Night of the Living Baseheads
Public Enemy
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Here it is Bam! And you say, Goddamn This is the dope jam But lets define the term called dope And you think it mean funky now, no Here is a true tale Of the ones that deal Are the ones that fail Yeah You can move if you want to move What it prove It's here like the groove The problem is this, we gotta' fix it Check out the justice, and how they run it Sellin', smellin' Sniffin', riffin' And brothers try to get swift an' Sell to their own, rob a home While some shrivel to bone Like comatose walkin' around Please don't confuse this with the sound I'm talking about BASS I put this together to Rock the bells of those that Boost the dose Of lack a lack And those that sell to Black Shame on a brother when he dealin' The same block where my 98 be wheelin' And everybody know Another kilo From a corner from a brother to keep another, Below Stop illin' and killin' Stop grillin' Yo, black, yo (we are willin') 4, 5 o'clock in the mornin' Wait a minute y'all The fiends are fiendin' Day to day they say no other way This stuff Is really bad I'm talkin' 'bout bass! Yo, listen I see it on their faces (First come first serve basis) Standin' in line Checkin' the time Homeboys playin' the curb The same ones that used to do herb Now they're gone Passin' it on Poison attack, the Black word bond Daddy-O Once said to me He knew a brother who stayed all day in his jeep And at night he went to sleep And in the mornin' all he had was The sneakers on his feet The culprit used to jam and rock the mike, yo He stripped the jeep to fill his pipe And wander around to find a place Where they rocked to a different kind of bass
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Written by: CARLTON RIDENHOUR, ERIC SADLER, HANK SHOCKLEE
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Production"Night of the Living Baseheads" is a song produced by the legendary production team The Bomb Squad, which consisted of Hank and Keith Shocklee, Chuck D, and Eric "Vietnam" Sadler.
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Release informationThe song was released in 1988 as the third single from Public Enemy's critically acclaimed album, "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back".
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Lyrical themeThe song addresses the consequences and seriousness of crack cocaine on the African-American community, which was a severe issue in the late 1980s.
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Chart performanceUpon its release, "Night of the Living Baseheads" reached number 62 on the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and peaked within the top 40 in the UK Singles Chart.
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Music VideoDirected by artist and filmmaker Mark Pellington, the video took a satirical, abstract approach to the drug pandemic, reinforcing the song's strong anti-drug message.
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Named ReferenceThe title is a reference to the popular horror film franchise "Night of the Living Dead", symbolizing how drugs can turn individuals into 'zombies'.
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Stereo Sound TechniqueThe studio recording of the song uses a stereo sound technique which gives listeners a sense of decay and paranoia intended to reflect the societal impact of crack cocaine.
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Cultural influenceThe song has often been sampled in other hip-hop songs and has appeared in several TV shows and films, including Spike Lee's film, "Do The Right Thing".
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RemixesAn official remix of the song, known as the 'Anti-High Blood Pressure Encounter Mix', was included on the 12" and CD singles, and features an extended instrumental intro.
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Legacy"Night of the Living Baseheads" is frequently lauded for its politically charged lyrics and innovative production. The song helped to establish Public Enemy as leaders in conscious rap and pioneers in the genre.
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Citation
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