When famed ’90s band Rage Against the Machine first led fans to a new website with a countdown clock earlier this week, many believed that a reunion of the group — who haven’t performed live since 2011 — was imminent.
The truth, it turns out, is much weirder than that: Members of Rage Against the Machine have teamed up with musicians from classic hip-hop groups Cypress Hill and Public Enemy to form a supergroup called Prophets Of Rage, according to Rolling Stone. The band’s title is a reference to a Public Enemy song of the same name from 1988.
The cryptic web announcement appeared alongside a series of posters around Los Angeles, which read, “Clear the way for Prophets of Rage. The Party’s Over. Summer 2016.” A countdown on the website ends on May 31.
Rage Against the Machine haven’t released a new album since 2000, and have repeatedly hinted at new material since their last live performance together in 2011, but have yet to release anything. Prophets Of Rage likely won’t result in new material, as singer Zach de la Rocha is absent from the new project.
Instead of de la Rocha, the band will be fronted by Public Enemy’s Chuck D and Cypress Hill’s B-Real, who will join Rage Against the Machine members Tom Morello, Tim Commerford, and Brad Wilk.
The new supergroup will make their live debut on June 3 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, where they will perform songs by all three bands, according to Billboard. The band also has a show booked at L.A.’s Whiskey a Go Go, and are reportedly considering a summer tour.
Whether or not the outfit will release recorded material remains to be seen, but given the fact that such high-profile musicians are in the mix, it seems likely that labels will be interested in courting the musicians — if they don’t already have some kind of secret deal somewhere.
