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Public Enemy

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Musicians

The Resume

    (1982- )
    Chuck D (Carlton Ridenhour, August 1, 1960)
    DJ Terminator X (Norman Lee Rogers, August 25, 1966)
    Professor Griff (Richard Griff)
    Flavor Flav (William Drayton, March 16, 1959)
    Raps include 'Fight the Power,' '911 is a Joke,' 'Can't Do Nuttin' for Ya Man,' 'Brothers Gonna Work It Out,' and 'Bring the Noise'

Why they might be annoying:

    Professor Griff often made anti-Semitic remarks on stage and in an interview he said that Jews were responsible for 'the majority of the wickedness that goes on across the globe' (1989).
    Flavor Flav's trademarks were giant sunglasses, his hat turned sideways, and an alarm clock on a string around his neck.
    In a notorious statement, Chuck D claimed that rap was 'the Black CNN,' relating what was happening in the inner city in a way that mainstream media could not project. Their lyrics were naturally dissected in the wake of such a statement, and many critics were uncomfortable with the positive endorsement of Black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan on 'Bring the Noise.'
    All the members (especially Flavor Flav) were repeated drug offenders, and all had been in jail at some point in time for various crimes.
    The group is really good friends with Spike Lee, and the video for 'Fight the Power' was directed by him.
    Despite rapping about how the black community was being mistreated by the 'white government,' most of Public Enemy's fans were young white males.

Why they might not be annoying:

    They basically rewrote the rules of hip-hop, becoming the most influential and controversial rap group of the late 1980s and, for many, the definitive rap group of all time.
    1991's 'Apocalypse 91 ... The Enemy Strikes Black,' the group re-recorded 'Bring the Noize' with heavy metal band Anthrax, which was the first sign that the group was trying to consolidate its white audience.
    For some reason they toured with the second leg of U2's Zoo TV tour in 1992.

Credit: Break Dancing Robot


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2023, as of last week, Out of 7 Votes: 85.71% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 35 Votes: 25.71% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 90 Votes: 47.78% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 29 Votes: 51.72% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 19 Votes: 89.47% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 19 Votes: 63.16% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 21 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 118 Votes: 55.93% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 18 Votes: 61.11% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 33 Votes: 42.42% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 63 Votes: 74.60% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 52 Votes: 63.46% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 170 Votes: 75.29% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 187 Votes: 73.80% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 321 Votes: 64.80% Annoying
    In 2004, Out of 345 Votes: 63.48% Annoying
    In 2003, Out of 701 Votes: 65.91% Annoying
    In 2002, Out of 5345 Votes: 37.64% Annoying