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Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS
Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Performer
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Eric Sadler
Eric Sadler
Composer
Carlton Ridenhour
Carlton Ridenhour
Composer
Keith Shocklee
Keith Shocklee
Composer
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Hank Shocklee
Hank Shocklee
Producer
Carl Ryder
Carl Ryder
Producer
Eric Sadler
Eric Sadler
Producer
Keith Shocklee
Keith Shocklee
Associate Producer
Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Executive Producer
Rod Hui
Rod Hui
Mixing Engineer

Lyrics

Yo, check this out, man
1989, the number, another summer (get down)
Sound of the funky drummer
Music hittin' your heart 'cause I know you got soul
(Brothers and sisters) hey
Listen if you're missin', y'all
Swinging while I'm singing
Giving what ya gettin'
Knowing what I know and
While the black band's sweatin'
And the rhythm rhyme rollin'
Gotta give us what we want
Gotta give us what we need (hey)
Our freedom of speech is freedom or death
We got to fight the powers that be
(Let me hear you say)
Fight the power
(Let me hear you)
Fight the power
(Let me hear you say)
Fight the power
(Let me hear you)
Fight the power
(Let me hear you say)
Fight the power
(Let me hear you)
Fight the power
(Let me hear you say)
Fight the power
We've got to fight the powers that be
As the rhythm's designed to bounce
What counts is that the rhyme's designed to fill your mind
Now that you realized the pride's arrived
We got to pump the stuff that make you tough
From the heart, it's a start, a work of art
To revolutionize, make a change, nothin's strange
People, people, we are the same
No, we're not the same, 'cause we don't know the game
What we need is awareness
We can't get careless
You say what is this?
My beloved, let's get down to business
Mental self-defensive fitness
Don't rush the show
You gotta go for what you know
To make everybody see
In order to fight the powers that be
(Let me hear you say)
Fight the power
(Let me hear you)
Fight the power
(Let me hear you say)
Fight the power
(Let me hear you)
Fight the power
(Let me hear you say)
Fight the power
(Let me hear you)
Fight the power
(Let me hear you say)
Fight the power
We've got to fight the powers that be
Fight the power
(Let me hear you)
(Let me hear you say)
Fight the power
(Let me hear you say)
Fight the power
(Let me hear you say)
Fight the power
(Let me hear you)
Fight the power
(Let me hear you say)
Fight the power
We've got to fight the powers that be
Elvis was a hero to most
But he, Elvis was a hero to most
Elvis was a hero to most
But he never meant to me
As he's straight out racist
The sucker was simple and plain
(Mother f- him and John Wayne)
'Cause I'm black and I'm proud
Well, I'm ready, I'm hyped, plus I'm amped
Most of my heroes don't appear on no stamps
Sample a look back, you looked and find nothin' but rednecks
For 400 years if you check
("Don't worry, be happy") was a number one jam
Damn, if I say it you can slap me right here
Get it
(Let's get this party started right)
Right on (come on)
What we got to say
Power to the people, no delay
Make everybody see
In order to fight the powers that be
Fight the power
Fight the power
Fight the power
Fight the power
We've got to fight the powers that be
What we got to say
Fight the power
What we got to say
Fight the power
(Come on)
What we got to say
Fight the power
What we got to say
Fight the power
(Come on)
What we got to say
Fight the power
What we got to say
Fight the power
(Come on)
What we got to say
Fight the power
What we got to say
Fight the power
(Come on)
What we got to say
Fight the power
What we got to say
Fight the power
(Come on)
What we got to say
Fight the power
What we got to say
Fight the power
(Come on)
Written by: Carlton Ridenhour, Eric Sadler, H. Shocklee / E. Sadler / K. Shocklee / C. Ridenhour, James Henry Boxley III, Keith Shocklee
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