Public Enemy News Options

[OzRage]

This is from Rollingstone.com


Public Enemy will release two albums this year. Due in early summer, How Do You Sell Souls to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Souls? is a classic-soul-minded album, while the fall-targeted New Whirl Odor is an "eclectic, typical Public Enemy record," according to frontman Chuck D.
"They're two totally different albums," he continues. "But they come together like a nice double set. I can't write a record without at least mentioning what's going on. I delve real deep on the second album, and dig deep into the music on the first one."

The albums and his current lecture tour titled "Rap, Race, Reality and Technology" will all touch on the current events and issues endemic to an election year. "I think this is a year that art can actually speak," D says. "But I don't see enough of it being done. I don't see enough attention given to rap groups that might do it, like the Coup and Dead Prez. The industry is presenting rappers as one-dimensional, and that doesn't hold as much water in 2004."

Chuck D. lecture dates:

2/10: Cleveland, John Carroll University
2/11: Philadelphia, St. Joseph's University
2/12: Chapel Hill, NC, University of North Carolina
2/17: Tuscaloosa, AL, University of Alabama
2/18: Morrow, GA, Clayton College & State University
2/23: Bowling Green, KY, Western Kentucky University
2/24: Chicago, Illinois Institute of Technology
2/26: Pullman, WA, Washington State University

[OzRage]

And from Billboard.com

A new cable channel devoted to hip-hop culture has secured sponsorship from rap legend Chuck D, as well as CNN co-founder Reese Schonfeld and former Viacom executive David Houle. Aimed at the 18-34 demographic that advertisers covet, the Real Hip-Hop Network is expected to launch this year with a major cable operator through a deal signed with OlympuSat, which packages independent networks for distribution.

RHN is the brainchild of hip-hop concert promoter Atonn Muhammad, president and CEO of SSM Media Group. He believes that MTV and BET are overlooking much of what constitutes the hip-hop world. "America only gets to see a fraction of what true hip-hop represents," he said. "We want to offer a grittier, more real representation."

RHN also represents a more Madison Avenue-friendly approach to hip-hop-themed entertainment than two other recently announced premium cable ventures featuring uncensored music videos: Hype, a joint venture between Bad Boy Entertainment and Playboy, and 1AM, a collaboration between Universal Music Group along with adult programming giant Vivid Video, Shady Records and Endeavor.

With Public Enemy frontman Chuck D, RHN has a hip-hop icon who has long stood in opposition to the materialistic mentality of most mainstream hip-hop. RHN also is talking with Afeni Shakur, mother of slain rapper Tupac Shakur, about getting involved with the network.