Political rap pioneers Public Enemy were planning to secretly release a new album next week entitled Nothing Is Quick in the Desert, but their plans were unexpectedly leaked on early Tuesday. As Spin reports, the album’s slated July 4 release date was intended to be a surprise, before Spanish media cite Binaural leaked the date over the weekend. HipHopDX texted Chuck D for a confirmation and received a “yes” in response.
The album is set to be their first album since 2015’s Man Plans God Laughs and their fifteenth overall. The auspicious Fourth of July release date makes it almost certain that the controversy-espousing collective will have plenty to say about America’s current political climate.
In addition to the 2015 album, the past few years have been busy for PE. For starters, they were a hugely popular act during the 2016 festival season, appearing at The Many Rivers to Cross Social Justice Festival and The Maverick Music Festival. They also headlined The Art of Rap Festival in 2016 along with Ice-T.
The group’s leader and primary lyricist Chuck D recently formed a supergroup along with members of Cyprus Hill and Rage Against the Machine called Prophets of Rage, who have been touring internationally and plan to release their own full-length debut this fall.
In 2013, Public Enemy became the fourth hip hop act inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, following Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Run–D.M.C. and Beastie Boys
No tracklist or album art has been released for the album yet, but fans remain eager for more details.
Photo by Marv Watson.