Enemy Radio, the throwback Hip-Hop group comprised of Chuck D and essential members of Public Enemy, have surprise dropped a new album. Introducing the new album Loud is Not Enough with a new single ‘Food As a Machine Gun’, billed as by Enemy Radio Featuring Public Enemy! The track features all of the Enemy Radio crew, Chuck D, DJ Lord, Jahi and the S1Ws, and Flavor Flav! The group announced that the shocking dismissal of Flav from the group was part of an elaborate hoax created by the group to teach and the importance of how easily the media is manipulated (full story below). Enemy Radio performed in Los Angeles on March 1st, at a rally for United States Presidential Candidate, Bernie Sanders. Watch the lyric video for ‘Food As a Machine Gun’, the track highlighting the dangers of an industrial food system that adds chemicals and preservatives to grocery store products at the cost of nutrition, resulting in devastating changes to brains and bodies. The concept was inspired by advocate and author Kristin Lawless.’!
Chuck D comments:
“I had watched Orson Welles’ ‘War Of The Worlds’ from 1938 when he pulled the wool over the public’s eyes as they put 100% belief in the technology of radio,” explains Chuck D. “Most people followed like a Pavlovic dog just like they do now. Flav doesn’t do benefits and stays away from political events – we been cool and always agreed about that. Enemy Radio was built for that reason, to be a DJ+MC auxiliary unit of Public Enemy, a no-slack homage tossback to DJ+MC roots. It is DJ Lord, myself and Jahi with the S1Ws. Hearing the confused mush of political talk while under the bowels of Trumpotus made me use a presidential stage as my platform. Out of this storm came a plan between Flav and me to remind people that what’s important should have as much, if not more, value than just what’s popular. Thus came the HOAX, our ‘War Of The Worlds.’ Believe half of what you hear and NONE of what you see.”
He also used the hoax to illustrate how the media disproportionately covers bad news over good news when it comes to hip hop. While Public Enemy has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, received a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award and toured the world for over 30 years including performances at Coachella and Glastonbury, it was the conflict between the group’s frontmen that made Chuck D a trending topic on social media and garnered global media attention. Read Chuck D’s full statement on the HOAX here.
“So it’s April 1, 2020 and as we hoard food and empty store shelves, Chuck D and Flavor Flav hijack it as April ‘FlavChuck’ Day to end the HOAX with Enemy Radio’s new song, ‘FOOD AS A MACHINE GUN.’ ‘Don’t Believe The Hype’ 2020 style” says Chuck D. “That’s right, this is Enemy Radio featuring Public Enemy, with more around the corner: Enemy Radio’s debut album, ‘LOUD IS NOT ENOUGH,’ is here. ‘FOOD AS A MACHINE GUN’ is the first taste, an attack on the food industrial machine that opens minds to the direct need, dependency and necessity – yet killer – of our current lives, taking inspiration from Kristin Lawless and her book, ‘Formerly Known As Food.'”
“The industrial world food machine rolls like gangbangers in the 21st century of chaos. Who protects us from the weapon formerly known as food?” asks Chuck.
“The cracks in our food system have busted wide open,” explains Lawless. “The way we produce our food has helped to create this pandemic and the poor-quality products we consume leave us vulnerable to infection. Radical change around food production is required now if we want to prevent future pandemics, protect our planet and save our lives.”
“Does it take doing crazy shit or catastrophe to wake people up? Obviously so, even when paying attention is the cheapest price to pay,” he continues. “So if you got that in your wallet, Enemy Radio is serving up ‘FOOD AS A MACHINE GUN.'”
