Public Enemy's Influence On The Civil Rights Movement

Public Enemy was one of the most important hip hop groups when it came to expressing the influence of Black Power-era nationalism in their music. In their iconic song, “Fight the Power,” they allude to Malcolm X with the lyrics,“Swinging while I’m singing/Giving whatcha getting” (lines 9-10). This refers to a speech Malcolm X made criticizing the moderate liberal elements of the Civil Rights Movement, saying, “This is part of what’s wrong with you. You do too much singing. Today it’s time to stop singing and start swinging” (Ellis and Smith). Malcolm X was talking about how many Civil Rights protesters focused on peace and talking about protesting instead of actively taking action against the system. Public Enemy condones the approval of Black militancy

Public Enemy also further expresses Black Power-era nationalism in their song “Don’t Believe the Hype,” they express the idea of “nation time” by making several plays on the word “time,” rapping, “Again I said I was a time bomb/In the daytime radio 's scared of me/Cause I 'm mad, plus I 'm the enemy/They can 't come on and play me in prime time/Cause I know the time, cause I 'm getting mine.” In these lyrics, Public Enemy calls out how they are excluded from mainstream media because they are too political and “mad.” They “know the time” - as in they have knowledge of the history, politics, and culture of oppression that Black people in America have dealt with and also have Black consciousness - an awareness and pride in themselves and their identity as Black people. This consciousness and knowledge contributes to this goal of “getting mine,” which, in this case with the influence of Black Power-era nationalism, can mean creating “self-sufficient” (Decker 67) media platforms, so that Black Americans can be on their own “time” within their own Black