Public Enemy will perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Monday (September 29), less than a week after Kimmel’s controversial “cancelation.” It will mark P.E.’s first appearance on the show in nearly a decade.
The group’s last Kimmel stop was in October 2015. Chuck D and Flavor Flav released their sixteenth studio album, Black Sky Over the Projects: Apartment 2025, in June, but it’s unclear what song they’ll perform on the late night talk show.
Longtime Public Enemy bassist Brian Hardgroove confirmed the news on Facebook, writing, “Kimmel’s return to the airwaves will undoubtedly be an historic marker in the timeline of American entertainment vs the government. You shouldn’t miss it. It will also be the most consequential performance of all of Public Enemy’s TV performances (IMO). Check it out on Sept 29th.”
Hardgroove might be right. Kimmel’s temporary cancelation was seen as an attack on free speech, something Public Enemy has championed for decades.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! was suspended by ABC following the host’s monologue covering the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. During his on-air commentary, Kimmel remarked, “The Maga Gang is desperately trying to portray this individual who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of their own, and they are doing everything possible to leverage this for political advantage.”
Kimmel also mocked supporters flying flags at half-mast and ridiculed Donald Trump’s response, declaring, “This is not how an adult mourns the murder of someone he refers to as a friend; it resembles how a toddler grieves for a goldfish.”
The monologue generated outrage among political commentators and several major ABC affiliates, prompting Trump and conservative voices to celebrate and demand further crackdowns on critical speech. Facing threats by the FCC to revoke ABC’s broadcast license, Disney stated the suspension stemmed from “our belief that certain comments were poorly timed and insensitive” and was enacted “to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country.”
Kimmel returned to air after nearly a week of negotiations and public protest over the decision. Disney explained, “We have engaged in thoughtful discussions with Jimmy over the past few days, and following those conversations, we have decided to bring the show back on Tuesday.”
Kimmel was not required to apologize and instead stood firm that his remarks had been “grossly mischaracterized by a certain group of people.” His comeback was supported by a public letter signed by more than 400 Hollywood celebrities protesting the suppression of free speech.
However, not all ABC affiliates resumed airing his show; major station owners like Sinclair refused to broadcast Jimmy Kimmel Live! until further notice, stating, “We are in ongoing discussions with ABC as we assess the show’s potential comeback.”
Despite partial blackout, the show returned online and through ABC-owned stations, marking a victory for Kimmel’s stance and igniting continued debate about the limits of commentary on American television.
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