Guns N’ Roses announced on Instagram on Thursday, December 11 that the iconic hip hop group Public Enemy will join them at Busch Stadium on August 16, 2026. The world tour will also feature powerhouse guests including Ice Cube, The Black Crowes, and Pierce the Veil.
Guns N’ Roses shared with their legions of fans via social media on Thursday, December 11 that the trailblazing politically charged hip hop band Public Enemy will be the special guest for their August 16, 2026 show at Busch Stadium.
The concert promises a powerful cultural crossover between two of the most influential bands in modern music.
Public Enemy, formed in 1985 by Chuck D and Flavor Flav, quickly rose to prominence with politically charged albums like “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back” and “Fear of a Black Planet.” Their layered sound and uncompromising lyrics made them one of hip hop’s most important voices, tackling racism, inequality, and media bias head-on. Chuck D has long described himself as both “artivist” and “raptivist,” a philosophy he reinforced during his recent St. Louis gallery debut, “Roll Call: Most of My Heroes Don’t Appear on No Stamps,” which ran through mid-November at Legends Gallery in the Grand Center Arts District.
That same fall, Public Enemy headlined the 2025 Evolution Festival in Forest Park, further cementing their ties to St. Louis. While in town, Chuck D spoke at his gallery talk, reflecting on the city’s creative energy.
“Being here in St. Louis is a joy,” Chuck D said. “So is being in a gallery and a part of the activity that is going on here in this community.”
Meanwhile, Guns N’ Roses were carving their own legacy. Also formed in 1985, the Los Angeles band exploded onto the scene with “Appetite for Destruction,” which became the best-selling debut album in U.S. history. Led by Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff McKagan, their mix of raw energy and technical prowess reshaped hard rock in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Now, their 2026 world tour will span Mexico, Brazil, Europe, and North America, with Public Enemy joining select dates alongside Ice Cube, The Black Crowes, and Pierce the Veil.
The collaboration is not without precedent. Chuck D has long embraced rock as part of his artistic identity, most notably through Prophets of Rage, a rap-rock supergroup he co-founded with Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, Cypress Hill’s B-Real, and other RATM members. From 2016 to 2019, the band fused hip hop and heavy riffs into politically charged anthems, proving Chuck D’s versatility beyond Public Enemy. More recently, Chuck D and Morello have continued to share stages, reinforcing the enduring bond between hip hop and rock.
On the other side of the stage, Axl Rose has openly expressed his appreciation for hip hop, noting its energy and cultural impact in interviews and appearances. That openness to cross-genre collaboration underscores why Guns N’ Roses’ choice of Public Enemy feels both surprising and natural.
For St. Louis, the pairing carries special resonance. Public Enemy’s recent festival performance and Chuck D’s gallery exhibition highlighted his deep ties to the city’s arts community. His remarks during the exhibition prophetically captured the spirit of the upcoming performance: “Culture is the thing that brings us together,” Chuck D said. “In our human spirit—as human beings—it knocks all of those differences to the side.”
Tickets and VIP packages are available now at gunsnroses.com and vipnation.com.