911_Is_a_Joke
911 Is a Joke
1990 single by Public Enemy
"911 Is a Joke" is a 1990 song by American hip hop group Public Enemy, from their third album, Fear of a Black Planet. Solely performed by Flavor Flav, the track became a hit in April 1990 upon its release as a single, reaching number 15 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, and number one on the Hot Rap Singles chart, becoming their second number-one rap chart hit after "Fight the Power".[2] It also reached number one on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.[3] This was due largely to its sales, which were unusually high for the level of mainstream airplay it received; Billboard reported that only one of the stations on its Top 40 panel was playing it.[4]
The song is about the lack of response to emergency calls in a black neighborhood, but specifically references the poor response by paramedic crews and not the police, which is a common misconception regarding the track;[5] the "911" in the title of the song refers to 9-1-1, the emergency telephone number used in North America.[6]