Night of the Living Baseheads

Public Enemy

About Night of the Living Baseheads

"Night of the Living Baseheads" is the third single released by hip hop group Public Enemy, from their critically acclaimed album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. The lyrics deal with the effects of crack cocaine on African-Americans during the 1980s crack epidemic, referring to the slang for cocaine "base". The song reached #62 on the U. S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. The song uses more samples than any other song on the album, a total of 20 (including the sample of Chuck D saying "Bass!" at the start of the song "Bring the Noise"). The chorus of the song that asks "How low can you go?", refers to a person degrading himself/herself, rather than a dance. The title is a reference to the film Night of the Living Dead, equating people addicted to crack cocaine with zombies. Radical Afrocentrist, Black Panther and Nation of Islam spokesman Khalid Muhammad is sampled on "Night of the Living Baseheads" opening the song with the words Have you forgotten that once we were brought here, we were robbed of our name, robbed of our language. We lost our religion, our culture, our God ... and many of us, by the way we act, we even lost our minds. 


Year:
1988
3:15
65 

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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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Public Enemy

Public Enemy is an American hip hop group consisting of Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Professor Griff and his S1W group, DJ Lord (DJ who replaced Terminator X in 1999), and Music Director Khari Wynn. Formed in Long Island, New York, in 1982, Public Enemy is known for their politically charged lyrics and criticism of the American media, with an active interest in the frustrations and concerns of the African American community. more »

1 fan

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.
Release information
The 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".
Lyrical theme
The song addresses the consequences and seriousness of crack cocaine on the African-American community, which was a severe issue in the late 1980s.
Chart performance
Upon 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.
Music Video
Directed 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.
Named Reference
The title is a reference to the popular horror film franchise "Night of the Living Dead", symbolizing how drugs can turn individuals into 'zombies'.
Stereo Sound Technique
The 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.
Cultural influence
The 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".
Remixes
An 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.
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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