1991 | United States | Short

Know Your Enemy

  • English - 28 mins
  • Director | Art Jones
  • Writer | Art Jones
  • Producer | -

STATUS: Released

This film is currently not available.   

Through distorted audio and visual representations of interviews with music journalists, this video critiques the mass media’s treatment of the rap group Public Enemy, and accusations that their lyrics are anti-Semitic. This experimental documentary includes scenes from Public Enemy performances and music videos, as well as archival footage of the Black Power movement and Malcolm X. Know Your Enemy details the war being waged by black artists on the battleground of representation, a struggle against forms of expression which are already co-opted. As observed by Malcolm X and quoted in the video, “They hold you in check through this science of imagery.”

HipHop Media Critique Race Activism Documentary Representation Power Protest Archival
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