Public Enemy Take a Victory Lap at Beale Street Music Festival

FUSE TV - Public Enemy Take a Victory Lap at Beale Street Music Festival

"Last time I came to Memphis, I got a big white clock around my neck," yelled Public Enemy's Flavor Flav at Memphis' Beale Street Music Festival. "As of April 18, I gave that clock to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

Two weeks after the pioneering hip hop group's induction into the Hall, the band performed their first U.S. show since their induction. With Professor Griff, DJ Lord, the S1Ws and a live band in tow, Chuck D and Flav hardly rested on their laurels, performing a career-spanning set that included "Bring the Noise," "Fight the Power," "911 Is a Joke" and "Welcome to the Terrordome."

The players' roles have been defined for two decades, though it doesn't make it any less entertaining to watch. The S1Ws, clad in military gear, stand stoic when not performing choreographed, militaristic dance moves. Chuck is the gravitas and bandleader, cutting songs short when necessary and dictating sociopolitical edicts and maxims ("We got more hype believers today than f-ckin' ever," said the rapper before "Don't Believe the Hype.")

And then there's Flav; 54 years old and more energetic than you'll ever be. If phrases could be inducted into the Hall of Fame, "Yeahhhh boy" and "FLA-VOR FLAVVVVVV" would be the first two. His energy is preternaturally boundless, running across the stage throughout the whole set and surprising the audience by hopping on bass and drums.

The live band/DJ setup allowed the group to play their original tracks while augmenting them with lifted rock and funk riffs. "Black is Back" from 2007's How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul? was performed utilizing the song's original version, sampling AC/DC's"Back in Black." (The group was forced to release an altered version over clearance issues.) Elsewhere, the group rapped over Chic's "Good Times" and Gang Starr's "DWYCK."

Twenty-six years after their debut album, Public Enemy are still releasing new music and touring relentlessly. This isn't notable for rock, but a damn near miracle for hip hop. One of the group's last songs today: 2012's "I Shall Not Be Moved."

Gnawa Music Festival

21m

Gnawa Music Festival

Ganesh Music Festival

21m

Ganesh Music Festival

Music

23m

Music

Bougie on a Budget Music Video

2m

Bougie on a Budget Music Video

Rockness Festival

21m

Rockness Festival

Got a Guy G-Fella Music Video

5m

Got a Guy G-Fella Music Video

Latino Laugh Festival

Latino Laugh Festival

Asian Song Festival

21m

Asian Song Festival

Street Justice

24m

Street Justice

Immigrants Are Starting To Take A Stand!

5m

Immigrants Are Starting To Take A Stand!

Ian Calls Music Video Editing Process "A B-tch"

1m

Ian Calls Music Video Editing Process "A B-tch"

Wacken Open Air Festival

21m

Wacken Open Air Festival

Take Initiative

20m

Take Initiative

One Take Jake

20m

One Take Jake

Freedia Takes Manhattan

20m

Freedia Takes Manhattan

Marchin Music’s Major League

20m

Marchin Music’s Major League

Young M.A takes Shots with Kid Fury and Crissle

12m

Young M.A takes Shots with Kid Fury and Crissle

Get A Taste of G Fella's Style with His Gangster Music Video

4m

Get A Taste of G Fella's Style with His Gangster Music Video

Concert Crush: The Travis Scott Festival Tragedy

1h 18m

Concert Crush: The Travis Scott Festival Tragedy

Plenty Of Fish In The Street

20m

Plenty Of Fish In The Street

Time To Take 'Em Down

20m

Time To Take 'Em Down

Xristina Tries To Romance A Ghost At A Haunted B&B

2m

Xristina Tries To Romance A Ghost At A Haunted B&B

Lil Jon Meets Smoothini at L.A. Winery

1m

Lil Jon Meets Smoothini at L.A. Winery

Take It. Own It. ROCK IT!

20m

Take It. Own It. ROCK IT!

Chika On Building Community Through Her Music (Extended)

14m

Chika On Building Community Through Her Music (Extended)

The Hottest Music x Sneaker Collabs of 2016

2m

The Hottest Music x Sneaker Collabs of 2016

A$AP Rocky & Trinidad James At H-Town Sneaker Summit

9m

A$AP Rocky & Trinidad James At H-Town Sneaker Summit

Tina Serves Up Sass In "Me and You" Music Video

3m

Tina Serves Up Sass In "Me and You" Music Video

G Fella Delivers More Grilling Tips and Talks New Music

4m

G Fella Delivers More Grilling Tips and Talks New Music

Ate Mile

8m

Ate Mile

So You Can't Get Pregnant By Smiling at a Boy?

2m

So You Can't Get Pregnant By Smiling at a Boy?

The Exclusive Premiere of Big Freedia's New Music Video, "BigFoot"

3m

The Exclusive Premiere of Big Freedia's New Music Video, "BigFoot"

Ian Sings His Heart Out in "Starts With You Baby" Music Video

3m

Ian Sings His Heart Out in "Starts With You Baby" Music Video

Take An Exclusive Tour of San Antonio With Rick Gutierrez

3m

Take An Exclusive Tour of San Antonio With Rick Gutierrez

Fluffy At Home Ep. 3: Gabriel Iglesias Hooks a Fan Up With Fluffy Merch

2m

Fluffy At Home Ep. 3: Gabriel Iglesias Hooks a Fan Up With Fluffy Merch

Live at Home, Loser?

24m

Live at Home, Loser?

Love at First Sight

24m

Love at First Sight

Bionka Performs At Beaux

1m

Bionka Performs At Beaux

Stevie Nicks: Wild at Heart

3644s

Stevie Nicks: Wild at Heart

T-Pain's School of Business: Artiphon- The All In One Musical Device | Season 1 Look Back |

1m

T-Pain's School of Business: Artiphon- The All In One Musical Device | Season 1 Look Back |

Superduper Kyle's Stay At Home Staycation

20m

Superduper Kyle's Stay At Home Staycation

Is Everything Love At The Carters?

39s

Is Everything Love At The Carters?

Once a Stripper, Always a Ho

24m

Once a Stripper, Always a Ho

A Sexplanation

1h 16m

A Sexplanation

Dikembe Mutombo on Adidas at Sneaker Con

5m

Dikembe Mutombo on Adidas at Sneaker Con

Knuckles at the Tattoo Parlor: G-Thing

2m

Knuckles at the Tattoo Parlor: G-Thing

Nya and Bambiana Bond At Cat Cafe

1m

Nya and Bambiana Bond At Cat Cafe

At the Buffet, There Are No Rules

21m

At the Buffet, There Are No Rules

Success at the Tattoo Parlor: G-Thing

2m

Success at the Tattoo Parlor: G-Thing

A Glove That Fits Like a Dress

41m

A Glove That Fits Like a Dress

It's Not a Vacation, It's a Movie

20m

It's Not a Vacation, It's a Movie

A$AP Ferg Learns A Magic Trick

4m

A$AP Ferg Learns A Magic Trick

THEY. Does Magic With Smoothini At Firefly 2018

3m

THEY. Does Magic With Smoothini At Firefly 2018

Smoothini Meets Waka Flocka Flame At His Home

1m

Smoothini Meets Waka Flocka Flame At His Home

A Tough Sell

22m

A Tough Sell

Like A Girl

Like A Girl

A Robot's Erection

20m

A Robot's Erection

Strike a Pose

1h 25m

Strike a Pose

A Perfect 14

1h 42m

A Perfect 14

Young M.A

20m

Young M.A

A$AP Ferg

20m

A$AP Ferg

A New High

1h 39m

A New High

What a Bummer

47m

What a Bummer

A Soldiers Story

24m

A Soldiers Story

A Model Recap

43m

A Model Recap

A Sexplanation - Trailer

1m

A Sexplanation - Trailer

A$AP Ferg

20m

A$AP Ferg

A Big Splash

21m

A Big Splash

Young M.A Plays 2 Truths and A Lie

1m

Young M.A Plays 2 Truths and A Lie

Young R.E.A.D Feat.Young M.A

20m

Young R.E.A.D Feat.Young M.A

Former Cadet Bonds With Blue Devils Friends At Picnic

1m

Former Cadet Bonds With Blue Devils Friends At Picnic

Fluffy Tries Buttery Chargrilled Oysters at New Orleans Acme

3m

Fluffy Tries Buttery Chargrilled Oysters at New Orleans Acme

Unboxing with T-Pain at ComplexCon - Ep. 3

3m

Unboxing with T-Pain at ComplexCon - Ep. 3

Unboxing with T-Pain at ComplexCon - Ep. 2

3m

Unboxing with T-Pain at ComplexCon - Ep. 2

G Fella at the T-Shirt Shop: G-Thing

1m

G Fella at the T-Shirt Shop: G-Thing

Gabe and Rick Go 'Modern Comfort' at Harlem's Blujeen

3m

Gabe and Rick Go 'Modern Comfort' at Harlem's Blujeen

On Set At The Transcendent Season 2 Promo Shoot

1m

On Set At The Transcendent Season 2 Promo Shoot

Unboxing with T-Pain at ComplexCon - Ep 1

3m

Unboxing with T-Pain at ComplexCon - Ep 1

'Fluffy' Digs Into Atlanta's Juciest Breakfast Dishes at Oy!

4m

'Fluffy' Digs Into Atlanta's Juciest Breakfast Dishes at Oy!

Anything Can Be a Bag, A Bag Can Be Anything

42m

Anything Can Be a Bag, A Bag Can Be Anything

Vacations: It’s Not a Luxury, It’s a Necessity

2m

Vacations: It’s Not a Luxury, It’s a Necessity

Bougie On A Budget

2m

Bougie On A Budget

Everybody's A Bruja Now

20m

Everybody's A Bruja Now

Like A Girl - Trailer

1m

Like A Girl - Trailer

Luck Be A Lady

44m

Luck Be A Lady

A Pound of Flesh

23m

A Pound of Flesh

Everybody Loves A Party

20m

Everybody Loves A Party

Jane Wants a Boyfriend

1h 37m

Jane Wants a Boyfriend

A New High - Trailer

2m

A New High - Trailer

More Than A Model

22m

More Than A Model

A Sign From Above

22m

A Sign From Above

I Need A Plane

21m

I Need A Plane

Lil Xan Does Magic Backstage With Smoothini At Firefly 2018

2m

Lil Xan Does Magic Backstage With Smoothini At Firefly 2018

Fluffy At Home Ep. 1: So Fresh and So Clean

2m

Fluffy At Home Ep. 1: So Fresh and So Clean

San Holo Does Magic Backstage With Smoothini At Firefly 2018

3m

San Holo Does Magic Backstage With Smoothini At Firefly 2018

Ceraadi Upgrades A Basic Grilled Cheese Into A $462 Extravagant Sandwich

14m

Ceraadi Upgrades A Basic Grilled Cheese Into A $462 Extravagant Sandwich

You Need A Certification To Be A Fortune Teller!? Funny US Laws

5m

You Need A Certification To Be A Fortune Teller!? Funny US Laws

Peder Cho Shows How to DIY a Blazer Into a Tweed Vest

9m

Peder Cho Shows How to DIY a Blazer Into a Tweed Vest

Tech With A Higher Purpose

20m

Tech With A Higher Purpose

A Time For RO-mance

20m

A Time For RO-mance