"Hell No We Ain't All Right!" is a
protest song released by
hip hop group
Public Enemy within weeks of
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
, criticizing President
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
and his administration for his response to the catastrophe, and for wider administration policies. The song specifically links the poor response to the hurricane to the commitment of resources to the
war in Iraq, and to the social status of most victims of the disaster. The song was reportedly written by
Chuck D
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour (born August 1, 1960), known professionally as Chuck D, is an American rapper, best known as the leader and frontman of the hip hop group Public Enemy, which he co-founded in 1985 with Flavor Flav. Chuck D helped creat ...
on September 2, 2005, and reunited
Flavor Flav
William Jonathan Drayton Jr. (born March 16, 1959), known by his stage name Flavor Flav (), is an American rapper and hype man. Known for his yells of "''Yeah, boyeeeeee!''" when performing, he rose to prominence as a founding member of the rap ...
with Public Enemy for its recording over
Labor Day
Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United St ...
weekend. The premier public performance was on the
Morning Sedition ''Morning Sedition'' was a three-hour radio program that premiered April 1, 2004 and ran until December 16, 2005, in the United States. It was hosted by comedian Marc Maron and New York radio veteran Mark Riley. Prior to June 2004, the show was a ...
radio show, on September 16, 2005.
In addition to Bush and the Bush administration, the song also levels barbs at
Pat Robertson (who had recently called for the
assassination
Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have ...
of
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
n president
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (; 28 July 1954 – 5 March 2013) was a Venezuelan politician who was president of Venezuela from 1999 until his death in 2013, except for a brief period in 2002. Chávez was also leader of the Fifth Republ ...
),
Halliburton, and the characterization of blacks as looters following the catastrophe.
The refrain of the song repeats the line, "
in the morning, afternoon, and night/Hell No We Ain't All Right". Similar themes were explored in a contemporaneous song, "
George Bush Doesn't Care About Black People
"George Bush Doesn't Care About Black People" is a protest song by Houston-based hip hop duo The Legendary K.O.John Leland (journalist), John Leland,Cultural Politics Art Born of Outrage in the Internet Age, ''New York Times'' (September 26, 2005 ...
", a remix of
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
's "
Gold Digger
Gold digger is a term for a person, typically a woman, who engages in a type of transactional relationship for money rather than love. If it turns into marriage, it is a type of marriage of convenience.
Etymology and usage
The term "gold ...
" by "The Legendary K.O.", which was widely circulated on the internet following Hurricane Katrina.
References
External links
Chuck D Pens Song About Hurricane Relief Efforts
{{authority control
Public Enemy (band) songs
Protest songs
Songs about Hurricane Katrina
Songs about George W. Bush
2005 songs
Songs written by Chuck D