Man plans, God Laughs

Public Enemy’s 13th Bar Mitzvah album gets its name from a well known, albeit very cynical Yiddish proverb – דער מענטש טראַכט און גאָט לאַכט (Der mentsh trakht un got lakht) – however, there do not seem to be any expressly Jewish themes in the title track or the rest of the album. But whatever, who cares. Public Enemy member Chuck D told Rolling Stone Magazine that the new album is “probably the most intense Public Enemy record of the century.” I don’t know about that. Public Enemy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 as only the 4th Rap act so honored. The other rap acts were Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Run DMC and the Beastie Boys. Still though, the album is pretty bad ass mixing the traditionally lush PE arrangements with a smattering, a soupcon if you will, of EDM elements. Don’t miss track 6: Honkey Tonk Rules where they deliciously sample the Rolling Stones Honkey Tonk Women. Sampling the Stones seems pretty appropriate given that all the members of Public Enemy are in their 50s. Don’t let that make you think they’ve slowed down any though. This is an excellent effort that references current events and navigates between violence and salvation, although it seems the prognosis is not very good. Chuck D told Rolling Stone

With the situation of unrest in society, and the police brutality issue and what happened in Baltimore, don’t expect no sympathy from the government on the people, especially in the United States … I don’t put any of this on President Obama at all. He inherited a thief that was already in quicksand, and tried to do a good job about not having the thief go under the quicksand. It’s about to really get worse and capsize when he leaves.

OK so yeah, there were some allegations of anti-Semitism with Professor Grif a million years ago. He and the band seem to have gotten over it and I certainly have. Just enjoy the fucking song and don’t be so damned sensitive.

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