Back in the day (otherwise known as the ’80s), this Long Island–bred rap act made a militaristic assault on the nascent hip-hop scene. Two decades later, Public Enemy soldiers on, with Chuck D still at the helm and newly minted reality TV star Flavor Flav at his side. Public Enemy’s popularity and influence peaked with Fear of a Black Planet (1990), a tightly focused showcase for D’s incendiary lyrics and the Bomb Squad production team’s dense, propulsive musical tracks. As featured in Spike Lee’s film Do the Right Thing, “Fight the Power” was the anthem of the summer. But Public Enemy’s profile dwindled after its brand of funky agitprop was superseded by the more nihilistic flow and less hectic beats of gangsta rap. Though the group’s ability to compete with younger contenders has waxed and waned, 2006’s Rebirth of a Nation presents Chuck D and crew in fighting form. Fans were also impressed by a December tour that was the first since the ’90s to feature the original lineup of Chuck D, Flav, Professor Griff and DJ Lord. The hip-hop scene is due for another assault.—Jason Anderson