SoundProof - CMW Live - Public Enemy

Hip hop is dead, NAS declared on his new album of the same title. Were these the fighting words that caused the S1W (Security of the First World) to storm The Docks' stage followed closely by Chuck D at Friday night's CMW showcase event?

An eager crowd mills in the dark awaiting the arrival of monolithic hip-hop figureheads Public Enemy. Local historians/heroes Michie Mee and Maestro (Fresh Wes) help warm up the crowd, moving it towards the true resurrection of hip hop. As the combat boots of the S1W march onto the stage, the crowd knows this is a take-no-prisoners event to be remembered for a very long time. Beats building, crowd on the verge of explosion, Chuck D shoots onto the stage to the roaring approval of the eclectic crowd. Not merely hip-hop heads, the crowd's diversity attests to the fact that Public Enemy is a group for the people, ALL people. Two songs into the set, which included a DJ, guitarist and live drummer, the crowd began to grumble about the whereabouts of the clown prince of hip hop, Flavor Flav. Not to disappoint, or be missed, Flavor Flav bum rushes the stage in a yellow hoodie and the omnipresent, oversized clock — set to his own time of course. The crowd falls over onto themselves, roaring their approval; Public Enemy has arrived.

Performing their greatest hits, the soundtrack for much of the '80s and '90s, left no musical stone unturned. Every song played was necessary, for to leave out even one was to deny the crowd their due. Crowd-pleasing favorites such as "Shut Em Down," "Fight The Power," "911 is a Joke" and "Don't Believe The Hype" made heads and arms bounce in unison. Age has done nothing to reduce the political/social overtones inherent in their work; PE's words pierced as effectively as ever.

Posing, strutting, COMMANDING the stage, the rare appearance of Public Enemy in the flesh, demands that every eye in the cavernous Docks complex remain tightly focused. Everywhere in the throng, mesmerized eyes abound, blinking becomes optional as no-one wants to miss even one second of this classic show.

Save for a late start time, due to tech glitches, this show was flawless. Flavor Flav demanded such professionalism that anyone caught making a mistake would be faced with a penalty of doing pushups in front of the crowd, and even he, stringy arms and all, paid his dues when he absent-mindedly forgot a lyric.

Public Enemy showed why they have attained the lofty, respected heights they occupy in hip hop. Even the isolated location of the docks couldn't keep the thousands from praying at this hastily erected temple. NAS has declared hip hop to be dead, but Public Enemy not only resuscitated it, but gave it back its arms and legs, ready to fight for its life.

As the crowd pumped their fists in the air to "Fight The Power," a collective smile spread across The Docks. The music was great, and in the case of Public Enemy's message, ever so necessary. Perhaps hip hop isn't in such dire straits after all, just so long as Public Enemy continues to fight for true hip hop.