Public Enemy announces new album and return to Def Jam
‘What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down?’ drops next month.
Public Enemy will release their new album What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down? next month, the legendary group announced on Friday (Aug. 28). The record also ushers in Public Enemy’s return to Def Jam and will mark their first full-length release through the label in over two decades.
“Cultural Institutions are important. Being an integral part of one is an honor bestowed and to uphold,” Chuck D said in a statement. “Public Enemy songs are forever sonic prints in the sands of time. And it’s time—it’s necessary—to bring the noise again from a place called home. Def Jam. Fight The Power 2020.”
About the group’s return to Def Jam, Flavor Flav said, “it’s cool to be home” and likened the historic record label to “the house we grew up in.”
“As we continue to confront inequality and injustice, we need PE’s voice in the national dialogue,” Def Jam Chairman and CEO Jeff Harleston said of the new partnership. The UMG General Counsel also praised the group for being a “living example” of music’s ability to “move and unite” its listeners .
“Def Jam is proud to partner with Chuck and welcome Public Enemy home,” Harleston added.
Public Enemy kicked off their What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down? rollout on Friday (Aug. 28) with an official release of their “Fight the Power (Remix).” The 1989 classic received an epic revamp back in June, with added verses from the likes of Nas, Rapsody, YG, the Roots’ Black Thought and Questlove and Public Enemy Radio’s Jahi. The new track was first debuted with a star-studded performance at the 2020 BET awards. According to the release, it will act as the lead single for What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down?, which is due out Sept. 25.
Find the album’s artwork and stream Public Enemy’s “Fight the Enemy (Remix)” below.
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