0 ARTS Monday, April 16, 1990 The Michigan Daily Page 8 . Public Enemy Fear of a Black Planet DefJam/Columbia I won't even attempt to pussy- foot around the issues that caused Public Enemy to come to power. America is, as Chuck D. and Profes- sor Griff have asserted for so long, a breeding ground for revolution. America's color scheme is too con- stricting for its people. Asians are not Yellows, Native Americans are not Reds, Indians are not Browns. The powers that be have been play- ing their games for too long, and after more than 256 years, the pawns have had enough. Quite simply, whenever a Black and a White person come together, the child will be Black. There is no half Black, just as there is no half White. This is why the dominant gene, Black, is such a threat to so many. As Chuck D says, many Americans fear a Black America, let alone a Black planet. The first track, "Contract on the World Love Jam," is a non-vocal piece that reviews the situation that PE has been in for the past six months, with the group's future be- ing constantly threatened. The track opens many options for the LP's pa- rameters with its harmonic melo- drama. This is followed by one of the most optimistic raps Chuck has ever released, "Brothers Gonna Work it Out." Over a strangulated guitar distortion, he does not exhort but rather promises a united Black race. His trump card is, judging from "history not his story," the fact that an African American who knows her/his past cannot be deterred from building a proper future. The next track, "911 Is a Joke," does a better job of telling you to get up, get into it and get involved than anything PE has ever done. Flavor-Flav is lampin' about how the police will not be coming, over Rea G party noise of all things. "You bet- ter wake up and smell the real Fla- vor/ 'cause 911 is a fake lifesaver," he says. Rather than telling people for the umpteenth time to rise, the cold lamper suggests that only you can protect yourself in the ghetto. Likewise, the mind-blowing "Polly- wanacraka" is subtly, cleverly effec- tive, with Chuck drawling in a slyly distorted voice about the last great American taboo - miscegenation. The tune is, among other things, much better at lampooning street humor than so many Ruthless records. "Burn Hollywood Burn" pos- sesses the same bold revolutionary spirit as NWA's "Fuck tha Police," exploding subject matter that Black people, if not me personally, have always wanted to hear. The fact is, NO progressive, sensible African American in the year 1990 wants to hear about idiotic, sycophantic garbage like "Driving Miss Daisy." Refer to Robert Townsend for further news. Among syncopated whistles, brass hits and riotous screams, Chuck explains his problem with the movies: "It'll take a Black one to move me." The move to rap with Ice Cube and Big Daddy Kane shows a great display of unity, with three dif- ferent classes of rappers all coming together to diss a common enemy. Big Daddy Kane's ever-formidable vernacular is the most devastating weapon here, as he explains Holly- wood's assault of oppressive roles, "butlers and maids, slaves and hoes." His final line is the most lethal: "For what they play Aunt Jemima is the perfect term - even if now she got a perm/ there's nothing that the Black man could use to earn BURN hollywood BURN." The last cut on this side, a party track titled "Power to the People," is followed by a sonic collage of cries for freedom. This bold move entails il Agjain Student works come to life at Composers' Forui by Satik Andriassian 4 TONIGHT the composition department of the School of Music will present the fifth and last Composers' Forum of the year, displaying a variety of works ranging from solo vocal and instrumental pieces to chamber choir pieces. The works in tonight's concert are the final product of undergraduate and graduate composition students' experiments with rhythm, harmony, melodic structure and other elements of music. Experimenting with these elements is one of the most important aspects of composing; the opportunity to hear their works performed is invaluable in helping the composer develop his or her unique language and style. At the same time, preparing for the performance encourages an interaction between composers and performers, giving the performers a better understanding and appreciation of new works. Despite little campus-wide recognition, the Forum has a long and active history. Initiated in 1948 by professor and composer-in-residence emeritus Ross Lee Finney, the Forums showcased not only student compositions but also works by established composers. This was necessary in order to expand the programming of a then-small department; and to provide a much-needed venue for contemporary music on See FORUM, page 9 I I Public Enemy is back for more confrontation with their new album , Fear of a Black Planet still more drama, or at the very least, better things to come for the next side. Indeed, "Who Stole the Soul?" utterly crushes music industry pimps, while the title track segues into a brilliant chorus. In yet another distorted voice, Chuck says, "Excuse us for the news, you may not be amused/ but did you know White comes from Black? No need to be confused." And further along, the lyrical terrorist turns to a decidedly different side, preaching love of all things. The line "All I want is peace and love on this planet" would've seemed curiously out of place on Yo! Bum Rush the Show. What's more, race mixing would seem to be the most unlikely topic to follow up with the furious "Revolutionary Generation." And as if mixed messages are not bad enough, Public Enemy's overall theme remains utterly confused as the content changes over some more. Flavor-Flav's solo track, "Can't Do Nuttin' For Ya Man," tells a street parasite where to go. Terminator X's body-checking "Leave This Off Your Fuckin' Charts" gives a blessed re- cess from all the proselytizing as well. And the former backside to "Black Steel," "B-Side Wins Again," contains one of the funkiest beats of all time. But including the inexplicable "Reggie Jax," these tracks form a shaky pretext to the supposed cli- max, "War at 33 and 1/3." The lyrics are as intentionally dense as the title is misleading. Chuck attacks dissen- sion, social waste, religious hypo- crisy, the oppressive nature of Chris- tianity and evangelism, feds, the ma- jority and Uncle Sam, all in less than four minutes. The LP ends with the previously released "Fight the Power," a resolution that is climac- tic enough but still disappointing. It's as if Chuck, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler and Hank Shocklee ran out of earth-shaking ideas, and so conve- niently left a bottom line that we'd all recognize. But this is a small gripe - after all, PE remain artists, not politicians, and this is their tour de force. Then again, the track also recalls the end of the last LP, "Party For Your Right to Fight," which at the very least opened doors and provoked thought about PE's true politics. While their first two albums are clearly forerunners, given Chuck D's ultimate goal of a mind revolution this one should stand on its own. The final blurb, with an interviewer asking "Wh'at is the future for Public Enemy?" is more prophetic than anything else on the record. If Fear of a Black Planet does in fact suc- ceed in its objective, there will not be any need for a fourth album. -Forrest Green III ov, 4A r' E. R' Y' Lonnie "Miller" Brooks sounds great (Thursday is part of the weekend for me.) I descended into the plane of the preppy Beast with some trepidation, which proved well-founded: the evil anti-stoner icon Izod was spotted within 30 minutes. Fortunately, Lee Atwater was not present though. For the amount of would-be rebels smoking death sticks there, it was amazing how few had actually brought a lighter with them. The Lonnie Brooks blues band delivered as expected, though. Lon- nie Brooks Jr. led the band so well that I'll wager that in 2010, when indie bands all over the world are TV busy ripping off Big Chief and Mol Triffid, a Brooks blues band of ope sort or another will still be wowing the half of the crowd at Rick's tha knew they were coming. The true lt- traction of the night was Mr. Brooks Sr., who can play that guitar jist like he's ringing a bell, as the man said of another country boy downin Louisiana across the railroad tracks. In the end, the 400-penny price of admission for two hours of searing Chicago blues was well worth it. With the 1,850 pennies saved by not attending Stevie Ray Vaughn, on* could buy a lot of beer. On the other hand, Michigan Theater attendees were probably not subjected to a continous Miller Genuine Draft advertisement from the stage. I guess when it comes to seeing live blues, you have to pick your moral poisons. -Brian Jarvinen C awhoee COfl 5 ' Corn put4E w I Ir )KIJfik J ^ RESTAURANT "24 YEARS EXPERIENCE" i To enter the ABC Day TV Sweepstakes complete the answers on the coupon. in Pine Valley, get your hair done in Llanview, in Port Charles, they and gossip about who's with whom secrets unfold at get away with plenty at at the G .V M 's Place. K 's Diner. CHEF JAN -, TOP GOLD MEDAL WINNER OF DETROIT COBO HALL NATIONAL CONTEST Sponsored by Michigan Restaurant Association Michigan Chefs De Cuisine Association BLUE RIBBON BEST CHEF AWARD IN WASHINGTON D.C. LUNCHEON SPECIAL, 11:30 AM.-3 P.M. GRAND PRIZE: All expense paid trip for two to the Daytime Emmy Awards on ABC. 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