"Hip hop as it should be": Fans show love to 'New Gens,' Chuck D's new single in 7 years

Chuck D is back in the solo spotlight. On April 18, 2025, the Public Enemy frontman dropped "New Gens," which is his first solo single in seven years.

The track features Daddy-O of Stetsasonic. It comes ahead of his upcoming album Radio Armageddon, which is officially set to release on May 16, 2025, via Def Jam.

According to reports, the new single features relatively chaotic jazz, horns, educational tape samples, and more. On the other hand, the beat is jagged and restless. With "New Gens," Chuck D seemingly aims to bridge a generational gap in the rap scene.

As Billboard reports, some lyrics of his latest single are as follows:

"Weird, I’m weird too/ But damn, you weird/ Can’t stand the way you, goddamn you weird/ Oh way you can’t see, but can you listen for a minute?/ If you cannot see it, but cannot hear it/ Whoa, new gens can’t dance to this/ Here right now the place to be/ Why everybody’s always pickin’ on we?/ We the people, ‘crossed all ages/ Now joined by a screen between/ Called screenagers"

Chuck D adds:

"And don’t forget, new gens I love y'all/ Have a ball"

Take a look at the official MV of "New Gens":

Fans react to Chuck D's latest track 'New Gens'

Fans were quick to weigh in on the comment section of the YouTube video as they shared their thoughts regarding "New Gens." Below are what some of them had to remark:

"At last, hip hop as it should be from some of the original pioneers... Public Enemy and Stetsasonic. This is hands down better than anything put out by today's so called hip hop artists. Can't wait for the album," declared a fan.

"The production is great! Chuck and Daddy-O are legends but the verses are m'eh. Maybe time to consider hanging it up. Release the instrumental," lauded another.

"The beat is too old sounding and too old school, the rapping style is old and out of date, music and rapping has changed from the 1980's, you can't go back to that style since it didn't represent the peak of rap music which was the 2000's. Rap music needs to outgrow the current sound, but what is here is here until something better is introduced, nothing stays the same, change is coming, change is inevitable but going back to the 80''s past isn't the future. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE FUTURE SOUND OF MUSIC, RESPOND TO THIS POSTING, I GOT EM!" penned a third.

"My favorite saying to the younger folks..."I've been your age before, you have not been mine!" expressed a fourth.

As reported by Consequence, the complete tracklist of Chuck D's upcoming album Radio Armageddon is as follows:

• Radio Armageddon
• What Rock Is
• Black Don’t Dead (feat DJ Too Tuff)
• New Gens (feat Daddy-O)
• Station Break (feat CM aka Creative)
• Rogue Runnin (feat Phill Most Chill)
• Is God She (feat 1/2 Pint and Miranda Writes)
• Station Identification
• Here We Are Heard (feat The Impossebulls)
• Superbagg (feat Blak Madeen)
• Carry On (feat ULTRAMAG7)
• What Are We to You?
• Sight Story Style Sound (feat Donald D and Jazzy Jay)
• Signing Off (feat Schoolly D)

According to some reports, Chuck D is expected to promote Radio Armageddon with festival appearances in the U.S. and Europe this summer.

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