VEVO KICKS OFF FOOTNOTES SERIES WITH PUBLIC ENEMY

Vevo has launched its "Celebrate Hip Hop At 50" campaign with Footnotes, a new series that goes behind-the-scenes of some of the culture's most iconic videos.

First up is Public Enemy's "Fight The Power." Originally released in 1989 as part of Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing soundtrack, the song was a revolutionary triumph. The accompanying video was shot on a cold day in Brooklyn and captured the frenetic nature of the track. More than 30 years later, its rallying cry still resonates with multiple generations of hip-hop fans.

“Hip-hop turning 50 means that there can be no doubt, no argument, no ignorance about its consequence in the world," Public Enemy founder Chuck D said. "Back when PE was coming up, it was in the days before social media. Videos were the only way to connect with hip-hop fans around the world. They delivered songs in a full package of sight, sound, story and style. A truly underrated art form. Vevo keeps that connection solid, not only for us but for hip-hop artists from every corner of the globe. Here's to the next 50.”

Vevo plans to release several more Footnotes episodes throughout the year featuring MC Serch of 3rd Bass, Common, De La Soul, Cypress Hill, Souls of Mischief, Macklemore and T.I., among others. Some of them will appear on the company's ongoing ctrl series as well.

But that's only the beginning. Vevo will also have special programming dedicated to celebrating all aspects of hip-hop, including Legends In Concert, Hip-Hop International, 2K Hip-Hop Legends, Rock Meets Rap, 70’s Sampled Songs and ‘80’s Sampled Songs.

“Hip-hop hasn’t just shaped music; it’s shaped culture as a whole - from fashion, language, sports, even politics and beyond, and music videos have been there to aid in propelling those cultural shifts forward,” Vice President, Music & Talent, Vevo Jordan Glickson said. “Vevo has continued to nurture the groundwork laid by hip-hop pioneers, creating a platform for hip-hop videos to not only live but thrive. In fact, we’ve seen the genre become one of our most-viewed on our network these past few years."

The inaugural Footnotes episode featuring Chuck D can be found below. Although Chuck tells us he's only mildly annoyed we're covering it, he's still looking forward to fighting the powers that be at HITS.