Public Enemy, Cypress Hill, and George Clinton Perform "Grid" on the Late Show
The new Public Enemy album is out now on all streaming services.
Last week, Public Enemy dropped What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down? their first album on Def Jam in 26 years. On Tuesday night, the group linked up with Cypress Hill and George Clinton to perform one of the album cuts, "Grid," on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Stream the full performance below.
The track sticks to the album's theme, warning listeners of a near future after the collapse of society renders modern technology useless. The new project is their first since 2017's Nothing is Quick in the Desert, and their first Def Jam release since Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age.
Chuck D described the creative process behind the new album as "a big kumbaya thing" win an interview with Billboard. "We all came through the trenches together...Ringo Starr did a song when I was a kid called 'Get By With a Little Help from My Friends.' That's pretty much what this is all about."
George Clinton appears on the album's first two tracks. According to Chuck D, the Parliament-Funkadelic architect provided a spiritual vision for the group.
"He's the Uncle Guru," he continued. "When people reach out to Uncle George, they look for his funk. For me, I look at his funkosophy and also his vision. George Clinton is the past, present, and the future all at once. He blessed us with that."
Stay tuned for further releases from What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down.