Reviews (page 10 of 13)
fun but felt long
I really injoyed it, a lot more than I expected. It was just too long.
Album Review: Fear of a Black Planet – Public Enemy Brothers Gonna Work It Out and Fight the Power—what a pair of tunes! This album is a definite keeper; it’s going straight into my playlist for repeat listens. As Public Enemy’s 9th studio album, it’s clear I’ll be diving into their back catalog soon. The album tackles heavy, thought-provoking subject matter with powerful delivery, making it both impactful and poignant. The combination of strong lyrics and sharp performance makes it a standout in early hip-hop. Favourite Song: Brothers Gonna Work It Out—a standout track, though all the songs are great. Least Favourite Song: Reggie Jax—didn’t quite hit the same mark for me as the others. Album Artwork: A striking image that perfectly captures the album’s bold message. An essential album for any hip-hop fan, blending social consciousness with unforgettable beats.
Not into rap but this was incredible
It's a good album, but after a while it feels repetitive.
Good 90s hip-hop. Really appreciate it for what it is, but definitely has that 90s "DJ style" where there's lots of repeated & semi-annoying sounds that sometimes go on for too long
Old School Hip-Hop, good Samples
Most old rap music sounds very outdated, but this doesn't. It doesn't sound anything like modern rap music, but it's still very listenable. The flow is better than their contemporaries’ and it sounds more sincere. Favorite song: Brothers gonna work it out
A more fun and engaging listen than I had expected.
soo fucking awesome. as a resolute beastie boys fan i hold the strong belief that young hip hop fans today (and young music fans at large) do not pay enough respect to the golden age. the beats here are out of this world, chuck d and flava flav are absolute menaces, the rhetoric is righteous, what's not to love?? i had heard nation of millions before this, but never this full album- consider me a fan. 9/10 fav tracks: brothers gonna work it out, burn hollywood burn, fear of a black planet, leave this off your fuckin' charts
3.5 I enjoy the content, but I really don’t like Chuck D’s tone/rappint style, I’m sorry. Flava Flav of course is perfect.
The thing about a lot of hip hop is that it references a culture and experience I can’t understand and haven’t lived. I think it is good to be spoken of and listen to though and this album is important in its messages. The music itself was okay but very much of its era, although clearly influential (I could hear OutKast at certain moments in particular). Listens: 2 Fave Track: Fight The Power Rating: 4 - it does what it has set out to do
No puedo parar de mover la cabeza!
Classic 90s rap. I can see the fashion of this music in my head.
Don’t do Anti-Semites…don’t do anti-any race. Sick of all this weak shit.
Legends in hip hop - not for me. Respect who they are and what they have done.
This is Public Enemy’s third album and it maintains the furious intensity of their previous release. The samples are even more on the nose in this one, and are self referential in places, talking about the furore that surrounded It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. Essential listening but you will feel drained by the non stop sonic assault by the end.
It Takes a Nation... was a great album and is often praised as their most notable record, but Fear of a Black Planet is very strong too, perhaps even stronger. The political message is really strong, it has a more experimental music background, guitar parts that are great, and it does not suffer from the unnerving gimmicks from It Takes a Nation. This is the golden age of hip hop at its apex.
Just yesss
VERY goood
Yeah Boi! I had this poster on my wall when I lived in the dorms. This is one of my all time favorites. Chuck D puts everyone to task with his lyrics while Flavor Flave is the court jester. Great album with cultural significance.
It had the X factor that makes it stand out above other, less know artists. But not as good as other albums of its ilk.
I enjoy 90s hip hop/rap so much more than any other decade.
Was okay but I expected better songs.
I like it. There were some good stand out songs that are a 5 but as an album I think it's a 3
Can't even listen to this
I echo every single sentiment of the top rated review
Another banger, good beats, message was strong even now, flows like a story. 3.7
Classic hip hop album that I hadn't listened to till now. I enjoyed it, would need more listens to further appreciate.
Rap bien de mierda, del inescuchable horrible.
Waar ik al meermaals het argument aanhaalde dat sommige muziek het beter doet als het losgekoppeld wordt van het concept 'album', hebben de nummers op deze plaat wel echt de intrigerende verhaallijn van 'Fear Of A Black Planet' nodig om boven water te blijven. Sterker nog, elk nummer is een bouwsteen in de gelaagde 'rapportage' van decennia aan zwarte onderdrukking in de States. De complexe mix aan nieuwsfragmenten, anekdotes over historische sleutelmomenten, gevoed met tientallen jaren aan samples uit black genres, laat dit album meer voelen als een documentaire dan een muziekstuk. Dit deden ze met profetische precisie, aangezien heel wat thema's meer dan 30 jaar na dato helaas nog steeds actueel zijn. Sommige standpunten zijn nogal achterhaald, waardoor je dit album soms vanuit het perspectief van die tijdsgeest dient te beluisteren. Naast de monumentale politieke relevantie van dit werk, is de productie van 'The Bomb Squad' ook revolutionair in de Hip Hop scene. Ik denk dat nog niet de helft van alle samples ontdekt zijn vandaag de dag. Het album wordt gedreven door vette drums, die een hoop drive en energie in het verhaal brengen, wat past bij het activistische thema. Echter is de complexiteit aan geluiden die het album echt tot leven brengen ook direct de valkuil. Soms was het echt ondraaglijk, en twijfelde ik zelfs even om het album in twee delen te luisteren. Sommige chaotische tracks behandelde al eerder besproken topics, en bij hun afwezigheid had de relevantie van dit album ook wel als een paal boven water gestaan. Als de gehele reeks aan rotzooi tussen 'Can't Do Nuttin' For Ya, Man!' en 'Fight The Power' achterwegen was gelaten was het album er beter van afgekomen. Ik mis elementen van de productiestijl op het voorgaande album van ze, met baanbrekende punk/metal samples en funky basslines. Ik snap dat de chaotische vibe er is om het volk te 'activeren', maar de luisterbaarheid heeft er onder te leiden. Wat betreft de vocalen.. Chuck D is niet echt een goeie rapper, maar wel een waanzinnige prediker. De nummers met hypeman Flavor Flav als lead, '911 Is A Joke' en 'Can't Do Nuttin' For Ya, Man!', zijn dan ook persoonlijke favorietjes, vooral ook omdat het even de serieuze sleur doorbreekt. Zoals je merkt neem ik old school Hip Hop albums heel serieus, vooral als het om dit soort kolossale zuilen in het genre - en de cultuur in het algemeen - gaat. Het blijft een indrukwekkend idee dat Hip Hop binnen een aantal jaar een ontwikkeling heeft doorgemaakt van de freestyler op straat met 'two turntables and a microphone', tot albums die normen en waarden op nationale schaal op de korrel nemen en zelfs van hun voetstuk doen laten vallen. Waar veel rap albums vaak lokaal representatief zijn, weet deze die ban te doorbreken door 'lotgenoten' te verbinden in steden door het hele land. Zo nu en dan gaan ze wat over de schreef, en slaan ze de plank mis, maar om een beweging in gang te zetten is er soms brute kracht nodig. 7,5 Highlights: 911 Is A Joke Burn Hollywood Burn Fight The Power
Nog doorsurfend op de hiphop-high van de late-eighties is dit een klassieker. Met een politieke boodschap typerend voor het tijdsgewricht die helaas ook tijdloos is gebleken en nog steeds aan de orde van de dag. Het wordt op een humorvolle, creatieve en steeds diverse manier gebracht met rap, gesprekken, fragmenten en samples. Echt sterk en geeft goeie vibes. Zo sterk als de boodschap is, zo irriteer ik me wel een beetje aan de productie. Die is niet zo sterk. En het mag wat korter, hoor. Meer dan een uur, lange zit. Wel een lange zit waar je energie telkens weer wordt aangeslingerd. Maar dan hebben ze ook wel een professional hypeman in hun midden. "Yeah boy, Flavor Flav!" Highlights: Pollywanacraka Burn Hollywood Burn Fight the Power
not my favorite of hip hop albums.
I love and respect the message of this album so much, but this is just not something that I can regularly listen to
albums been really good recently, banger of an album
Bin kein Hip-Hop Fan, aber das kann man hören. Da ist viel los. Den textlichen Inhalt kann ich nicht würdigen als nicht Muttersprachler
Not my cup of tea
Not sure I’m the target audience
Public Enemy is so cool. I feel like I’m showing up to a revolution and a neighborhood block party at the same time. The music just feels SO New York! You get that sense of cacophony, things popping in and out, disruptive and freeform and so much noise and static… on one interlude it literally sounds like they’re tuning to different stations of pirate radio. It’s political but somehow very zany, wacky, a little larger-than-life satirical in the way the voices are done and the message is made. Somehow never preachy, though they do a lot of preaching! I was getting Booty Collins vibes with some of the rap delivery hahaha, is that weird? It’s got that same kind of wacky energy. Political, fun, complex, 2-bit characters but somehow very real. The world is a complex place, but it’s also kind of like GTA. I don’t know where I’m going with this. A surprise 5!
We wanna thank you all for makin' our lives just a little brighter here on We Love Radio!
I’m here for this shit! Energy, Political stance! Flavor Flav!, Chuck D. Yeaaaah Boooooy!
Laid the groundwork for basically all future conscious hiphop from Rage to Kendrick. There's always a raw and in-your-face sound, as there should be when Chuck D is rapping about the problems that still haven't been solved to this day. Also obligatory YEAH BOYYYYYYY!
It's interesting and there's a lot going on. But it's not one of my preferred genres so I don't see myself coming back to it.
Not my cup of tea
Fun, 3.5 stars
If you like repetitive obnoxious sounds, this is for you.
I tried but it is just not my thing...
Great flash back to the 80/90s. Flavor Flav and Chuck D seemed to be opposites, but this dichotomy ended up complimenting each other vocally and with their on stage personas. Enjoyed a couple songs, but overall it's a pass for me.
Mejor y más complejo de lo que recordaba. Hay que escucharlo con atención. 5/5.
I struggled to get into this one at first. I credit this to the style of music since I don’t tend to lean into hiphop much unless it’s a bit more modern. However, I slowly started to enjoy it; particularly the sampling and the overall message. 3/5
Less of tuneful piece of work, more a political essay set to an assortment of looped samples. Gets a bit tiresome to listen to. Not my favourite hip hop
Loved the instrumental opening with the samples! Was thinking this hadn't given us enough hip hop or rap!
The first half of this was alright, but by the time I got to the second half I was ready for it to finish. A bit too attention grabbing/distracting for me! Ended up skipping the last few songs as they were putting me in a bad mood
Not sure why I slept on this album when I was younger and going through the annals of music history and hip-hop history. For whatever reason I never made it past “It takes a nation of millions…” Clearly that was a mistake as this album is every bit as worthy. The production is so dense, claustrophobic, and hammering, Chuck D raps with force and a sense of purpose, even Flavor Flav gets his chance to shine on “911 is a Joke.” This definitely runs a bit long like a lot of hip-hop albums from this era, but it still stays fresh.
Gefällt mir nicht
Hood 90s rap but not albumlistening
Better
This album taps into a time, a place and an angry determinism, and still feels as raw and relevant as ever. This is Black Lives Matter before many were aware of just how bad the situation was. To top it off, the music is phenomenal and the best output that I've heard by Public Enemy. The social message deserves strong beats to back them up and they definitely delivered here.
solid album of politically charged hip hop with tons of samples and loops. some may say that they are a one trick pony, but they do it well… maybe the best of the genre in my opinion. highlights: “911 is a joke”, “burn hollywood burn”, “fight the power”
I like Chuck D, don’t really care for Flava Flav or the notes/vocals that repeat to the point of insanity.
Strong album. The production on it is is fantastic: Sounds incredibly fucking angry in all the right ways, and doesn't give a fuck about whether you have a problem with it. Wears its politics on its sleeve, plus it's just a fun listen in general. Recommended-
Je zet het op, gaat door met werken, en merkt nauwelijks op dat er muziek speelt. Of nou ja muziek, het gebruikelijke non-stop gebabbel met een beatje eronder.
Ik zette dit eerder tegenover de funky rappers uit dezelfde tijd. Maar hoe eerlijk is dat eigenlijk? Als het album voortkomt uit een continue gevoel over onrecht, dan is Public Enemy eigenlijk nog ingetogen. Je zou het toch uitschreeuwen, vloeken en tieren. Public Enemy laat de emotie overkomen, maar schieten zowel in de tekst als in de muziek niet door. Ze weten hun gevoel van onrecht te verwoorden . Ook fijn; ze verzanden daarbij niet in stoer-doenerij. Muzikaal weten ze het te begeleiden met geluiden waar je maar moet opkomen om ze muzikaal te gebruiken. Er wordt veel gerepeteerd, maar met allerlei ingrepen zorgen ze dat het niet saai wordt. Belangrijk daarbij is ook de afwisseling en het samenvallen van Chuck D en Flavour Flav. Wat ook functioneel wordt ingezet om je daar waar zij dat belangrijk vinden de tekst te accentueren. Zelf als ze hun stem vervormen tot smurfen-geluid is dat functioneel en muzikaal niet eens vervelend. Public Enemy biedt daarmee niet alleen een basis voor veel rappers, maar ook voor veel elektronische muziek. Een makkelijke 5 sterren. 'Yeah, Boyyyy'.
Ik zat in tram 5 ... Deze heren zijn overduidelijk boos, maar reageren dat gelukkig niet af op ho's n bitches of verheerlijken geweld op een andere manier. Ze zetten politieke teksten op een agressieve beat, zoals rage against the machine dat deed op schurende gitaren. Hardcore hip-hop is een van de stijlen die wiki er bij zet, en ik zie wel de overeenkomsten met de hardere gitaarmuziek. De rauwe beats stuwen de raps en het geheel wordt wat versierd met samples en draaitafelvingervlugheid. Ik kan dit beter hebben dan de kinderachtige gangstarap van de 00s. Maar ik heb er niet elke dag zin in en vandaag had ik geen zin in hiphop, dus kan ik niet hoger dan een 3 komen.
banger after banger with great production through out. Also I find that the interludes add a lot compared to other albums.
Not my thing
Was good at the start, but sounds a little too old, and was a little too long.
I don’t really listen to lyrics when I’m listening to music so there could be a decent message in this album, but the rappers had no flow, there were no catchy choruses or hooks, the beats were exhausting with annoying sounds and never changing. Old rap doesn’t age too well. Not for me. I’m glad I heard the reno911 theme song in full.
I wasn’t allowed to listen to Public Enemy when this came out. They were banned in my house. Which is a shame, because this is a great album. Rap is not one of my favorite genres but I really liked this album. Welcome to the Terrordome and Burn Hollywood Burn are favorites.
KITTY FELL ASLEEP ON MY LAP AAAH anyway (im melting) 1- GOOD START makes me wanna listrn to MF DOOM 2- banger going to liked 3- I LOVE THIS 4- feels like theres a backstory that i dont understand 5- IMMEDIATE LIKE 6- want this to be longer 7- i think lea likes this song she keeps wlaking to the laptop == -lea 8- GOING TO THE LIEKDD 9- chorus is so satisfying, another like 10- ngl lea was climbing my shoulder so i couldnt focus 11- i thinl she climbed to listen through the headphones w me, anyway i wanna bop my head to this so bad, another like 12- this is doing something to my brain and i love wtv it is 13- lyrics valid asf 14- "ur mother got gold nipples" went hard ngl 15- idk why this is calming 16- something id listen to if i ever cooked meth probably (i think i just wanna watch breaking bad) 17- WHAT HAPPENED AT ONE MINUTE I LOVE IT, besides that not my fav 18- LIKEEEDD 19- HELLO. THE BEAT IS SO. i understand why there was a seperate track for it 20- i think lea likes this one
I LOVEEEE HOW THIS SOUNDS and how real it is I just love it
Not really my thing.
Way too long. It isn't awful but it isn't really good. I can see it's cultural significance and can see why someone would give this 5, but for me it just isn't much.
Good energy, solid production, and some classic Chuck D raps. But there are really only 3-4 good songs on the record
This is good stuff. I like Chuck D's rhymes, and the samples are brilliantly put together. Welcome to the Terrordome and Who Stole the Soul were the standouts for me, but the whole thing was pretty enjoyable.
Great rap album, not their best, but is better than most hip-hop albums released at this point
I wasn’t sure what to expect as I had not listened to this when it came out. It was blasted upon release. I don’t find near as offensive as portrayed back in the day. They had some good self reflection points related to the black community and were not afraid to call out some within their community, especially around fatherhood.
They were right in the first song about there being controversy in the rap world around lyrics. Some of their lyrics arguably has to lead to where the rap world is today regarding cussing and using slurs. Also 911 is a joke has aged poorly.
Well I liked that a lot more than a lot of other hip hop/rap groups that I've listened to in my time. The lyrics actually meant something which was really nice and every other song wasn't about sex, drugs, and depravity, which was a refreshing change. Public Enemy was rapping about issues bigger than themselves not just how great they were which I really liked. This was really solid. I also really liked what the Bomb Squad did on this musically it was really solid and full of energy which was great.
overall I don't mind all the samples & mixing, just feel like it's a huge mash up of samples with not much cohesion.
- Never listened to a Public Enemy album in full before but not sure why because I always thought I'd like them - Lived up to expectations, can 100% see why people love this so much - Fav songs: Fight the Power, 911 is a Joke, Welcome to the Terrordome
Great album
Great boom bap. Felt dated initially but there were a couple runs of rhymes that turned me around on that opinion
Not my taste/type of music. I try to be broad minded but this sounded like discordant sounds to me.
No me gustó, es el segundo álbum de Public Enemy que me toca y me pareció peor. Peores bases, menos dinámica, recursos desagradables y sin flow.
Hip Hop is my lowest rated genre, barely beating Electronica…. It is just not my thing. I’ve had on other Public Enemy album, it rated 1/5 for me. I don’t like the lack of any sort of melody, nothing approaching a “hook”. No discernible verse-chorus type structure. I just don’t like the scratches and squeals and samples and such. This seems to be a very well respected album, with Platinum sales, and 4x songs that were atop 11 on the Rap charts. It ranked #300 on Rolling Stone’s greatest albums list. It was certainly successful. It’s well put together. I can see where the messages resonate with a lot of people. It’s just not a style of music that I like. Similar to I don’t like Opera. All that said, I like this one a little better than the previous one (It takes a nation…). I but I didn’t make it all the way through the 63 minutes, so I guess it’s still a 1/5
Public Enemy’s “Fear of a Black Planet” is a strong hip hop album which delves into social issues and empowerment of the Black community in the United States. By melding samples of a broad selection of genres and using many sounds, the musics created a novel sound and holds an important place in the evolution of music. “Fight the Power” is probably the most significant track from this album. Of note, commendations to Chuck D who continuously uses his platform to advocate change. This is directly opposed to Flavor Flav who uses his platform to “Yeah, boyeeeeee!”
Classic.
Good album overall
Classic
This was a great listen. There were a couple of great tracks on there that are classics, and a few that I never heard before but clicked with me. This isn't a genre I listen to all that much but I'll definitely check out some more of it after listening to this album!
This is probably very good, but I just can't sit through it. Sorry
Duplicate
Revolutionary!
Relentless and powerful to the point of exhaustion.
I’ve heard a couple of these songs but never the entire album. I really enjoyed it. And maybe “enjoy” seems an odd choice of words but i found myself agreeing with the lyrics, liking the messages and getting angry. For all the right reasons. I love how there are samples and when the actual lyrics started it sounded like another sample at times. Really well done. I won’t be listening to it on repeat, but i will listen to this again.
Classic hip-hop, they had a lot to say on this album and didn't sugarcoat it in the slightest. The shorter skit songs and the super energetic production all over it make it breeze by even though it's 20 songs and over an hour, no small feat. A lot of beats from this era haven't aged too well, but this one still holds up.
Explosive. Loud. Awesome
Foundational is the word for this album. Chuck D’s stentorian voice offsets flavor flav’s whiny one and the two balance out through terminator x’s command of the samples. Not as good an album as Yo Bum Rush the show, but the layers both sonic and lyrical meaning make it a must listen!
In my head this is what I sound like when I press the DJ button on my yahama keyboard and shout "fuck him and John Wayne"
Fear of a Black Planet, with its dated and heavily dance-oriented music, may not align as well with contemporary tastes. Despite educating a generation with powerful lyrics about Black history, the less-than-smooth listening experience raises questions about its current musical appeal. While the lyrics remain important and valid today, the challenge lies in the album's musical style, which might not captivate a modern audience as effectively as it did in the 90s. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 2 STAND OUT TRACK - Fight the Power
Just not long ago watched a doc about Public Enemy. Was great. This is a great album and i enjoyed the lyrics. Person I was with when listening also loved and endorsed it, maybe a little more than me So for him 4 stars
Annoying and tiresome music I roll my eyes any time I see a review praising the “message” of this album lmao
Good beats, too much noise/talking to start each song. I know the point of the album was to be a news broadcast, but it didn’t have flow between songs
Pretty fun and hype. Some of the backtracks were a little overbearing but otherwise it was both powerful and catchy with a strong message
Good intro to Rap/Hip-hop
A good old-school hip hop with something to say, in the vein of NWA. quite liked some songs on there.
Mainly ok.
Great album.
It's not my first option for music. I think is good but not excellent or perfect
not for me.
Provocative and dynamic. Good beats and powerful lyrics.
Por mais que pareça ser revolucionário, as músicas não parecem mudar mt umas das outras. talvez as letras sejam sensacionais, mas são tantos sons de fundo que acabo não prestando atenção e tudo se mescla num barulho só. Talvez com outro fone fique melhor
4/5 Hugely influential Hip Hop from the 90's, I can imagine the records scratching and how much fun was had recording this, in addition to the cultural impact this had (and which is still relevant)
Such an intense album. I really like the sound Chuck D brings but Flava Flav is trapped in my head as the reality show version of himself. Not really my style but I can see how others would celebrate it.
I’ve always felt like PE had a problem with quality control. There are amazing songs on this album, but there’s also a lot of filler. They could’ve knocked probably fifteen minutes off of this album and it would’ve been perfect. If not for the bloat this would be a 5 star for me.
worst album ive ever heard 0/10
3 and 1/2
Fight the power is essential The rest feels like reading the same chapter over and over
Solid, exactly the kind of tracks you want out of a 90's rap album, including a song raggin on the police. Got a little weaker later in the album, but still had the right tempo, beats, and attitude. This white boy says "Yes!" 4/5 or 84/100
Not my cup of tea, but I appreciate the aural collage--soundscape--this album is and am glad I listened to it. Will listen to this again and other PE albums, so I bumped it up a star for introducing me to one of the classics of hip hop.
Every year the message of PE becomes clearer to me. The US has such a long way to go...
Pretty neat, really different from anything I'd heard before, but still felt like the 90's. Some really cool and unique sounds
No fear ... this album is crap. Nothing worth listening to as it is an expression of personal beliefs. If 0 rating available that would still be too high
Lite väl stökigt.
Another gem discovered! Who would have thought the songs featuring Flava Flav would be my favourite either?! Absolutely love the history of the sampling before it was a thing, and the political yet timeless message of the lyrics. A win! Listen again: yes Purchase for my collection: yes Favourite Song: 911 is a joke
i do not like hip hop
i love the sampling here omg and the instrumentals parts are so amazing too wow. 8.3/10
Good but a bit mundane
No slowing down the whole album. An assault on your ears, in a good way. The sampling is a bit much but keeps the intensity going. Still saying the same things today.
Relentless in a good way
Totally not my style of music.
musically not my cup of coffee (at all), but i very much understand the cultural significance of this album!
okiii 6.5/10
heard better.
A tour de force. An argument against the white supremacy that hip hop faced and continue to face.
Solid. Effective.
2022: got It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, rly liked it 2023: got Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black, wasn't a fan 2024: I'm not sure what to expect, but I already know "Fight the Power" is fantastic I can recognize this is a major achievement in hip-hop, but that's not the same as loving it. The production from the Bomb Squad is *claustrophobic*, with shreds of James Brown, Vincent Price, heavy metal guitar and whatever that whirring sound is on "War at 33 1/3" all co-dominant, each commanding your attention. You'd think this being Public Enemy No. 3 would prepare me for this, but I think the 'sampledelia' is unprecedented even for their records. Unfortunately, I don't have much to say about the vibrant dynamic between Chuck D & Flavor Flav, nor on the potent topics being rapped about. Vital, revolutionary, just not my thing (until I give it a listen down the road and feel like a dummy for rating this 3 stars) HL: "Fight the Power", "Welcome to the Terrordome", "Burn Hollywood Burn", "Who Stole the Soul?"
Nice, if a little basic, beats and bars and hype to listen to. 90s rap remains cooler than the music you like.
Man this is the best 90s rap. Samples and everything
I ended up absolutely loving this album. Fantastic from start to finish. I figured I would enjoy it, but still a surprise.
No puedo parar de mover la cabeza!
Was expecting an album either of 15 fight the powers, or a bunch of filler and then fight the power. Instead it’s all bold, different, and angry. Great energies throughout and chuck d’s skills are on full display. Outros can get kinda annoying. Best tracks: fight the power, burn Hollywood burn, welcome to the terror dome
Not my style at all.
A very interesting take on the hip hop genre. In fear of a black planet, public enemy combine a lot of experimental techniques with classic hip hop flavours resulting in a refreshing and powerful album. Overall id give this album 4 / 5.
- Reggie Jax
A bit too much sampling for my tastes. It happens so often, the flow of the song gets constantly interrupted for some random news clip or random noises. Favourite songs: Fight the Power, Welcome to the Terrordome, Burn Hollywood Burn, Who Stole the Soul?, Brothers Gonna Work It Out Least favourite songs: Meet the G That Killed Me, Pollywanacraka 3/5
Noisy and messy. Not good
Good, not great
grew tired of it before the end
funky 90s hip hop fresh
I only listened to part of this album, but I would rather dive off the top of a building than listen again. The screaming and repetitive beats really annoyed me.
2/5 not my kind of rap
Eh I didn't really click with this one. Felt pretty abrasive and too samey.
Very cool, very powerful
I'm not entirely sure how this is considered revolutionary. Maybe there is something in the background but I found it mediocre and repetitive.
Tremendous album. It's smart, witty, fun and meaningful. It makes you want to get up and vibe while still teaching people like me the plight of the black American experience.
Fear of a boring fucking album
Classic public enemy, not the biggest fan but its true to what it is. A lottt of respect about the topics rapped about, really hard and direct, but wow. 3/5 - not a fan but respect
For langt
Muistaakseni oli ihan kuunneltava levy kokonaisuudessaan ja yksi ikoninen biisi.
Hyvää settiä tasaisella tahdilla
Iconic rap.
It's a great album and well worth it's place in history. One of the most disruptive albums to white america - for sure. However, it hasn't grabbed me on this listen. I appreciate it, love it for its impact, but jsut don't see myself returning to it. I'm an ex-hip hop head, and I guess this vote confirms the 'ex' part.
I would enjoy if a song came on in a playlist, but a whole album at once is getting quite tiring.
I’m not one for political statements to be made in music and this again is one where I’m just not that interested.
At the start of it I thought all of my preconceptions would be way off mark, it was musical and quite pleasant. But at the start of the 3rd track my fears were confirmed. Loud raucous and virtually unlistenable. The album then proceeded to flow between the two extremes. Yeah, know its supposed to be a social commentary but that doesn't really do it for me. I don't have a problem with rap per se if it's done well. And for the most part this was. But the aggressive bits were just too unmusical for me. A solid medium to high 2 for me.
I’ve really wanted to like a hip hop album that this list has thrown at us before, and until now have been left disappointed. But this was great. It has the same hard hitting social commentary, but I found it so powerfully delivered. Loved the energy and pace of the record, it was just relentless. What sets it above the others for me is the music! Dumb thing to say perhaps, but this album was full of great tunes, and creatively mixed up with samples and story lines. It kept me listening (and reading) which is surely the best way to engage the listener. It has to be entertaining otherwise I’d switch off and the message would be lost. Added this to my albums as I know I want another listen. There’s too much going on to take it all in. A very high 3 rating.
This was a big album in 1990. Although not my thing, I respected it from a musical and cultural distance. I remember the singles but never had the inclination to listen to any of their albums, but this is a nice hard hitting big beats angry sort of thing which brings on a bit of an emotional response in me. So all good but things are never that black and white are they? This leads directly to my only caveat, which is that I think over the course of the album, they successfully rammed their political and cultural points down my throat - where if this ramming was a literal physical thing, I would now be more like a ring doughnut shape than humanoid. It gets a mid 2, just because it is too much and not enough variation in subject matter.
I really don't like hip-hop but this isn't the worst of it by far. I couldn't get through the album though.
not really into this one 1.6
Sometimes I see people saying hiphop and punk are pretty similar to each other, and then some people get very mad (particularly punks). But albums like this show that its true.
Not quite my jam, but not a terrible listen. That old school jam sound is pretty good though. Don’t care much for the lyrics but they’re not delivered too aggressively so I can give it a pass.
Relentless sound bombardment. The Bitches Brew of rap. Difficult but bangin’
ещё одна база хип-хопа. сразу скажу, ебал рот однообразные длинные альбомы. если уж делаете альбом на 20+ треков, то нужно хоть какое то разнообразие, иначе это просто душно. с этим альбом такая же проблема. а тут ещё и 20 треков душнины про рассовое неравенство и что негроиды крутые ваще. доебал меня этот альбом невозможно. опять же, уважаю вклад в культуру и может глубоко ведающим за реп этот релиз не кажется однотипным, но мне было уныленько. хотя некоторые треки сочно прям звучат, но обилие среднячков как то смазало впечатление. короче уважаю, но душно оценка - 5,5/10
👊
I liked this a lot more than I anticipated. Fun, sonically interesting, and it makes you think.
Nope
Solid album with great head nodding beats and incisive lyrics. Could probably have been a bit shorter though
After 3 Public Enemy albums it’s still not clicking like I hoped it would, so I don’t think I can give the benefit of the doubt on this occasion. Yes I respect that there’s some purpose to the lyrics, yes I appreciate there must be some craft to stitching all those samples together, and yes there are a handful of tracks that actually do have a bit of groove to them (including a couple of Flavor Flav-heavy tracks, for all the disparagement he gets). But overall I just don’t find the production style that enjoyable, especially in large doses, and I have tried. It’s just monotonous to listen to. 2.5 stars
An absolute masterpiece.
Fight the Power!
This album differed from the previous albums in the sense that it required more attentive listening, since there is a lot of emphasis on the lyricism. I listened more passively, so I can't say I appreciated it fully. Maybe later I'll revisit certain tracks individually. I enjoyed the instrumental tracks though.
Don’t think I’d ever listen to the whole thing, feel like this could be a fire movie soundtrack or sum but I could not listen to the whole album in a sitting it was too much
Didnt get to hear much of it because finals distracted me but it was ok
3/10 - I can see the appeal but not my vibe. Was not expecting the thriller laugh.
Pretty epic 7/10
Pretty fun to listen to but it does kinda trail off. Probably could've been a little shorter. 7/10
Incredibly well architected. Chuck D’s voice and Flav’s flav are top notch. Powerful commentary on the black experience in America. This is the real stuff. A touch repetitive sounding otherwise almost perfect. 4.5/5
Amazing
not really my jam
I respect the intention and meaning of this album, and I can appreciate its place in musical history. But I don't enjoy listening to it. Not a rap fan, just a personal preference. And also, this music isn't for me, literally it is not meant for me - a white middle class woman - as a consumer, but the themes of disenfranchisement and systematic oppression resonate. And they should resonate with everyone. I raise my fist in solidarity and salute as an ally for all racially oppressed and marginalized people of society and I offer my support for continual progress breaking down the insidious racial barriers that threaten prosperous and harmonious unity for us all. #blacklivesmatter
This blew me away back in the day, and wow does it stand up, both musically and lyrically. Powerful shit.
Finally some good fucking food. I loved this album so much
Yeah!
Love the way this album kicks from the first beat, the first note.
Takes a very serious topic that still exists today and makes an incredible, catchy album out of it.
Not my style but a cool album with cool meaning and purpose. 4/10
not the vibe for me yesterday but i’ll listen today
Awesome
Just absolutely grabs you by the balls and never lets go. So much rage and, depressingly, it feels just as relevant now as it did 30 years ago.
I have listened to a fair bit of hip-hop but this older style with that looping beat is just on my type.
Top notch production for early 90s rap, still gets the head nods
Man....what a throwback.
Really solid classic hip-hop.
Didn’t gel with this as much as I’d hoped. It’s pretty bloated, but has some great stand outs. Brothers Gonna Work It Out & Burn Hollywood Burn notably. Will probably revisit this in the future, and check out Hold Us Back.
I _really_ wanted to love this album, I appreciate its significance and the politically charged messages and commentary are certainly on point and relevant, sadly even today. The skills of Chuck D are obvious, and Flava Flav's work is admirable in parts too. There are a few occurrences where I find things really jarring, some of the intros perhaps... but maybe that's the point. Enjoyed it - yes. Respect it - yes. Would I listen to it again - probably not.
It's a lot more sound effects and edited together noises, which I actually kinda like. It's pretty catchy and good. Yesterday I had Ready To Die - The Notorious B.I.G. and it was a little less fun feeling, a little more raunchy and real. At the surface this appeals to me a little more. Like maybe Ready to Die was 2.5 and this is a 3.5. I think they're both 3s though. It sounds like 90s commercial music or 90s music on Nickelodeon - I can picture the clothes that people would wear in a music video of these songs.
A classic. I enjoyed it.
Important album, seems heavily inspired or correlated to the work of the beastie boys.
Well done. Excellent social commentary. Chuck D and Flava Flave
Not my jam.
Not much my style
I like that the album didn’t glorify or romanticize collectivism. I did think it over referenced miscegenation a bit, and sometimes the album felt like it dragged on and many of the songs sounded the same, but I like that it took risks and crossed genres in many places.
Enjoyed it. Thank god it isn't full of shitty skits but still could lose to cut a few tracks. Themes are relevant today.
Я начитался всяких историй про то, какие они вообще молодцы с политической точки зрения. "Молодцы". Но мне чёт не нравится как это звучит. Я пытался сравнивать с чем-то ещё, что мы слушали. Ну, как-то я не прошарил. Концептуально заходит, со всеми вот этими вставками из новостей, радиопередач, голосами дикторов и тд. Под настроение - не совсем.
звуковая стена из семплов на час убивает
This is what I've been wanting from all the hip hop so far, finally one that delivers #299 albums in.
Even though Flava Flav isn't really a rapper and Chuck D is really the driving force of public enemy it's so great that Chuck was able to convince the label to keep Flava Flav on, he just brings a ton of personality. Real friend. It's almost a shame that mainstream news fearmongering of an artist isn't so common anymore because it makes for some incredible samples here
important powerful hip hop
Started fast paced. Felt boring throughout the end.
:D
0 appreciation for this, not sure how this was groundbreaking. Blissful ignorance.
Seufz - leider nicht meins und irgendwie heute doch antiquiert
OG.
Not really my thing. If you like really old school hip hop then I get it, but nah.
If you don't rate this as 5 stars, you were there on Jan 6.
Why would I fear this? A black planet would fucking rule.
loved the storytelling! felt culturally iconic and gave a good boost to my mood for Friday workday listening! Fight the power, iconic as always
now this is some NICE hip hop!!! i listened this on my way to Colruyt and I felt ALIVE
penis
Brilliant. Every song hits.
Musically and in some cases lyrically revolutionary however there are some embarrassing missteps with anti semitism and homophobia.
Pretty alright really, Run DMC vibe
Very great
I enjoyed this. Big beats and rhymey rhymes
Very 90s but not really my style
- Pretty catchy, powerful lyrics - Not my favorite style of music but I still enjoyed - Favorite tracks: Who Stole the Soul, Anti-N***er Machine, Burn Hollywood Burn
Liked tracks: Brothers Gonna Work It Out Power To The People Fear Of A Black Planet Fight The Power
Amazing use of samples, great production
Solid 90s hip hop
Proper old school rap
Much like the other album I had by these guys, I like it. There's good rhymes and beats and I really like the sampling. It's quite a noisy record, with lots and lots going on (which I like) but it's also 20 tracks so it's quite a lot in one sitting. 3.5 rounded down.
I've never enjoyed PE all that much, but as a pale white brit I'm not exactly their target audience. Gotta appreciate those catchy hooks, tho.
Niet mijn ding, niet alle nummers afgeluisterd want kom er anders niet doorheen haha Geen nummers opgeslagen, dus dit wordt m'n eerste 1 ster Would not buy
Leuke oude hiphop met coole nummers. Deed me meteen denken aan oudere films zoals Do the Right Thing van Spike Lee (waar het nummer Fight the Power blijkbaar in voor komt lees ik nu) Denk dat Public Enemy hun muziek erg belangrijk is geweest voor black communities en een wel een plek heeft in de canon van Amerikaanse hiphop/rap! Verder qua de nummers is Fight the Power is natuurlijk een classic. En andere ook wel grappig en experimenteel (vond lang niet alles leuk hoor maar prima achtergrond muziek) zou m 3,5 geven als ik kon!
Zo’n belangrijke message die ze in my opinion echt heel sterk overbrengen. Ook nog steeds heel relevant. En de main rapper (denk ik) heeft echt goede stem.
Something about this makes it particularly unlistenable for me
Never heard of this kind of music, very good! The album made me feel very happy
Groovy hiphop, mais qui va part un peu trop dans tout les sens
Goed te hebben nog steeds! En dat voor Hip-hop, dat wil toch wel wat zeggen voor mij.
Dit vond ik vroeger erg cool en is nu nog steeds relevant.
Paar wel aardige nummers, maar in het geheel genomen eigenlijk best suf en zelf tegen het vervelende aan.
Contract On The World Love Jam - 7/10 Brothers Gonna Work It Out - 7/10 911 Is A Joke - 8/10 Incident at 66.1 FM - 8/10 Welcome to Terrordrome - 8/10 Meet The G That Killed Me - 8/10 Pollywancracka - 7/10 Anti-Nigger Machine - 7/10 Burn Hollywood Burn - 8/10 Power To The People - 7/10 Who Stole The Soul? - 7/10 Fear of a Black Planet - 9/10 Revolutionary Generation - 7/10 Can't Do Nutting For Ya - 7/10 Reggie Jax - 7/10 Leave This Off Your Fucking Charts - 7/10 B Side Wins Again - 7/10 War At 33 1/3 - 7/10 Final Count of the Collision Between Us and The Damned - 7/10 Fight the Power - 10/10 TOTAL - 150/200
Brilliant album full of crisp beats and urgent basslines
Pelko mustasta.. ymmärtämöttymyydestä.. en ymmärrä tätä albumia.. Lyriikoista siis viis veisaamatta.. Varovainen 2 star.. ei kummoiselta kuullostaa
Brilliant but slightly too long.
It's a huge step down from it takes a nation.
couldn’t get through it. i tried.
Provocative lyrics, especially for the time, but not something I withdraw listen to again
Not in the mood today but definitely very good. Game changer in hip hop.
Didn't like it or hate it.
Awful. Couldn’t even get through it.
Leaning into the groove in the creation of a strong hip-hop community facing the backlash of white society for success. I think my favorite era. I don't know if it's age or perspective. But this is where I can fit my mind and perception into it. Historiography? Young enough for it to sound vintage? Beats are classic and the lyrics hold some important messages of a people grappling with life-threatening injustice while making their way and money. Great interludes that make you think and reset the songs. You can hear the influence of the last age of vinyl on hip-hop. At least a minute is added to the songs for the samples to play out, the club era, has to exist for the groove.
It's okay I guess
ganz nice aber würds glaubi nimmer hören
Estuvo ok.
Social commentary to a beat. Lots of rage in this album.
Liked it more than I thought!
Another ripper Public Enemy album, this time with some fun features like Ice Cube. Catchy but I don’t think I liked it as much as It Takes A Nation Of Millions.
Fun hip hop album, got a little old by the end. They're no A tribe called quest
important in its message, and mostly boring in its execution
Flava faaaaaaaaav
Public Enemy is awesome and this is a great album. Very abrasive and in your face style with loud sound collage style beats. The stuff Chuck D is rapping about is still relevant today...and his style is more yelling than rapping. There's a certain rock quality to their sound while still very much being a hip hop group.
Historic album. Not on YouTube music. Not much of a hip hop fan but this was fun to listen to
Pretty good for hip-hop
listened to like half of it, not bad not great imo, can definitely see its influence on modern stuff though
Some of the production is a little grating, but maybe that is intentional with the content. Interesting listening to this 33 years after it came out and songs like 911 is a joke could be written today. Overall I like the lyrics and flow, especially of Chuck D, but not a fan of the production.
Probably the first rap/hip hop album to be taken seriously, it is a rich, diverse, and ultimately unnerving listening experience. As the then current order is questioned and criticized - rightfully so …
This album is incredible. Songs like Burn Hollywood burn and fight the power do a very good job at expressing a sense of rebellion. Heavy lyricism with complex emotions and deep cultural themes really shine throughout this project. Def jam is legendary in terms of talent that has touched that studio.
Powerful, important album. Speaks to power and calls to fight against black oppression in an in-your-face but inspiring way; it’s now obvious why Public Enemy were so influential to many of today’s artists. Musically, lyrically, creatively, and philosophically, this album is a 10/10.
Only getting a 2 off of this one. Didn't know it back in the day. The first song had my expectations high but the rest just didn't resonate. I appreciate that it moved the genre forward with its dubs and media cuts.
i was not prepared for the relevance and absolute mastery
The year is 2002. A little game called Jet set Radio Future has released. A young boy named Taylor falls in love. The game had a built in radio and this album reminds me of it. Enjoyed the album! Very 90s
This isn't music.
The black CNN for sure – all that plus the bad beats and the handful of stone-cold classics. It still lands with impact and bites with sharp teeth. For all the expansiveness and open creativity and often baroque weirdness of today's hip-hop, one would've liked to experience a future where the genre had maintained (or at least tracked closer to) this level of seriousness of intent, the integrity of vision, and muscular musicality. The praise of black women is a good thing. The legit criticisms are that it's maybe too long and there's a sameyness to the beats (which are admittedly high-quality and original and foundational to hip-hip history of course).
Een plaat die bol staat van lyrics die gaan over de zwarte zaak, de toekomst van de zwarte man, gedrenkt in de zwarte Amerikaanse geschiedenis en cultuur. Hoeft dit door mij gereviewd te worden? Voor de sport dan, we zitten nu toch op deze site. Thematisch zit hier voor iedereen een les in, en het wordt vaak grappig gebracht, iets minder agressief als op de voorganger It Takes a Nation... Ik ben wel fan van de grooves waarover gerapt wordt, vooral de harde funk kant doet em het voor mij. James Brown heeft het gelukkig mogen meemaken. Die epische drumtrack op Anti-Nigger Machine kan gemakkelijk 10 minuten blijven gaan. En de raps zelf glijden er weer over als een bobslee. Ice Cube's bijdrage doet mee Burn Hollywood Burn vliegen. Cool dat hij achteraf met zijn eigen films de middenvinger naar Hollywood hoog heeft gehouden. Gezien er net iets minder nummers achteraf blijven plakken, een 3,4 afgerond naar een 3.
Weeral? Nee, teveel. Luisteren mensen daar eigenlijk nog veel naar? Volledige albums dan vooral.
Ja... Het is gewoon niet mijn stijl hiphop. Kan de 'flow' van de 2 rappers niet echt smaken en de beats zijn ook niet helemaal mijn ding.
3.5
I think, by now, we've all worked out I don't like this genre of music.
Ok
Quite an interesting album, and possibly something I could enjoy more if I learned the history around it/the meaning behind the lyrics, etc., but it only grabbed me occasionally
Goddamn, powerful, straight-to-you-face album. Fantastic beats, fantastic lyrics. Love it!
Not my thing
Not really a rap guy, but Public Enemy is good. Would listen again
Good message.
Solid album, often regarded as the best hip-hop album of all time. I'm not so sure this will be the case since some of the music sounds a little dated, though the social and political side of it definitely stays relevant. Sick production too.
Darkly funny.
Not bad this one. A few great tracks here.