Public Enemy first came together at Adelphia University in 1982, as told by Britannica. Rick Rubin, then Def Jam record label producer, was apparently impressed with Chuck D’s college radio performances, inviting the rapper to record at the label. Public Enemy’s thesis statement was clear and loud: Black oppression is happening in America. Much of their work and soundscapes revolve around black politics and activism, resulting in a multitude of iconic albums, such as “Fear of a Black Planet,” “Nation of Millions,” and “Yo! Bum Rush the Show.”
As for Public Enemy’s name itself, there are a few historical tidbits behind it. According to an interview in Rolling Stone, Chuck D explains that the name came from the 1787 three-fifths compromise, which stated that black people could only be considered as three-fifths of a person. “If this is a public document, obviously we must be the enemy, so that’s where the name Public Enemy came from,” Chuck said.
