I was sitting back the other day, actually driving and Rebel without a Pause by Public Enemy came on the MP3 player. Ah Man that used to be my song. I can still remember where I was and what I was doing the first time that I heard it. I remember it like it was yesterday. The year was 1988 I was working at Be-lo's Supermarket on 25th and Jefferson... for those who may not know where I am from don't worry anyone from the area would immediately recognize the place. God I hated that place and it had a bad odor, but I digress. I was at the front of the store bagging groceries when the automatic door opened and I heard this Loud screeching sound from outside. Some guy was in front of the store with his Silver Panasonic Boom Box. ( Radio Raheem style) The sound that I heard at first was irritating but then I heard the baritone sound of Chuck D's voice ring out and I was hooked.
As soon as I got off from work I ran across the street to Bottom Beat records ( Note I said Records) and asked my partner Willie about the song, I didn't know the name of the song or who sang it. I described it to the best of my ability (Man wish I had Shazaam back then). Fortunately Willie knew what I was talking about and told me it was Public Enemy. Ran over to the wall and found a Public Enemy 12" ( for those who may not know that is a Vinyl Album. strange I know) I picked it up ran to the counter and made a slow dash home. You see I lived in Hampton and I didn't have a car so it took a while to get home. But none the less When I got there I ripped the plastic off of the record and threw it on the record player and prepared myself to be amazed. And amazed I was because the album that I picked up was Yo Bum Rush the Show and if you know your history that was PE's first album and not the one with Rebel without a pause on it.. But all was not lost because I listened to that record all day wooing in the wave of fascination. This group was new and different unlike anyone else out at the time. My Uzi weighs a ton was a monstrous hit and I fell in love with the Rebel rouser's.
So where were you when you heard it?
As soon as I got off from work I ran across the street to Bottom Beat records ( Note I said Records) and asked my partner Willie about the song, I didn't know the name of the song or who sang it. I described it to the best of my ability (Man wish I had Shazaam back then). Fortunately Willie knew what I was talking about and told me it was Public Enemy. Ran over to the wall and found a Public Enemy 12" ( for those who may not know that is a Vinyl Album. strange I know) I picked it up ran to the counter and made a slow dash home. You see I lived in Hampton and I didn't have a car so it took a while to get home. But none the less When I got there I ripped the plastic off of the record and threw it on the record player and prepared myself to be amazed. And amazed I was because the album that I picked up was Yo Bum Rush the Show and if you know your history that was PE's first album and not the one with Rebel without a pause on it.. But all was not lost because I listened to that record all day wooing in the wave of fascination. This group was new and different unlike anyone else out at the time. My Uzi weighs a ton was a monstrous hit and I fell in love with the Rebel rouser's.
So where were you when you heard it?
