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And Chuckie D, myself, and K-Jee
Flavor, DJ Melo-D Public Enemy – Public Enemy No. 1
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The roots of this track as a Spectrum City promo are apparent here in Chuck’s use of the crew’s old names.

Melo-D was the original name of Terminator X, the Wizard K-Jee was Keith Shocklee of the Bomb Squad, and Chuck used to go by Chuckie D. Flavor was always Flavor.

Chuck shouts out a different set of names in the promo, including Jahwel (later of Son of Bazerk?) and future Original Concept member T-Money.

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'Cause I can go solo like a Tyson bolo Public Enemy – Public Enemy No. 1
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An odd line as Mike Tyson isn’t known for throwing Bolos. You get the idea though: Chuck D’s rhymes pack a hell of a punch.

In the original version (and the lyric sheet that came with the album), the lyric is Sugar Ray bolo. This makes more sense as the move was a favourite of Sugar Ray Leonard. But Leonard was past his prime by 1987 whereas Tyson was the brand new heavyweight champion.

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640

4 years

Chuck said the original line Sugar Ray bolo was regarding the Bolo punch Ray hit Roberto Duran in their famous No Mas fight.

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Public Enemy No. 1 Public Enemy – Public Enemy No. 1
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Public Enemy’s debut release, originally a radio promo for their college radio show in Long Island back when they were the Spectrum City sound system.

Most of the elements that made Public Enemy great are apparent even at this early stage. Chuck’s dominating vocal style, the back-and-forth with Flavor, and the urgent, noisy, JB-influenced production are already in effect. What’s missing is the politics but that would come soon enough.

This is the song that Mr Magic is dissing in the intro to Cold Lampin' With Flavor. Magic played the original version on his radio show and dissed it live on air. In return, PE immortalised his words “No more music by the suckers” on one of the best Hip Hop albums of all time.

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Reach the bourgeois and rock the boulevard Public Enemy – Don't Believe the Hype
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More than any other Hip Hop group of the time (and maybe since), Public Enemy were able to inspire debate among the middle classes (the bourgeois) while retaining their grass roots appeal in the street (the boulevard).

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8 years

The bourgeois are the upper class. Chuck is essentially saying that he can reach and change the perspectives of those who are rich and powerful, while staying true to his roots (the boulevard). Also hints at Chuck’s Marxist world perspective by using Marxist concepts.

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They got to be beaming that pipe, you know what I'm saying?
Yo, them Megas got 'em going up to see Captain Kirk Public Enemy – Don't Believe the Hype
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Flavor Flav accuses mainstream media of being on crack (hypocritically as it turns out).

The phrase Beam me up, Scotty from Star Trek somehow became associated with taking crack in 80’s Hip Hop terminology. Whenever you hear rappers talking about beaming up or Scotty, they’re usually talking about crack.

PE also referred to crack hits as megablasts (megas) in their song of the same name.

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This is it, what
Luchini pouring from the sky Camp Lo – Luchini AKA This Is It
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They’re talking about money here rather than being showered in olive oil (although the Italian angle fits well with the references to Amaretto and Asti Spumante).

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Let's get rich, what
The jiggy vines, Camp Lo – Luchini AKA This Is It
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Jiggy vines means nice clothes. Camp Lo were heavily influenced by Blaxploitation, eschewing the Bronx hardrock look in favour of 70s-inspired outfits. Their music is filled with 70s references and slang (e.g. vines for clothes).

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J Gee
5 years

Vines specifically mean suits. In the book “Pimp” by Iceberg Slim there is multiple references to this.

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Me nah care about dem dibby MC, my shit is hittin' A Tribe Called Quest (Ft. Busta Rhymes) – Oh My God
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Some more Jamaican/Caribbean slang from Phife. The word dibby (as in this song) is an insult meaning low quality, worthless, something you wouldn’t take seriously.

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Matter fact, gimme back my bracelet and my Shearling Madvillain (Ft. Viktor Vaughn) – Fancy Clown
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Like most relationships that end badly, Vik wants all the things he bought for this girl back. A Shearling is a type of fur coat that was popular with b-boys and b-girls in the 80s.

Shearling coats can cost hundreds to even thousands of dollars, it’s no wonder Vik wants it back!

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We'll be rolling to the Bronx with sawed-offs Blaq Poet (Ft. DJ Rockwell Noel) – Beat You Down
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This line proved prophetic although not in the way that Poet imagined. In fact it was KRS One’s partner Just Ice who rolled to Queens with a shotgun after hearing these lyrics in Poet’s diss-fest “All Hell Breakin' Loose”:

When it comes to hard lyrics I hold the belt
T La Rock will get dropped, Just Ice will melt

Fortunately for Poet, Just ran into MC Shan first. Shan was cool with both of them and convinced Just to squash the beef. See this interview for the full story.

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