Wednesday, February 11, 3:30-5 pm

Harry Allen became known as the “Media Assassin” for Public Enemy, one of the most important rap groups in history. In his position as “Director of Enemy Relations,” Allen spoke to the media to correct misconceptions about the group’s confrontational politics, occasionally adding commentary to Public Enemy tracks, such as the closing refrain from “Don’t Believe the Hype.”

In this talk, Allen will discuss early photos of Chuck D, Flavor Flav, and others members of the group as they were experimenting with the possibilities of a revolutionary art form that would speak to racial injustice more meaningfully than mainstream media and culture.

Allen writes about race, politics, and culture in his Media Assassin blog and a variety of publications, and is the host and producer of the weekly radio show “Nonfiction” on WBAI in New York. He also serves as an advisor to the Archives of African American Music and Culture at Indiana University.

The event is sponsored by the Senior Fellows Honors Program of the UT College of Communication, and co-sponsored by the Department of American Studies and the African American Culture Committee of Campus Events + Entertainment. For more information, contact Dave Junker, junker@austin.utexas.edu.

Location: Belo Center for New Media Auditorium (BMC 2.106), 300 W. Dean Keeton, Austin