Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Public Enemy’s “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos” was released as the final single from It Takes a Nation and peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart. Over a piano loop from Isaac Hayes' “Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic”, Chuck D talks about a jailbreak, while Flavor Flav’s distorted...
[Intro]
Bass for your face, London!
Everybody in the house, make some noise!
I want everybody in the house to say, "Ho!" (Ho!)
Yo Chuck, kick it to 'em, man!
"A ballad behind bars, or you could say real rock from the rock. An unusual musical happening in a most unusual place. The state prison..."
"Get in that cell, nigga!"
[Verse 1]
I got a letter from the government the other day
I opened and read it, it said they were suckers
They wanted me for their army or whatever
Picture me giving a damn, I said never
Here is a land that never gave a damn
About a brother like me and myself because they never did
I wasn't with it, but just that very minute it occurred to me
The suckers had authority
Cold sweating as I dwell in my cell, how long has it been?
They got me sitting in the state pen
I gotta get out, but that thought was thought before
I contemplated a plan on the cell floor
I'm not a fugitive on the run
But a brother like me begun to be another one
(Word) Public enemy serving time
They drew the line, y'all, to criticize me for some crime
Nevertheless, they could not understand that I'm a Black man
And I could never be a veteran
On the strength, the situation's unreal
I got a raw deal, so I'm looking for the steel
[Verse 2]
They got me rotting in the time that I'm serving
Telling you what happened the same time they're throwing
Four of us packed in a cell like slaves, oh well
The same motherfucker got us living in his hell
You have to realize, what is a form of slavery
Organized under a swarm of devils
Straight up - word 'em up on the level
The reasons are several, most of them federal
Here is my plan anyway, and I say
I got gusto, but only some I can trust, yo
Some do a bid from 1 to 10
But I never did, and plus I never been
I'm on a tier where no tears should ever fall
Cell block and locked, I never clock it, y'all
'Cause time and time again
Time, they got me serving to those, to them I'm not a citizen
But ever when I catch a C-O
Sleeping on the job, my plan is on go-ahead
On the strength, I'ma tell you the deal
I got nothing to lose
'Cause I'm going for the steel
[Verse 3]
Don't you know I caught a C-O
Falling asleep on death row
I grabbed his gun, and he did what I said so
And every man's demand got served
Along with the time they served, decency was deserved
To understand my demands
I gave a warning, I wanted the governor, y'all
And plus the warden to know
That I was innocent because I'm militant
Posing a threat, you bet it's fucking up the government
My plan said I had to get out and break north
Just like Oliver's neck, I had to get off
My boys had the feds in check
They couldn't try nothing
We had a force to instigate a prison riot
This what it takes for peace
So I just took a piece
Black for Black inside time to cut the leash
Freedom to get out to the ghetto, no sell out
6 C-Os we got, we ought to put their head out
But I'll give 'em a chance, 'cause I'm civilized
As for rest of the world, they can't realize
A cell is hell, I'm a rebel, so I rebel
Between bars, got me thinking like an animal
Got a woman C-O to call me a copter
She tried to get away, and I popped her
Twice, right? Now who wanna get nice?
I had 6 C-Os, and now it's 5 to go
And I'm serious, call me delirious
But I'm still a captive, I gotta wrap this
Time to break as time grows intense
I got the steel in my right hand, now I'm looking for the fence
[Verse 4]
As I ventured into the courtyard
Followed by 52 brothers, bruised, battered, and scarred but hard
Going out with a bang, ready to bang out
But power from the sky, from the tower shots rang out
A high number of dose, yes, and some came close
I figure I trigger my steel, I still stand and hold my post
This is what I mean, an anti-nigga machine
If I come out alive, then they won't come clean
Then I threw up, my steel bullets flew up
And to my surprise the water tower blew up, who shot
What, who, what, the bazooka was who
And to my rescue, it was the S1Ws
Secured my getaway, so I just got away
The joint broke from the black smoke
Then they saw it was rougher than the average bluffer
'Cause the steel was black, the attitude exact
Now the chase is on, telling you to c'mon
53 brothers on the run, and we are gone
Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos was written by Chuck D & Eric Sadler & Hank Shocklee & Flavor Flav.
Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos was produced by The Bomb Squad.
Public Enemy released Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos on Tue Jun 28 1988.