For one moment, Public Enemy could have graced the cover of SPIN's swimsuit issue
Back in the ‘90s, when every publication somehow had their own swimsuit issue, SPIN was trying to collect a wide variety of musicians to take shots of in skimpy water-proof garments. At the end of the ‘80s, SPIN had already managed to grab swimsuit photos of artists like Belinda Carlisle, Johnny Cash, Megadeth, Motorhead and LL Cool J, but the ‘90s was a time of radical change within the world of hip-hop, and like many things in the decade gone, that rebellion needed to be caught on camera. So by the time SPIN was planning its annual swimsuit issue in 1990, they needed an explosive group to propel readers into the next decade of music. Who better to do this than the politically-charged rap group hot off their 1989 summer single, “Fight the Power,” Public Enemy?
This is all according to Harry Allen, Public Enemy’s then ‘Director of Enemy Relations’ and current day journalist. Per Allen, SPIN approached Public Enemy for an appearance in their swimsuit issue and maybe would’ve given the group a cover opportunity, but that also meant Public Enemy might’ve completely been shedding both their clothing and radical identity. Imagine, Chuck D, Flava Flav, Terminator X and Professor Griff stripped down in water-garments and hanging out by the beach shore, maybe smiling in the sunshine and playing a game of valleyball together. It could’ve happened.
But, according to Allen, it never did, and he hasn’t told Chuck D about this moment until he took to Twitter to explain the issue with SPIN in a thread.
Too bad we never got to see Chuck D sporting a snapback hat in the sun standing next to Flava Flav wearing an oversized clock on the beach, because that undoubtedly would’ve been an iconic photo. Harry Allen’s original swimsuit idea would’ve been truest to character, though:
[Via Super Punch]