner on their riser.
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Still not sure what's so beautiful about hip hop music in general. Is this guilt driven, or what? I can enjoy this album in the right context, but it's always contrived. Can someone tell me what's inherently beautiful about this music?
Score = -5
It's okay if you don't like it - I understand that people have different tastes.
But to insinuate that it is a "guilt driven" thing, well, that makes you a dick.
Score = 2
Actually, Flav botched the name of the album even worse than that! He called it "It Takes the Nation of a Millions to Hold Us Back." Just one letter, but it's a hilarious one. Nobody should ever say "a millions."
Kickass pictures. Mine (when I have time to add them) will be suitably shitty.
My review (with Mission of Burma) is similar and can be found here:
http://fightingtheyouth.blogspot.com/2008/07/pitchfork-friday.html
Score = 0
Are you positive 100% sure that Terminator X was there? I'm getting conflicting reports.
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This concert was great. I was initially apprehensive about Flava Flav being there but he fit in well as part of the multi-faceted group that makes up Public Enemy.
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and in these difficult, changing times, that's a good thing.
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Change that shit dude ... seriously, Terminator X did not show up, and if he had, it wouldn't be the "first time in 18 years." Dude left the group in the late 90s. Obviously you're not a fan?
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Terminator X was NOT there that night. Sorry to disappoint. Only DJ Lord, the group's DJ for the last 9 years.
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I must've misheard Chuck, sorry. Fixed!
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Nice! You guys def. have the pic, but Jim over at Indie Ear has the full blow-by-blow of the performance. For those so inclined, check it: http://www.ifc.com/music/indie-ear/2008/07/live-public-enemy-pitchfork-08.php
Score = 0
in other rap news: DMX got arrested...again...
http://www.mtv.co.uk/channel/mtvuk/news/21072008/434404/dmx_arrested_again
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