Public Enemy: Outraged Oscars Used 'Fight the Power'

The Oscars made a statement by playing Public Enemy's "Fight the Power," and now the group has a statement to the Oscars ... they're pissed off.

Group member Professor Griff tells us he thinks the Academy was just paying lip service to black protesters and will go right back to business as usual.

Griff says Public Enemy is all about change -- radical change -- and the Academy's efforts fly in the face of that. He adds, "The show can't claim the blackness of Public Enemy's message."

That said, Public Enemy does not have rights to license the song ... Universal Music does.

So the man wins again.