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NEWS : STORIES
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04.17.1998 8:35 PM EDT
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Public Enemy Hook Into '98 Smokin' Grooves
Wyclef Jean, Cypress Hill, Busta Rhymes and Gang Starr also to tour U.S. on third annual festival.
by Contributing Editor Randy Reiss
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The hip-hop-centric lineup for the third House of Blues Smokin' Grooves tour will consist of a recently reunited Public Enemy, Caribbean carnival hip-hoppers Wyclef Jean & the Refugee Allstars, ganja-rappers Cypress Hill, clown prince Busta Rhymes
and underground legends Gang Starr, according to events publicist Sharon Liveten.
Liveten, spokeswoman for the nationwide club House of Blues, also confirmed that up-and-coming rappers Canibus, Cam'ron and Charlie B. also will be making appearances at the festival.
This year's funk festival, which will play 41 shows in two months, is the third
time around for the all-day hip-hop marathon, which began in 1995. Cypress Hill have played all three festivals, and previous years have featured such funk, rap and R&B artists as Erykah Badu, George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars, the Roots, Spearhead, the Pharcyde and the Brand New Heavies.
Public Enemy's appearance at the top of the bill is a big change of heart
for the hip-hop legends, who are putting out their first album with the original lineup in four years as the soundtrack to Spike Lee's upcoming movie, "He Got Game." Chuck D, the group's "hard rhymer," repeatedly stated that they would never tour again after the group's opening slot on U2's 1992-3 Zoo TV tour.
Asked earlier this month if Public Enemy would be performing at the upcoming Tibetan Freedom Concert, held to raise awareness about the oppressed Tibetan people, PE leader Chuck D told SonicNet Music News, "Any performance this year is doubtful."
Chuck D added that Public Enemy are composed of two bodies: the Bomb Squad
recording team and a touring unit. "Touring has yet to be determined, whether we're going to do it or not. I'm a member of both teams. I don't know if I'll make a commitment to the touring operation, which includes [PE stage dancers] the S1Ws, [DJ] Terminator X, Flavor Flav, Professor Griff and everybody."
Neither Chuck D's publicist Kym Norsworthy nor his manager Walter Leaphart were
available for comment on Friday. Liveten, however, was under the
impression that Smokin' Grooves audiences would be seeing PE in all their
glory. "I have been told that it'll be the full lineup," she said.
Dates for the festival will be announced in the coming weeks.
Staff Writer Chris Nelson contributed to this report
 
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