Hip-hop pioneers and cultural icons Public Enemy announce the October 10th physical release of their first album in 5 years, “Black Sky Over the Projects: Apartment 2025,” following its surprise digital release in June. The album will now be available in both CD and vinyl formats, including three exclusive vinyl variants: “Earth” (Natural Black Swirl Opaque Mix vinyl), “Wind” (Light Gray Marble Opaque Mix vinyl, Exclusive Artist-Signed Edition), and “Fire” (Blood Orange Opaque Mix vinyl).

On “Black Sky Over the Projects,” Chuck D’s lyrical firepower and the inimitable Flavor Flav fearlessly call out the ills that plague society, politics, corporations and even ourselves while challenging us to do better. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award winners also celebrate the power of music itself, with tracks like “Here Come The Drums,” the ebullient love letter to hip-hop, “Get Down,” and the single, “March Madness.”

“This album is a give-back to all of our fans with gratitude and appreciation,” says Chuck D, “we see and appreciate you.” “We’re bringing our beats to the world with this album,” adds Flavor Flav.

Public Enemy’s classic albums are the soundtrack to hip-hop’s rise as social and political commentary. Their debut record, ”Yo! Bum Rush The Show,” set it all in motion.

Their sophomore effort, 1988’s “It Takes a Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back,” is one of the most important records ever made and was named to The New York Times list of 25 Most Significant Albums of the Last Century. “Fear of a Black Planet” featured Public Enemy’s signature song, “Fight The Power,” used by Spike Lee in his film “Do The Right Thing.” The album also included the powerful “911 Is a Joke” and “Welcome To The Terrordome.” “Apocalypse 91…The Enemy Strikes Black” carried on the group’s legacy, reaching #4 on the album chart and going platinum. The record included “By the Time I Get To Arizona,” demanding that America confront race relations after the state’s governor refused to recognize the new Martin Luther King, Jr. national holiday. In 2012, Public Enemy’s “Harder Than You Think” went to #1 on the UK urban and indie singles chart and to #4 on the official UK singles chart, their tenth Top 40 hit in England and their highest charting single ever.

By 2020, Public Enemy were tapped to open the BET Awards with a remix of “Fight The Power,” where they were joined by Nas, Rapsody, The Roots, YG and Jahi in a fiery protest against the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others at the hands of police officers. The critically acclaimed album, “What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down,” was released that year on Def Jam and featured guest performances by the Beastie Boys’ Mike D and Ad-Rock, George Clinton, Cypress Hill, Ice-T, PMD, Run-DMC and more. The group is currently in the midst of a global festival and stadium tour, including select dates with Guns N’ Roses.

 

Track Listing:
1.SIICK (Produced by C-Doc & M-Rok for The Beat Raiders)
2.CONFUSION (HERE COME THE DRUMS) (Produced by Felony Muzik)
3.WHAT EYE SAID (Produced by C-Doc for DefBeat Posse Productions, ID!)
4.C’MON GET DOWN (Produced by Felony Muzik)
5.EVIL WAY (Produced by Carl Ryder & JP Hesser)
6.SEXEGENARIAN VAPE (Produced by C-Doc for DefBeat Posse Productions, ID!)
7.MESSY HENS (Produced by Sam Farrar, Additional Production by Carl Ryder)
8.FOOLS FOOL FOOLS (Produced by C-Doc for DefBeat Posse Productions, ID!)
9.THE HITS JUST KEEP ON COMIN… (Produced by Sam Hollander & Grant Michaels)
10.AGEISM (Produced by C-Doc for DefBeat Posse Productions, ID!)
11.PUBLIC ENEMY COMIN THROOOOO (Produced by Felony Muzik)
12.MARCH MADNESS (Produced by Nigel Sanders, Additional Production by Sam Hollander)

Executive Producers:
Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Lorrie “The LBX” Boula, Rhiannon Rae Ellis