Public Enemy’s Chuck D Calls Jimmy Page’s Puff Daddy Collaboration a ‘ F—ing Travesty’
Public Enemy's Chuck D will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 18, whether you like it or not. More on that in a moment, but in a recent interview he talked about his group's collaboration with classic rock bands, and the "debacle" of Jimmy Page's and Puff Daddy's collaboration.
"I like Jimmy Page and P. Diddy, but what they did to 'Kasmhir' was a debacle," he told Rolling Stone. "They are giants in their own way – and you can print this – but that was a f---ing travesty."
"When I get involved with a classic, I knock the f---ing ceiling out of it or I leave it the f--k alone." Anthrax, U2 and Stephen Stills are just a few of the rockers his group has worked with. The rapper was referring to the Puff Daddy (as he was known then) song 'Come With Me' which used the music from Led Zeppelin's 'Kashmir.' Page appeared in the video for the song and stamped his approval on it during a 1998 appearance with Puff Daddy on 'Saturday Night Live.' The song was used for the movie soundtrack to the equally terrible film 'Godzilla.'
This conversation stemmed from a greater conversation about whether Public Enemy will be part of some sort of onstage mashing of minds during the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Public Enemy, Rush, Heart, Randy Newman, Donna Summer and Albert King were announced as 2013 inductees last week. Chuck D seems emphatic when discussing whether or not hip-hop belongs.
"Hip-hop is a part of rock & roll because it comes from DJ culture," he says. "DJ culture is the embodiment of all genres and all recorded music, if you actually pay attention to it."
We're not going to argue with him. Look for Chuck D and Public Enemy to put together more Hip-Hop Gods shows featuring classic rap artists in 2013.
Watch Puff Daddy and Jimmy Page Perform 'Come With Me'