Thursday, November 25, 2010

Covers & Classics v2
Welcome to the Terrordome







I got so much trouble on my mind...




Public Enemy - Original [1989]






Lyrics

In 1990, Public Enemy would release "Fear of a Black Planet".  An album which would prove to revolutionary, both in lyrical content and in production value.

The Bomb Squad was just hitting their stride, with increasingly complex layers and samples. Chuck D and the Flav were also reaching new heights, perfecting their combination of thoughtful and playful political lyricism.

Welcome to the Terrordome was as a single before the album, and very much set the mood, both of the sound and content, for "Fear of a Black Planet".

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In 2007 Pharoahe Monch would release his long awaited sophomore solo effort. Monch was already an established and well respected lyricist. It probably took many by surprises to hear him reprise the first verse of a then 18 year old song verbatim. 
Monch, however, contextualize the cover with a far from subtle spoken intro. The second verse, while true to the mood, diverges fully from the lyric and rhyme patterns of the original. 
 

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