Chuck D Calls Out Improper Use Of Public Enemy’s “Burn Hollywood Burn” To Address Los Angeles Wildfires

Chuck D is one of many figures within hip-hop and beyond that’s horrified by the rampant wildfires affecting Los Angeles and California in early 2025. However, he also wants to make it clear that some of the responses to this natural disaster – particularly, those relating to his art – are not only misrepresentative, but also potentially harmful during this time. Moreover, this related to the Public Enemy track “Burn Hollywood Burn” off of 1990’s classic album Fear Of A Black Planet. While the song is about the entertainment industry’s exploitation of Black creatives and its negative portrayals of the Black community, its use these days to celebrate this fire’s destructive nature really rubs Chuck the wrong way.

“PRAYERS UP. BE SAFE. EVACUATE,” Chuck D expressed on Instagram, adding a photo of the wildfires’ impact and a list of ongoing fires. “‘Burn Hollywood Burn’ is a protest song extracted from the Watts rebellion, coined by the magnificent Montague in 1965 against inequality when he said ‘burn baby burn’ across the air. We made mind-revolution songs aimed at a one-sided exploitation by an industry. It has nothing to do with families losing everything they have in a natural disaster. Learn the history. Godspeed to those in loss.”

Apart from Chuck D’s clarification, other rappers are also offering support to affected communities, such as Los Angeles’ own The Game. “Me and @travforthestars are helping ten families effected [sic] by the fires here. Get into Airbnb for a week free of charge,” he shared on Instagram on Thursday (January 9). Sadly, other celebrities, public figures – and most importantly, citizens who already face systemic oppression – have not gotten this same level of support from the United States and the world at large.

For example, Jhené Aiko recently called out people mocking how she lost her home as a result of these fires. “The fact some of you think I have Paris Hilton money is wild,” she expressed on social media. “I don’t got it like that. But I do have a big, loving family that is worth more than anything.” We’ll see what Chuck D and others have in store to lend a helping hand.