MKLVFKWR

I've gotta take my words back. Admittedly, it would be very easy- just edit them out from the previous post; but it's even better to deeply recognize your mistakes and thus receive purification, innit?

First, no bling. Puns are fun, but that was outta place in this case. Nothing bling about what was happening the other day at the Ministry of Sound Taipei- perhaps only that it was such an honor for the club to celebrate its reopening with Public Enemy, so I guess you could as well call it flashing off.

Second, however the Ministry handled the whole thing, the mere fact that they were able to bring the living legend to us weighs more than any bungle. Just a pity that because of deficient promotion so few a person could be part of the experience.

Or, possibly bling (say these words 6 times very fast!) after all- these guys are pure gold themselves. It was the best show I've seen in town, and that's almost a decade. The only comparable performance was (rap again! political again! I love these guys with a mission!) Beastie Boys' "Freedom For Tibet" gala a couple years ago in Taipei on the deserted wine factory grounds, right across from Sun Yat-Sen memorial, but because of the different premises (outdoor venue, various artists) it didn't rise to the level that Wednesday night at MoS took the people to.

I concede- I went there expecting to hear Flavor Flav, to see Terminator X behind turntables... For me, the epitome of rap has always been Public Enemy's 1988 "It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back", & I've been away from it all pretty seriously, so to see a different lineup was a bit of a disappointment- but that was just a flash. The band, to be more exact, Chuck D with Professor Griff and his 7th Octave + kick-butt DJ Lord, ah, not to forget the 2 burly "military movement squad" guys, were incredible. No need for Anthrax, give us ghetto metal! The guitarist amazed, Professor's screams in "Son of a Bush" (son of a baaaaa-a-a-aad maaa-a-aan!) sent shivers down the spine, and Chuck D JUST HAS THAT PRESENCE! Call him a superstar with a cause.

Those heavy beats still ROCK!

Mr. Chuck- we've taken your word on coming back to Taipei, Taiwan!