Song by Song: "Fight the Power" Quiz

Answer: Thomas "TNT" Todd

Thomas N. Todd was known as "TNT" not only as his initials, but for his explosive oratorical skills. An activist attorney from Alabama, Todd was born on September 24, 1938. He attended Southern University at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he earned a B.A. in political science and later a law degree. As a lawyer for the United States Attorney's Office in Chicago, in 1968, he developed the first criminal case against a Chicago policeman for the deprivation of an individual's civil rights. He also organized and established the first Civil Rights Office in a local U.S. States Attorney's Office.

The beginning sample is sixteen seconds and continues, "Matter of fact, it's safe to say that they would rather switch than fight."

Answer: 1989

"1989 the number, another summer (get down)..."

The B-Side of the single included "Fight the Power (Favor Flav Meets Spike Lee)." The song is said to belong to the political hip hop genre, a subgenre of hip hop developed in the 1980s to create a call for political or social activism.

Answer: The Bomb Squad

The Bomb Squad is known for an innovative production style that makes use of scores of samples and that integrates harsh sounds. Chuck D, a member of Public Enemy, is also a member of the Bomb Squad. Other members have included Hank and Keith Shocklee, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler, Gary G-Wiz, and Bill Stephney.

In addition to songs by Public Enemy, the Bomb Squad has produced songs by True Mathematics, Ziggy Marley, Ice Cube, and others.

Answer: Do the Right Thing

"Do the Right Thing" was a 1989 comedy-drama starring Spike Lee and Danny Aiello, who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The movie was about racial tensions in a Brooklyn neighborhood and about confronting white supremacy. In a 1990 interview with Time magazine ("Music: Yo Rap Gets on the Map!" by Janice C. Simpson), Spike Lee said he wanted the film to be "defiant," "angry," and "very rhythmic," so he "thought right away of Public Enemy."

Answer: Carlton Ridenhour

Carlton Douglas Ridenhour is known professionally as Chuck D. Songwriting credit also goes to Bomb Squad members Eric Sadler, Hank Boxley, and Keith Boxley (also known as Shocklee).

"Fight the Power" peaked at number one on the U.S. Hot Rap Singles Billboard and at number twenty on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Billboard.

Answer: death

"Got to give us what we want (uh)
Gotta give us what we need (hey)
Our freedom of speech is freedom of death
We got to fight the powers that be."

"Fight the Power" peaked at number three on the U.S. Hot Dance Music Single Sales Billboard and at number 29 on the UK Singles Chart. The record was certified gold in the U.S. by RIAA.

Answer: careless

"From the heart
It's a start, a work of art
To revolutionize make a change nothing'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."

American metalcore band The Dillinger Escape Plan covered "Fight the Power" with Chuck D. on a promo for the "Homefront" video game in 2011. A cover of the song by Barenaked Ladies also appeared in the soundtrack of the 1993 SNL-inspired comedy film "Coneheads."

Answer: Elvis Presley

"Elvis was a hero to most but he
Elvis was a hero to most (yeah)
...
Straight out racist that sucker was
Simple and plain."

In an August 12, 2002 AP article ("Chuck D Speaks on Elvis's Legacy"), Chuck D noted that there was always a lot of respect for Elvis among musicians such as himself, but his opposition to Elvis had to do with "the one-sidedness [. . .] Elvis' icon status in America made it like nobody else counted." Chuck D's heroes, however, came before Elvis. "My heroes were probably his heroes. As far as Elvis being 'The King,' I couldn't buy that.″ In the same article, Chuck D called Eminem the "new Elvis because, number one, he had the respect for black music that Elvis had. I think he's courteous and sympathetic to black music, and, unfortunately, he's more sympathetic to black music than many black artists themselves.″

Answer: stamps

"Most of my heroes don't appear on no stamps.
Sample a look, bet you look and find
Nothing but rednecks for four hundred years if you check."

A slightly shorter version of "Fight the Power" appeared on Public Enemy's third studio album, "Fear of a Black Planet," which was released in 1990. The album reached number 10 on the US Billboard 200 year-end charts. "Fight the Power" became a hit even in the Netherlands, reaching number 30 on the Dutch Top 40.

Answer: The BET Awards

BET stands for Black Entertainment Television. The 20th BET Awards were held on June 28, 2020 and celebrated achievements in music, television, sports and movies.

In a 2010 interview with Gail Mitchell, Chuck D called this song "the most important record that Public Enemy have done." In 2021, "Fight the Power" took the number two spot on Rolling Stone magazine's updated list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time."