The Evil Empire of Everything

"The youth is not youth for long/Rest in peace, Trayvon," declares Chuck D on PE's second 2012 LP, following Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp. A predictably righteous volley of rhyme grenades on race and pop-culture politics, tinged with grumpy nostalgia, it's startlingly potent. Grooves clobber, facts sucker-punch; and Flavor Flav lights up "31 Flavors" like a Christmas tree, riding a hot go-go groove. They're still partying for their right to fight, hard as ever.