Public Enemy - Fight The Power (Full 7 Min. Version)

What this video is

Released in the summer of 1989 against a backdrop of George H.W. Bush's racially charged political climate, the crack epidemic, and urban racial violence, 'Fight the Power' was conceived by Spike Lee as the thematic anthem for Do the Right Thing. The extended 7-minute version captures a full sonic and visual manifesto. The video staged one of hip-hop's most overtly political spectacles: a mass Brooklyn street rally…

Why it matters

Represents the apex of Golden Age politically conscious hip-hop's intersection with auteur cinema. The video redefined what a rap music video could be — moving beyond performance clips to become a fully staged political event. It legitimized hip-hop as a medium for documentary-style social…

The director

Shelton Jackson 'Spike' Lee (born March 20, 1957, Atlanta, GA) is an American filmmaker and actor who studied at Morehouse College and earned an MFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. He made his directorial debut with She's Gotta Have It (1986) and founded…