By Chris Jordan

After more than 25 years of pushing buttons, Public Enemy still has a knack for provocation.

Take the case of Rep. Trey Radel, a Republican from Florida, who recently told the Now This News social video website that he's a Public Enemy fan and that the group's songs "in many ways reflects the conservative message."

Not exactly, said PE frontman Chuck D.

"There is a bit of a conservative nature to what Public Enemy is about, but really we've gone against a lot of the things that America has placed on our freedoms as well," said Chuck D, aka Roosevelt, N.Y., native Carlton Ridenhour.

"I thought it was a convenient thing for somebody to say because he grew up at the time or he followed the music at a certain time. Public Enemy is really about real truth and justice for all people. I call myself an Earth citizen instead of an American citizen."

Public Enemy, whose hits include Don't Believe the Hype, 911 Is a Joke and Fight the Power, is touring throughout the summer with LL Cool J, Ice Cube and De La Soul on the Kings of the Mic Tour.

Call Public Enemy the Kings of Rock, too. The group, which includes hype man Flavor Flav, was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"It was very gratifying because we've always stood up for our genre to be accepted as real music," Chuck D said. "We decided early on to make a groundbreaking difference in our music, our lyrics and the application of what we thought about us as a people amongst people and human beings."

On the music side, the densely mixed sonic squall that underscored the Public Enemy hits, courtesy of Hank Shocklee-led Bomb Squad, was a precursor to the electronica and electronic dance music of today. Also, their 1991 collaboration with Anthrax on Bring the Noise all but created the Nu-Metal genre of music.

"We're one of 36 groups on the first ballot (to be inducted into the Hall)," Chuck D said. "It wasn't because we were competing against Deep Purple, Kiss or whoever, it's because we're at the top of our genre for being groundbreaking. There's a lot of naysayers who say they should be in a music hall of fame instead of a rock 'n' roll hall of fame. I say rock 'n' roll all comes from the blues and you have to pay attention to the black creativity, that's what it is."

Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, the distinguished public intellectual, whose leading scholarship has profoundly influenced contemporary ideology, will deliver the Father's Day message at Hillside International Truth Center at 9:30 a.m. on June 16.

Dyson is a college professor, commentator and "hip-hop intellectual" who has written books on race, politics, and the African-American experience. His background is unusual for a scholar: a Detroit gang member and unwed father in his late teens, he turned himself around and became an ordained Baptist minister at age 21. He earned a bachelor's degree from Carson-Newman College in 1982, then went on to achieve a master's (1991) and a Ph.D. (1993) from Princeton.

Dyson challenges Americans to examine the impact of today's issues on the Black community -- especially the children. He focuses attention on legislative proposals on the agenda for African Americans right now and what people can do in their neighborhoods, faith institutions, schools and across the kitchen table to ensure a better world where everyone can live out the full measure of their dreams.

Dyson is a professor of sociology at Georgetown University and the author of 17 books.

By Danielle Harling

Kanye West breaks down the title of "Yeezus," says the album title refers to his "God name."

G.O.O.D. Music rapper Kanye West dished out a number of thank you’s during his Yeezus listening session, which took place last night (June 10) at a loading dock in New York City. The Windy City emcee saved his last thank you for Def Jam Records founder Rick Rubin who West reportedly recruited last minute for the role of executive producer on Yeezus.

West went on to speak in detail about Rubin’s contributions as executive producer on the project before offering a short, but precise explanation of his album’s title.

“Last but not least, that came and helped bring this whole shit together. That executive produced the album [with] me and the family is Rick Rubin…I remember Rick even said, he said ‘When we did Def Jam, we wasn’t feeling like we was in competition with nobody cause this shit was so direct’…So, it was good for me to go to the God Rick Rubin and plan my shit,” said West in a video posted on XXLMag.com. “Ask him questions and allow him to take this project to an entirely new level. And he made a lot of great decisions at the end and pulled it to a whole new level. And I wanted to explain something about the title. Simply put, West was my slave name, and Yeezus is my God name.”

The “Black Skinhead” rapper also spoke on the musical versatility of Yeezus, which he later described as being a "soundtrack" to life, as he commented on the album doubling as a project you can ride to, workout to, etc.

“We ain't give a fuck about what no one else said, outside looking in, anything,” Kanye explained. “We just wanted to make the best product possible and this is just the beginning of an entirely new mentality of how to make music [directly] for the people…It’s about delivering some shit for y’all to go to work to, ride to, listen to when y’all working out and shit, whatever y’all doing. To provide a soundtrack for this shit.”

Kanye also reportedly confirmed features from Daft Punk, Chief Keef, Bon Iver, and more on the album. Yeezus will be released next week on June 18.

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Hustling from the street to the top is hard for any artist, but that climb can be twice as high for women. Even if they're incredible at what they do, they still sadly have to overcome the idea that women can't compete as well as men.

To see that dynamic in action, tune into Fuse's upcoming scripted series The Hustle, which features a female A&R exec trying to get a rising Brooklyn rap duo into the big leagues.

The struggle is also an integral part of any successful female artist's story. Just ask Nicki Minaj, Eve, Alicia Keys and Keri Hilson: These hip hop and R&B all-stars had plenty to tell us about what it means to be a woman taking charge of her career in a man's world.

"I had my moment and I never really thought it would change the game so much," Minaj tells Fuse. "I'm just proud girls no longer have to think, 'I have to have a penis to end up on a hottest MCs list' or, 'I have to be a boy to be asked to get on a record with Kanye or Jay.' I can just be a dope MC and eventually people will see that."

Keri Hilson says female empowerment is a huge part of her songwriting process. "I do music that empowers women and makes us feel strong and confident," the R&B singer tells Fuse. "[When I'm writing] I imagine I'm in a clubhouse with an X over 'boys' or a 'no boys allowed' sign."

"All the ass shaking and having fun in the club is great," Ruff Ryders' First Lady Eve says. "But at the end of the day, at least for myself, I really need to be saying something and feel like I've helped or touched someone."

Watch the interview above to see what Alicia Keys tells Fuse about repping for the ladies. And catch the premiere of Fuse's new series The Hustle on Wednesday, June 19 at 11/10c. Check out the channel finder to locate Fuse in your area.