Chuck D defends Bob Vylan following Glastonbury remarks: “Bob Vylan ain’t got no tanks”
Chuck D of Public Enemy has defended Bob Vylan following their controversial remarks at Glastonbury.
The punk rap duo recently caused a stir when they led provocative chants of “death, death to the IDF” at the festival. Afterwards, the festival released a statement saying they were “appalled” by the chants. Bob Vylan were also dropped by their agents, had their US visas revoked, and had their set assessed by the Avon and Somerset police.
Though they later clarified they were “not for the death of Jews or Arabs or any other race or group”, the pair affirmed that “silence is not an option” following their removal as a headliner from Manchester’s Radar festival.
Now, Chuck D has come out in defence of the duo. In an interview with The Independent, the rapper said of their chants: “When people say death to a country, they’re not saying death to a people. They’re saying death to imperialism, death to colonialism.
“Bob Vylan ain’t got no tanks,” he continued. “They’re using words to say something must end. You can’t really kill nobody with a guitar or a microphone, but you could kill somebody with a drone and a fucking tank.
Chuck D concluded: “We have to be able to fight for peace and love by any means necessary.”
In the wake of Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury remarks, their debut album ‘Humble As The Sun’ re-entered UK charts. However, a BBC music boss also reportedly stepped down over the backlash against livestreaming their set.
Lorna Clarke, who is the BBC’s director of music, was reported by The Times as stepping back from her day-to-day responsibilities. A small number of other senior BBC staff have also temporarily relinquished their roles, according to The Independent.
In a statement last week, the BBC apologised to viewers for broadcasting the performance. Though it admitted it had deemed the set “high risk” in advance, it found the set suitable for livestreaming.
The BBC went on to call Bob Vylan’s remarks “offensive and deplorable”, adding that it “deeply regrets” the decision to livestream their show. It went on to announced that it will no longer be broadcasting any performances it thinks may be “high risk” in the future.
Meanwhile, Public Enemy called for a “free Palestine” during RiverBeat Festival set in Memphis, ahead of their surprise album ‘Black Sky Over The Projects: Apartment 2025’.
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Alex Rigotti
NME
