Most 'supergroups' don't care for the expectations and the pressure that label brings. But Prophets of Rage is not your ordinary supergroup, says Chuck D.
"Nobody likes to use the word ‘supergroup, but I do,’" he tells San Diego Rock 105.3's A.D. "To me, it’s always a challenge to be able to step up to this, you know, formidable lineup.”
The group, comprised of members of Public Enemy, Cypress Hill and Rage Against the Machine/Audioslave, formed seemingly in the spur of the moment amid the turbulence of the 2016 election with a specific mission: to change the way people act.
“That’s what [Timmy Commerford] was searching for all-along," D says. "We have our own identity. We rage-ified all the music as much as possible in our live performances. We’ve playing in front of 2.7 million people in North America, South America and Europe in our first year. But the challenge is finding our own identity and stepping up to that plate.”
To fans, it seemed like the band came out of nowhere last summer. Bassist Tim Commerford says it felt similar to the band members since the group had a name and a tour booked "almost before we were even a band."
Prophets of Rage was fueled by the message it was trying to spread and the enthusiasm of fans to receive that message. On tour, the group honed its message and original material live before riding that creative wave into the studio to record its debut album due out later this year.
Three months after the first Prophets of Rage tour, the album was written, recorded, mixed and mastered.
“The way that we did it is an incredible thing,” Commerford adds.
Listen to A.D.'s full interview with D. and Commerford below.
Listen to Prophets of Rage's new single, "Living on the 110," here:
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