Here's something I learned from Marlon Perkins and Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom: all ducks are birds but NOT all birds are ducks. As it happens, the same is true among us humans and as I've picked up by checking in on all the permutations of Growing Up Hip Hop, it's also true in various sections of the music industry.
I admit this is a news story that gave me pause for a number of reasons, but read it for yourself and we can compare notes.
I own and enjoy listening to two Public Enemy (Phase One, I guess) albums, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, and Fear of a Black Planet. I missed the memo on the rebranding of the group but I don't get out much anymore so fair's fair, I guess. It would seem a member, Flavor Flav, also did not receive notification as he, if the USA Today story is to be believed (and as Pantload45 insists, fake news is everywhere (especially in the Oval Office)), is more than slightly discomfited at an announced appearance by Public Enemy Radio at a Los Angeles concert in support of the candidacy of Senator Bernie Sanders.
To be clear, none of that, per se, do I have trouble believing. This is the part that bothers me: apparently fans of Public Enemy Whatever F'ing Variant They Are This Week see the group as a monolith, sort of like The Borg (?). I say that based on this, from the report, "Chuck may own the name Public Enemy but all you had to do was look at the masses of clock-wearing fans pouring out of the rally ... to know that there is no Public Enemy without Flavor Flav."
That's as maybe but that's not the city limits of my credulity, to be honest. According to the article: '"Public Enemy and Public Enemy Radio will be moving forward without Flavor Flav," the group said in a statement Sunday, provided to USA TODAY by Jolyn Matsumuro, a spokeswoman for Chuck D and Public Enemy.
"We thank him for his years of service and wish him well."' So much for Parting Should Be Painless, but wait, we're still not to the part I cannot fully grasp, but it's coming (and maybe it happened to you, too, as you read it). 'The statement noted that Public Enemy Radio, made up of Chuck D, DJ Lord, Jahi and the S1Ws, would perform as planned at a Sanders rally Sunday evening in Los Angeles, featuring celebrity appearances by "Sarah Silverman and Dick Van Dyke with a special performance by Public Enemy Radio."'
Yeah. As someone who appreciates (in my own way) many different kinds of music (I interviewed Leonard Cohen and Ted Nugent once upon a time within twenty-four hours of one another and suffered no permanent damage), I cannot recall ever listening to any performer, musician or band on the recommendation of anybody in public office and I'm too old and set in my ways to start talking voting advice from anyone associated with any aspect of the performing arts.
Quite frankly, I'm thinking I've had just about all the government by a celebrity I can stand for this lifetime. Something about 'don't follow leaders, and watch the parking meters.' Word and out.
-bill kenny
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