It appears that the recent disputes between Public Enemy and its long-time label, Def Jam Records, were just hints of a larger disagreement brooding between the two -- as the rappers have now split from Def Jam, which had issued every PE album since its 1987 debut, "Yo! Bum Rush the Show."

Public Enemy says it plans to offer up its next album via the Internet, much like it did with its "Bring the Noise 2000" remix album, and the rappers are currently looking to sign on with some digital distributors to help them handle the record, according to "Billboard."

The seminal rap group has been an early and open proponent of online distribution, and the first signs of trouble between PE and Def Jam came when the band was forced to remove "Bring the Noise 2000" from its website after pressure from Universal/Polygram, Def Jam's parent company"Public Enemy Remix Album Pulled From The Net")-->.

Public Enemy responded to Universal's decision by posting a song on its official website (see "Public Enemy Lambasts Labels With 'Swindler's Lust'"), in which the band unleashed its rap vitriol on the music industry and its legal efforts to curb web distribution of new music.

The new "digital" album from Public Enemy is tentatively set for release in the spring.