On February 20, 1991, Public Enemy boycotted the 34th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony where they were nominated for Best Rap Performance by a duo or group for Fear of A Black Planet.

According to The New York Times, the group was angered that only the major Grammy's were being presented on prime-time television. Most of the 79 awards given out that year were off camera, with only the Song of the Year and Album of the Year being televised. That year, the Best Solo Rap Performance was televised, and MC Hammer was up for two Grammys — Album of The Year and Song of The Year. P.E. supported then-Def Jam president Russell Simmons' decision to skip the awards because of what he referred to as "the same ol' snub of inner-city contributions to the music industry."

Chuck D and Flava Flav of Public Enemy reunited for to perform at 65th Annual Grammy Awards' tribute to Hip-Hop's 50th anniversary earlier this month. They joined Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5, Run-DMC, LL COOL J, Scarface, Salt N Pepa and several other artists in a tribute celebrating 50 years of Hip-Hop culture.

When asked by the Associated Press how the Grammy's could support Hip-Hop Chuck D referenced the genre's first union, the Hip-Hop Alliance. "Pay attention to the Hip-Hop Alliance which is the first union for Hip-Hop and rap music," he said. "That will take care of the past, present and future with the past having some participation in it. That's easy right?"