Rebirth of a Nation

By John Benson (Kid Rock), Colorado Springs Independent

Some critics have postulated that Public Enemy remains atop its game, even 15 years after its last flirtation with mainstream hip-hop. Considering the current times - Hurricane Katrina, the war on terrorism, etc. - PE has plenty of fodder to attack on its latest album,

Rebirth of a Nation, which is a collaboration with Bay Area rapper Paris. Even though this is the first Public Enemy album not fully written by Chuck D - virtually all those duties went to Paris - it still possesses a distinct Fear of a Black Planet vibe that will entice longtime fans. It's too bad the current bling-bling hip-hop world has no place for the groundbreaking masters of the genre.