It’s Sunday and you know what that means…it’s time for A Nice Pair: book and vinyl pairings that go together like weather predictions and groundhogs. Today we’re pairing the book The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin with the Public Enemy album What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down? What do these two things have in common? Def Jam.
In The Creative Act: A Way of Being, Rick Rubin (co-founder of Def Jam Recordings), dives into the essence of creativity. He shares insights and stories from his career to highlight how we can foster our creativity by embracing curiosity, openness, and a sense of wonder. It’s like a guidebook for anyone looking to unlock their creative potential in everyday life.
Public Enemy was one of the early acts signed to Def Jam Recordings. This partnership helped propel Public Enemy to become one of the most influential and politically charged hip-hop groups of all time. After twelve years, they parted ways due to financial disagreements but reunited in 2020 to produce their most recent album, What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down? The album addresses themes of societal collapse and technological dependence. It features collaborations with artists like Cypress Hill, George Clinton, and Nas and includes the tracks State of the Union (STFU) and Fight the Power (2020 Remix).
