Secret 7" - Public Enemy - Harder Than You Think
Possible Points of Interest from the video
- Spinning hat (red, green, white, yellow, navy blue)
- Hat with letter P
- iconic clock (white,black)
- big glasses (white frame,black lens)
- gold teeth
- repeats 'JUST LIKE DAT'
Original Cover
Lyrics
[Flavor Flav]
Yo Chuck, bust a move man
I was on my way up here to the studio, ya know what I'm sayin'?
And this brother stop me and axe me,
"Yo, wassup with that brother Chuckie D? He swear he nice"
I said "Yo the brother don't swear he's nice, he KNOWS he's nice"
Ya know what I'm sayin'?
So Chuck, I got a feelin you turnin him into a Public Enemy, man
Now remember that line you was kicking to me
on the way out to LA Lounge in Queens
while we was in the car on our way to the Shop
Well yo, right now kick the bass for them brothers
And let 'em know, WHAT, GOES, ON!
[Chuck D]
What goes on?
Rollin stones of the rap game not braggin
Lips bigger than jagger, not saggin
Spell it backwards
I'm a leave it at that...
That ain't got nothin to do with rap
Check the facts expose those cats
Who pose as heros and take advantage of blacks
Your governments gangster so cut the crap
A war goin on so where you at?
Fight the power comes great responsiblity
F the police but whos stoppin you from killin me?
Disasters, fiascos over a loop by pe
If it's an I instead of we
Believin tv
Spittin riches, bitches, and this new thing about snitches
Watch them asses move the masses switches
System dissed them but barely missed her
My soul intention to save my brothers and sisters
[Flavor Flav]
Yeah, that's right Chuck, man
That's what you gotta do
You got to tell 'em JUST, LIKE, DAT, ya know what I'm sayin?
Cause yo, lemme tell you a lil something man
These brothers runnin around, hard-headed!
They get a lil jealous, you know what I'm sayin?
Just like that! You know, they try to bring you down wit 'em
But yo, Chuck, you got to tell 'em JUST, LIKE, DAT!
Get up
Hard... just like that
Get up
Hard... just like that
Get up
Hard... just like that
Get up
Hard... just like that
[Chuck D]
Screamin gangsta 20 years later
Of course endorsed while consciousness faded
New generations believing them fables
Gangster boogie on two turntables
Show no love so it's easy to hate it
Desecrated while the coroner waited
Any given sunday so where ya'll rate it?
With slavery, lynching, and them drugs infiltrated
I'm like that doll chuckie, baby
Keep comin back to live love life like I'm crazy
Keep it movin risin to the top
Doug fresh clean livin you don't stop
Revolution means change
Don't look at me strange
So I can't repeat what other rappers be sayin
You don't stand for something
You fall for anything
Harder than you think
It's a beautiful thing
Get up
Hard... just like that
Get up
Hard... just like that
Get up
Hard... just like that
Get up
Hard... just like that
[Flavor Flav]
Yeah, that's right Chuck, man
That's what you gotta do
You got to tell 'em JUST, LIKE, DAT, ya know what I'm sayin?
Cause yo, lemme tell you a lil something man
These brothers runnin around, hard-headed!
They get a lil jealous, you know what I'm sayin?
Just like that! You know, they try to bring you down wit 'em
But yo, Chuck, you got to tell 'em JUST, LIKE, DAT!
[Chuck D]
So it's time to leave you a preview
So you too can review what we do
20 years in this business
How you sell sell soul, g wiz
People bear witness
Thank you for lettin us be ourself
So don't mind me if I repeat myself
These simple lines be good for your health
To keep them crime rhymes on the shelf
Live life love like you just don't care
5000 leaders never scared
Bring the noise it's the moment they fear
Get up still a beautiful idea
Get up
Throw yo hands in the air
Get up show no fear
Get up if ya'll really care
Pe 20 years
Now get up
[Flavor Flav - Outro]
Yeah, that's right, we Public Enemy #1 in New York
Public Enemy #1 in Philly, Public Enemy #1 in D.C.
Public Enemy #1 in Cleveland, Ohio (we're harder than you think)
Also we're Public Enemy #1 in St. Louis
(It's a beautiful thing) Public Enemy #1 in New Jersey
And bust it, we also Public Enemy #1 in Cincinnatti, (we're harder than you think)
and Atlanta, even Public Enemy #1 in Chicago, Public Enemy #1 in Detroit
(It's a beautiful thing) Public Enemy #1 in Oakland,
(We're harder than you think) Public Enemy #1 in Baltimore
Public Enemy #1 in Miami, Public Enemy #1 in Indiana
Also Public Enemy #1 in L.A. (it's a beautiful thing... indeed)
Also Public Enemy #1 in Alabama, y'all (we're harder, than you think!)
Public Enemy #1 in Tennesee, Public Enemy #1 in Mississippi
The {?} of all the Public Enemies...
Get up
Hard... just like that
Get up
Hard... just like that
Get up
Hard... just like that
Get up
Hard... just like that
“Harder Than You Think” is the kind of epic statement that few have ever done better than Public Enemy, a blast of sound and lyric that links the chains of tradition into an unstoppably powerful force. The track also consciously asserts P.E.’s continuing, though changing, importance in the larger conversation: That “Harder Than You Think” opens with Flav’s reprise of his signature introduction to the group’s early single “Public Enemy #1” is only the most obvious moment of recall. The guitars which guide this spare beginning gives way to the deep swell of a full R&B horn section, whose triumphant herald provides perfect support for one of Chuck D’s most intense recent performances. Unlike many of his “conscious” contemporaries and followers, Chuck’s always understood that the most intellectually or politically aware lyrics will mean nothing if they’re not accompanied by an accordingly memorable backing track, and—while he hasn’t always succeeded in this regard—“Harder Than You Think” sounds like it can move mountains.
Despite Chuck’s thunderous, relentless flow, the song’s chorus contains nothing but the horns and Flavor Flav’s stabbing repetitions of “just like that,” a piecing combination that—if only temporarily—washes away every memory of Flav’s ignominious reality-TV career: The Greatest Hype Man In The World once again frees himself from the Tar Baby, and summons the spirits.
The lyric itself is certainly of a piece with the glut of admonitions that P.E. and others have made a staple element of their recorded output, but it accomplishes something slightly different, and more valuable: Chuck’s verses primarily criticize rap and rappers for not being willing or able to grow up, instead staying bound to the styles and symbols that the genre’s been selling (and white folks have been buying) for two decades. While we could certainly debate the degree to which this accusation is simplistic, the arrested cultural development observed by Chuck D has been on the minds of plenty of folks, young and old, throughout the hip-hop nation in the past few years: Nas, whose debut album came out after Public Enemy’s great period was over, even declared hip-hop “dead” in his compelling 2006 single, but the older, wiser Chuck D isn’t willing to give up the ghost just yet. Instead, he argues that the strength which hip-hop always possessed, and must continue to exhibit, comes through mature recognition, a quality which (like PE, and hip-hop itself) remains “harder than you think,” the double meaning of which, Chuck points out, “is a beautiful thing.”
Members
- Chuck D – MC (1987–present)
- Flavor Flav (William Drayton) – hype man, occasionally lead vocals
- Khari Wynn – music director
- DJ Lord (Lord Aswod) – DJ
- Professor Griff
History
Public Enemy rewrote the rules of hip-hop. They were one of the most influential rap groups of the pre-gangsta late 1980s. They built upon Run-D.M.C.'s street-oriented beats and rhyming. Powered by the leads of Chuck D (b. Carlton Ridenhour), the court-jester counterpoints of Flavor Flav (b. William Drayton), and the revolutionary production techniques of the Squad (Hank Shocklee and Keith Shockleee, Bill Stephney, Eric Sadler, et al.), the Long Island, New York-based Public Enemy debuted in 1987 with Yo! Bum Rush the Show.
Chuck D used his authoritative baritone to rhyme about all kinds of social problems, particularly those plaguing the black community. In the process, he directed rap and hip-hop toward a more self-aware, pro-black arena that essentially became the signature of the culture of the time. Musically, Public Enemy was just as revolutionary, as their production team created sounds that relied on cut-and-paste techniques, unrecognizable samples, piercing sirens, and relentless beats.
While Chuck powered the group with his intense vocals, Flavor Flav became the group's focal point with his huge sunglasses, oversized clock hanging from his neck, and comic flare.
The 1989 anthem "Fight the Power," featured in Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing," gave the group a huge hit, but in May of the same year Public Enemy made less enviable headlines. Founding member Professor Griff (b. Richard Griffin, circa 1960), leader of the S1W bodyguards, made anti-Semitic remarks in an interview; as a result, Griff eventually left the group, later recording solo for Luther Campbell of 2 Live Crew.
With other lyrics on the album being viewed as anti-semetic as well, namely "still they got me like Jesus," the band quickly found itself in the middle of controversy, and that would not be the first. The group's militant stance and lyrics ensured there would be some group out there that would attack Public Enemy.
But after all the negative press and controversy, most critics acknowledged that Public Enemy was the most influential and radical band of its time.
link
Flavor Flav
Chuck D
Public Enemy Covers
All the previous Public Enemy covers seem to have a do it yourself feel to them which makes me think that a simple design would be most appropriate for the audience.
1987 Hip-Hop Cover Designs
Public Enemy debuted in 1987 so I thought I would look at other cover designs around the same period.
Primary Research
I visited some record stores in town to have a look at some of the sleeve designs. The selection I found was quite limited but the general consensus is bright colours with illustration, usually hand created.
General Hip-Hop Visual Research
I like the illustration style of design in the image below. I feel it reflects the street art and grittiness associated with Hip-hop.
The limited use of colours in the image below works well. I would like like to use two to three colours in my design not to over complicate things.
The image below in particular is what I am hoping to achieve. A simple design that has a personal feel to it through the use of hand drawn illustration.
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