do+PE’s Doomsay: Fight the Power, Don’t Fade Away

When I heard that Chuck D was going to make a record with drummer John Densmore from the Doors, I was curious…what would this be? How did this happen? Well, they met each other at a Record Store Day event in 2014 and got to talking about putting a record together. John respected Chuck D for his activism and Chuck D respected John for the boundaries pushed by the Doors back in the 60s and 70s. Well, after 10 years or so we got do+PE (Doors + Public Enemy) and a concept record about death and mortality. With Chuck D at 65 and John Densmore at 81, it’s pretty logical that mortality would be on their mind. The record itself drifts from Chuck D’s incendiary bars to John’s peace and love guru musings. Some songs hit and some don’t, but I am so happy this project saw the light of day. We’ll focus on Doomsay, which is my favourite off the record.

First off, this is one of the more stripped back tracks on the record. It kicks off with some very organic percussion from Densmore. He starts with some bamboo sounding wind chime sounds and then builds to some powerful 4/4 beats. There is a bit of a throwback to PE’s rock rap fusion form the 90s with a cool guitar riff that loops over Densmore’s beats and classic hip hop bass. All of this comes together to form a 70s funk style vibe. What really makes it for me is the raw underproduced quality of the track. You won’t find any post-production or electro synth here…just some honest hip hop rock fusion that really works.

What you will notice is the impact of time on Chuck D’s bars. Gone is his sharp and gutting vocal and you are left with a more weathered and wise vibe. Now, this might seem to be a negative, but it really fits the record’s overall theme of the wise sages of activist music coming down the mountain to debate and explore their mortality. You feel that Chuck D has a message for you about life and what’s important in the world. Having said that, you still get Chuck D speaking out against war, the government and the environment. The track is about taking the opportunity to fight for justice in the world while you still have time left. Much like the rest of the record, Doomsay is a chance for Chuck D and Densmore to use what time they have left to shake you into action before time runs out.

Do+PE’s work is full of insight, urgency and wisdom. Not everything works on the record, but it is comforting to know that Chuck D and Densmore are not going to simply fade away, but use the time they have left to get their message out there. This odd couple works better than you would think and I’m so glad this project came together.

Listen to Doomsay