Chuck D Slams Misuse of Public Enemy’s ‘Burn Hollywood Burn’ in L.A. Wildfire Videos

As fires rip through Los Angeles, rapper Chuck D wants to put an end to anyone misinterpreting Public Enemy‘s “Burn Hollywood Burn” as a sick celebration of the devastation.

Tens of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate amid the fires, and nearly 10,000 structures have been destroyed. The Palisades Fire is now considered the most destructive fire in Los Angeles County history, burning over 17,000 acres, while the Eaton Fire has also consumed more than 10,000 acres, causing severe damage to surrounding communities.

In response to the wildfires, Chuck D took to Instagram to express his frustration over how some are using “Burn Hollywood Burn” in relation to the disaster.

The song, which critiques Hollywood’s exploitation of Black culture and the entertainment industry’s negative portrayals of Black people, has been appropriated by some social media users as a celebratory anthem for the destruction.

The hip-hop icon shared a photo on Instagram of a Los Angeles neighborhood engulfed in flames, writing, “PRAYERS UP. BE SAFE. EVACUATE,” along with a list of the ongoing fires in the area.

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He clarified that “Burn Hollywood Burn” — featured on Public Enemy’s seminal Fear of a Black Planet — was never intended to reference or glorify natural disasters, but was instead a critique of racial inequality and media representation.

“‘Burn Hollywood Burn’ is a protest song extracted from the Watts rebellion, coined by the magnificent Montague in 1965 against inequality when he said ‘burn baby burn’ across the air,” Chuck D wrote. “We made mind-revolution songs aimed at a one-sided exploitation by an industry.” He stressed that the track was never meant to glorify destruction or loss, adding, “It has nothing to do with families losing everything they have in a natural disaster. Learn the history. Godspeed to those in loss.”

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“Burn Hollywood Burn” was released during a crucial moment in hip-hop’s history. The song appeared on Fear of a Black Planet, released in 1990, during hip-hop’s golden age. The track features guest verses from Ice Cube and Big Daddy Kane, and “Burn Hollywood Burn” became an anthem for Black empowerment, calling for greater and more authentic representation in the media.

via: Billboard

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