That Prophets of Rage Website Probably Isn't Leading Up to A Rage Against the Machine Reunion

Did y’all hear any rumors this week about a potential Rage Against the Machine reunion tour happening this summer? Probably so, considering it was a major topic of discussion after the mysterious-looking website ProphetsofRage.com was endorsed by a RATM-approved Twitter account on Tuesday, May 17.

The relatively spartan-looking site, which launched that same day, features a red-and-black logo composed of silhouetted depictions of anarchistic activity, the hashtagged phrase “#TAKETHEPOWERBACK,” and a countdown clock ticking away the time remaining until May 31.

Countless Rage Against the Machine fans – including Roots front man Questlove, no less — considered it to be a harbinger of the politically charged rap metal band’s impending return. (The fervor was so great, in fact, that it crashed the site.)

Yeah, about that.  

After a few days of speculation, it appears at though RATM, which hasn't played a show since 2011, aren’t going to reunite and hit the road. Instead, it looks like it will be something of the same politically minded and agitprop-oriented ilk.

Multiple sources, including Billboard Magazine and Rolling Stone, have reported that the countdown clock is possibly leading up to the announcement of a supergroup featuring members of RATM, Public Enemy, and Cypress Hill that will be playing in Los Angeles on June 3.

These same sources claim that the project, likely called Prophets of Rage after the Public Enemy song of the same name, will feature guitarist Tom Morello, drummer Brad Wilk, and bassist Tim Commerford of Rage Against the Machine, along with Chuck D. of Public Enemy and B Real of Cypress Hill. The act will supposedly will be performing tunes written by all three bands. Of course, this is all speculation and no one will really know for certain until the clock strikes zero.

What is certain is that a band hewn from members of such revolutionary-minded firebrands as RATM and Public Enemy couldn’t have picked a better time to debut, considering it looks like corporate shill Hillary Clinton and billionaire psychopath Donald Trump will be facing off for the candidates for the presidency of the United States over the next six months. In other words, it’s the sort of atmosphere that’s ideal for members of two of the music world’s most politically incendiary bands to chime in.

May 31 can't seem to get here fast enough.