Album Of The Day

Chuck D. has got a cool voice and everything sounds interesting. Rap isn't really my thing, though.

One trick ponies (again) with diminished returns

I’m quite pleased this one has come up. It’s an album I’ve always intended to listen to but never got round to. I know a couple of the songs but am looking forward to hearing the entire album. Overall I quite enjoyed it, but it did begin to blend together a bit. Ideally I’d like to give it some more listens, and probably will do later when I have some more time. As mentioned at the start, glad this one came up.

Yet again nothing something I'd have listened to but enjoyed.

Man, I love Public Enemy. They’re old school enough to provide those childhood nostalgia feels, but they were ahead of their time in delivering social commentary that wasn’t just, My name is Chuck D and I’m here to say. At the same time, they weren’t just about rapping about society’s ills, they also provided satire and cool music that you could groove to. Plus, Flavor Flav is that spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down. This was PE’s third album, coming after the album that introduced me to them, It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back. That was a great album and it put PE on the map. Fear of a Black Planet only increased their footstep, providing MTV with several videos, including the hilarious 911 Is a Joke, in which Flavor Flav takes lead vocals. Fear of a Black Planet is looked upon as one of the most important hip-hop albums of all time with respect to introducing political subject matter as a topic to rap about over great beats. I know it introduced this rural, country boy to social ills going on in America. It’s hard to get your arms around a problem if you have no personal stake or know someone who has gone through it. PE helped me, if nothing else, to begin to look into and educate myself on such things I had no reference for. The old, walking a mile in someone else's shoes deal. I just wonder if there is even a current hip-hop collective or artist that is carrying the torch for PE, though they just put out a new album. I saw them perform live on a talk show, and they still have the fire, or at least Chuck D does. Flav, I think, may be fully invested in the parody now. Every generation needs a “dangerous” group making music. I say “dangerous” with quotation marks many times when a group is labeled “dangerous,” it’s just because old people don’t understand. Looking back over some of the “dangerous” acts parents thought would corrupt their little children, Elvis Presley, Ozzy Osborne, Alice Cooper. I mean, we do tend to get worked up about nonsense when there are much, much bigger fish to fry, don’t we? If you’ve never been introduced to PE, this is a great album to start with, though It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back is my personal favorite. Beyond just being great, smart music, it’s important music. There isn’t so much of that around these days, it seems. This is a definite must-hear before you die.

90s hip hop. Classic old school hip hop, strong beats and delivery. Cool samples. Sound collages from golden age of hip hop.

Brilliant album. PE was one of my absolute favorite artists in high school and college, and the music remains as powerful today as ever. Would give 4.5 stars if I could.

Unbelievable album!

Im good wlh

Nah. Boring

Incredible. One of the best hiphop albums ever recorded. The beats, lyrics, the production is immaculate. This feels like an album ahead of its time, but also a perfect representation of the time and place where it came from. Fear Of A Black Planet deserves a spot at the top of this list.

Obviously a hugely important moment in hip hop history, but not my jam. Listened while driving home from work

Man this album just rules

Kul

Such a great album. Never boring. Fun yet political. An absolute delight from beginning to end.

it was good but not really my thing

Cool hiphop, not my style though

My main takeaway from this album is that Flava Flav deserves some respect. In recent years, he's become a bit of a cartoon character with his reality show stints and general goofiness. However, as a hype man, he's so essential to what makes Public Enemy. Chuck D is the fiery and combative MC that is core to their rebellious tone. Flava Flav's part in this is to bring some levity to the scenario. It makes their strong messaging palatable for an admonishing crowd still nervous about hip-hop. He may not do much rapping, but he flows in and out of each song with commentary and catchphrases. He contributes like it's his own instrument. Listeners will enjoy the comedic aspects but will come out the other end learning something new about the black experience. He's the cold glass of water when you put too much salsa on your chip.

There's a strong message of anger at the system, but the music itself lacks some of the power of other hip hop with a similar message I've listened to so far. It's good, but for me, not great.

Overstayed its welcome a little. But pretty solid otherwise.

281125 15:57 4 / highlights: welcome to the terrordome, burn hollywood burn, fight the power

Too angry, too much

Banger. Can instantly tell how influential this is, and really enjoyed the old school hip hop from front to back. Easy 5/5.

This album is badass

Se me ha hecho largo. De hecho no pude terminar el disco. Me recuerda al rap de Will Smith, pero supongo que tiene más que ver la década. Bastante harta de tanto hombre e inglés.

Not my typical genre but this was a solid listen! I think some tracks could have been cut in the interest of run time.

I love the energy of it, though the genre isn't quite my favorite.

I enjoyed listening to this classic

I can appreciate the energy and emotion and anger of Fear of a Black Planet, but I’m still a little too white to fully love and understand this album like many others do

Classic

Not my usual (def) Jam as hip hop has never really been a thing for me. I knew some of the tracks and found that on the whole I quite enjoyed it. I think I would give it another listen in the future.

I liked the beats and the feel of this album more than most similar albums from the time.

They always slap

Super compelling and cacaphonous album that has a great meaning. Some moments feel a bit stale in the middle but impressive nonetheless. 4/5

Totally surprised to see this pop up, I already had one Public Enemy record and surely there aren't two that everyone needs to hear... I'm halfway through and have heard no 'yeaaaahhhh boiiiiiiii's yet. Why am I even listening to this? Spoiler - there were none on the whole album. Hip hop is totally not my thing. This was a struggle though I'd take this over probably all the newer hip hop on this list. I can at least appreciate why this is relevant and included on the list. I still don't like it though. 1.5/5 and I guess I'll round up because it isn't the worst thing I've heard.

Excellent

Great!

A good time the entire way through. I didn’t think I’d like this album but it was so good. I imagine I could listen to it over and over again. Great summer vibe.

Racist vulgar violent misogynistic songs. WTF?

such an epic and dynamic album it does get to be a little long by the end, but listening to it consecutively is the best way to go I think

Way to long of an album to just be saying the same thing over and over again over minimalist beats. Public Enemy is a group that had a few good songs you can throw into a rap playlist, but a 20 song album is too much. There are way better rap albums that came out around this time that probably won't be on this list.

This was great. Like a lot of rap albums around this time, it’s a scathing attack on racism and the white man. It’s great and full of valid criticism of the way black people were (and sadly still are 35 years later) treated. I’m not a huge rap guy but I really liked this.

Dang this was good

Album No. 0067 on my list. I’ve been aware of the existence of Public Enemy before, and that was about it. So listening to this was a fresh start into 90s hip hop. And I liked the album. Very powerful, tough, socially conscious lyrics, intense beats, lots of sampling. My favorites were the intro (“Contract On The World Love Jam”), “Brothers Gonna Work It Out”, “Burn Hollywood Burn”, and “Fight The Power”, obviously. Interesting listen, very powerful. 4/5 stars.

The vibes of 90s rap are so nice. The beats are pretty simple, and most of the album feels like some dudes just messing around. A lot of the tracks take aim at institutionalized racism, in hollywood, in the music industry, in day to day life. The title of the album means the status quo fears black people in power, black people having success. It's okay having them be participants in society, but not leaders. Pretty clever with the space theming on the cover. Some of the tracks are just beats. Just vibes on those tracks, not as much substance. The album is a bit too long. The title track isn't what the album is known for - it's the final song "Fight the Power," you know it.

Classic

Nou daar gaan we dan. Zogenaamde hiphop-liefhebber gaat weer een klassieker afzeiken. Holy fucking shit. De eerste track van 1:44, een instrumentaal knip en plak intro, is er nog niet heel veel aan de hand, maar als het album dan echt begint bij track 2 is het bal. Dit is weer herrie waar ik boos van word. Het is vast knap in elkaar gedraaid door The Bomb Squad, maar ik kan er niet naar luisteren. Ik snap ook niet dat iemand dat wél kan. Als die mensen een afkortzaag in een balk hardhout zetten, denken ze dan ook "oh ja, lekker geluid zeg!"? Zo ja: Gefeliciteerd met dit album. Omdat je zo stoer bent krijg je een aardige politieke boodschap cadeau. Als je daar niet van houdt, zoals ik, is er niet doorheen te komen. Na track 5 heb ik er nog een beetje voor Jan Lul doorheen geskipt want m'n cijfer lag al vrij snel vast. M'n oren hielden het iets langer vol dan m'n hoofd. Ik kan hier niks mee. Ik ga nog liever een uur in een indoor kinderspeeltuin a.k.a. krijspaleis zitten dan dat ik dit moet luisteren. 1 ster. Gekmakende kutherrie.

Great rap album by one of the greatest groups of all time. This one has some awesome 90s beats and the lyrics are in your face and well written.

Ughhhhhhhhhhh i hate Public Enemy. I like this album a lot more than It Takes A Nation To Hold Us Back but it’s just so lack luster. There is nothing that makes me want to listen to it and ITS OVER AN HOUR. I swear every song is the exact same thing but I’m so happy it isn’t as annoying with Flavor Flav and the beats. Overall mid 4.8/10 Fav Song: None 2.4/5

Tja, helt grei. Litt sånn sinna rap

I already know this one and it's a classic. Good, old school conscious hip-hop.

86/100. Fear of a Black Planet by Public Enemy is a powerful political rap album that tackles injustice and double standards in society. It addresses systemic racism, media bias, cultural appropriation, and the oppression of Black communities, delivering a bold and urgent message. The production is layered and dynamic, matching the intensity of the lyrics

Not quite my style but definitely a good, listenable album

Definitely an important album, but not the most listenable. Still crazy to think that Chuck D paired with Flava Flav makes one of the most important b ratio duls of all time.

Didn't really do anything for me. 2/5

With razor-sharp sociopolitical commentary, meticulous sampling and a strong urge to continue the momentum of their 1988 breakthrough 'It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back', Public Enemy pushed the envelope further with 1990's 'Fear of a Black Planet.' Much had happened since their last record: N.W.A. had blown up on the West Coast with Straight Outta Compton, hip hop was being leveled with media condemnation from all corners for inciting violence and unrest, and Professor Griff had been booted from Public Enemy for his anti-Semetic remarks in public. But they persevered to polish and tighten the efforts of their previous record to ensure 'Fear of a Black Planet' is just as biting, controversial and thought-provking. Chuck D and Flavor Flav continue to push the envelope of socially-conscious hip-hop through songs such as 'Brothers Gonna Work It Out', '911 is a Joke', 'Welcome to the Terrordome' and arguably their most iconic track, the self-explanatory 'Fight the Power'. They even welcome Ice Cube from N.W.A. to guest on 'Burn Hollywood Burn', showcasing some camararderie of East meets West, and given Publc Enemy and N.W.A. were the two hottest hip-hop groups of 1990, it was a cornerstone moment for the genre. Also of note is the impressive production by The Bomb Squad. The impressive and inventive use of sampling adds to the creativity of the lyrical content, setting a scene steeped in chaos, disorder and rebellion. You can hear these songs echoing from the harder, meaner streets of New York, giving Public Enemy the status of watchover men for the lower socioeconomic communities. 'Fear of a Black Planet' ensured that Public Enemy, unlike their New York contemporaries Run D.M.C., would not be lost in the more serious, antagonistic nature of hip-hop in the 1990s, and that the East Coast would still be a vibrant breeding ground for rappers in the years to come. Best songs: Brothers Gonna Work It Out, 911 is a Joke, Welcome to the Terrordome, Anti-N***** Machine, Burn Hollywood Burn, Fight the Power

Good stuff

This is GREAT. I've never listened to a Public Enemy album all the way through, but pretty much every track is a banger. By War At 33 1/3, I was a bit overstimulated, but that's on me because there's so much to take in with every track - music, lyrics, layers and layers of sound. Plus, the lyrics are still relevant today (unfortunately). I love hip hop/rap that leans on soul and doesn't have over the top violence or misogyny.

Too many scratches and samples for me. Some bangers in the mix though.

Exceeded my expectations, good stuff. A tad long, but solid stuff if you're in the mood.

Du wrap trop bof, pas mon genre

Banger ass album

oldschool

It was good, I can see how it was groundbreaking. Just not really my cup of tea.

Genius all around. The sampling, the beats, the lyrics, the delivery, it’s all amazing. I love the way the album uses samples of interviews and radio shows talking about Public Enemy, it creates a time capsule of how the general public and the media felt about them, but it doesn’t date the album as much as you’d think it would because it furthers the album’s themes of oppression and racism. The beats are all so satisfyingly layered, and the lyrics are direct and punchy, but they are packed with so many great rhymes. All the rapping is great, Flavor Flav has so much charm and charisma and Chuck D’s voice is so commanding and powerful. 5/5

This is not my kind of scene This is not my kind of dream Apparently a history making album so ,⭐

A few of PE best songs on an ok LP

Not there best but so, so good. Call me old but this is what rap should sound like.

This album is very (very!) insipid and uninteresting for me. I've said the same thing about the other hip-hop albums that I've had to listen to, but this opinion doesn't change as I go through more of them. Then, I guess it's that this genre doesn't interest me in the least, but, again, I will always be open-minded when listening to those albums. Yet it always comes to confirm me that this genre sounds very bland to me. This album is very long for songs that sound exactly the same. The sampling in this one is well done, sounds fluid and nicely combined with the other elements of the songs but... I just don't get the hype with this genre, it is interesting in theory but very boring for me when I start to listen to it.

3.5

*Fear of a Black Planet* Actually like this one a good bit more than I did *Nation of Millions*. I think one thing I really like is Chuck D's flow something I really kind of got into last time. I think one of the reasons has to do with this manner of delivery which seem a little bit less in your face or arrogant. He just straight up sounds like a man wanting to tell you his side and how important it is. I think another thing I like about this album is that it's more of a national political statement rather than just a neighborhood they're from. Sonically I really got into the collage of samples on this album. Not so much because I knew where they were from but it really gave a nice thick texture that kept the groove going which is what really sold me on this album. I'm not as big on Flavor Flav which has flash and arrogance that usually detracts me on most rap but I honestly did not dislike what he was doing on this album. Right now this is sitting at my second favorite rap album in this project 8.5 ★★★★

Some cool tracks, and overall quite enjoyable hiphop album. 3.5 stars

Though there's some great tracks on this, I think it's definitely more uneven than It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. "Fight the Power", "911 is a Joke", "Brothers Gonna Work it Out", and "Welcome to the Terrordome" are all pretty awesome, but there's a lot of tracks here that feel sort of half-baked. I do think the production is really ahead of it's time though -- there's samples here that are still getting used today. 3.5 stars.

3.5

Not as formidable a planet as it once was, a lot of its production aspects have aged really badly. There are some heavyweight blammers on here to match the ones on their previous album to this - namely the incendiary Fight The Power - but generally the samples are too much of a cheesy, frazzled, jarring, overloaded mess and the weak songs which are most of them tend to spooge into one samey discombobulated pile. Some of the time the samples play extra headachey havoc and it seems like a toddler has been let loose on a Fischer Price sampling pad and is trying to trigger any combination of the buttons at random. 2.5 yeah boiiiii’s out of 5.

Not a hip hop fan, but a good deal of this was worth listening to. Pleased it wasn't all about money and hoes and N words.

Coming during a time where the ability of rapping was improving and songs were reflecting the life of crime especially seen in groups such as NWA, this album sits an interesting space, very politically charged but reflecting the rap style of the 80s with it being very much on beat and the emphasis of the rhyme being the last word. The sampling is very fun and suits the songs. The main downside is as I already mentioned that it’s very stuck in its time, you can tell that this is an 80s group while if you look at someone like Rakim or ice cube their flows sound very fresh and don’t feel out of place in modern rap. Still fun to listen to and great to see where rap came from, but definitely not as timeless as other artists

Não sou fã do estilo mas o contexto histórico e social do album é bem legal então deu uma subidinha no conceito. As instrumentais me lembraram o apito da freakout kkkkkkkkkk e tem várias musicas bem parecidas entre si, o que deixou um pouco cansativo. As que mais gostei além da que imagino que seja a principal (fight the power) foram 911 is a joke e who stole the soul.

como um album de rap é um 3, não sou mt fã do flow do PE e as vezes eh meio repetitivo, mas como mensagem é um 5. tem momentos mt fodas, a música que leva o nome do álbum, Fight the Power, 911 is a Joke, Welcome to the Terrordome... vontade de sair batendo a cabeça na parede. se alguem curtiu o album, recomendo escutar It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back do Public Enemy, é um ábum com uma mensagem parecida, mas um produto bem melhor e consistente deles.

totalmente caótico, amei. gostei pq nao é um álbum que eu ouviria por conta própria mas com ctz vou ouvir de novo. me lembrou um pouco a música frontier psychiatrist que gosto mto.

Legalzinho, mas não escutaria novamente.

Uma vibe bem hip hop clássico No início achei as músicas meio similares, as vezes não percebia quando trocava de uma pra outra. Mas no meio veio umas músicas mais diferentes, senti que o álbum foi melhorando pra mim Ouvir o álbum de fone foi interessante, tave um diálogo que ficou um em cada lado do fone (pollywanacracka) e músicas que ficavam mudando o lado Eu não paro tanto para ficar refletindo a letra quando é em inglês mas as partes que prestei atenção parecia ser uma forma de protesto anti racista muito foda, imagino que no cenário de 90 dos EUA tenha sido bem relevante Não dou mais nota pois as músicas não me pegaram tanto, mas daria 3,5 se tivesse como

bom álbum, um pouco repetitivo, samples muito bons. mas, pra mim, essa pegada de rap pioneiro (tal qual 'the sugarhill gang' por exemplo) é escutada apenas num mood muito específico. não escutei completo, mas até então: melhor: fight the power pior: pollywannacraka

hip hop não é meu gênero musical de escolha, não me agrada muito sonoramente … mas gostei bastante das letras e dos sons não convencionais no fundo das músicas. achei que os instrumentos fogem ao clássico de hip hop em vários momentos, o que me fez gostar mais, pq quando foi só o som tradicional de hip hop achei sofrido. as transições entre uma música e outra me assustaram de tanta quebra, achei que tinha começado uma propaganda no meio kkkkk gostei mt de welcome to the terrordome

Álbum cansativo. Algumas músicas parecem usar samples irritantes em loop indefinido. Faltou dinamismo. Senti falta de linhas de baixo mais presentes. O lado 'B' melhora bastante nesses aspectos, e é melhor que o lado 'A'. Num geral, não me impressionou. Entendo que é um álbum que representa bem a cultura e o estilo dos anos 90, mas já ouvi outros artistas que exploram o gênero de forma muito mais interessante. Melhor do álbum: "Burn Hollywood Burn". Pior do álbum: "Brothers Gonna Work It Out"

Na minha cabeça é isso que toca no Brooklin se eu viajasse no tempo pros anos 90. Se hoje em dia tem quem faça som parecido, foi porque alguém fez primeiro. Os samples de rock são absolute fodas em Brothers Gonna Workout. Queria ter um boombox pra sair por aí… Acho que finalmente chegou o momento de tirar Do The Right Thing da Watchlist. Pontos altos: Anti Nigger Machine e Who Stole the Soul

never listened to this before. i've been putting this off because of how long it is, but i've heard nothing but good things about this Contract on the World Love Jam - no rating Brothers Gonna Work It Out - 5/5 911 Is a Joke - 5/5 Incident at 66.6 FM - no rating Welcome to the Terrordome - 5/5 Meet the G That Killed Me - no rating Pollywanacraka - 4/5 Anti-Nigger Machine - 5/5 Burn Hollywood Burn - 3/5 Power to the People - 5/5 Who Stole the Soul? - 4/5 Fear of a Black Planet - 5/5 Revolutionary Generation - 5/5 Can't Do Nuttin' for Ya Man - 4/5 Reggie Jax - 3/5 Leave This Off Your Fuckin Chart - no rating B. Side Wins Again - 5/5 War at 33 1/3 - 4/5 Final Count of the Collision Between Us and the Damned - no rating Fight the Power - 5/5 Average score: 4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ damn good for an album that came out 35 years ago. the sampling choices are insane, almost experimental/industrial at times i think the biggest obstacle in appreciating some hip-hop albums from the 90s or earlier is how poorly a lot of them aged by today's standards (oftentimes the lyrics). so to have an album this old be just as enjoyable and relevant now is a testament to their artistic abilities

fell asleep to this last night but had a good vibe

While I loved "Fight the Power" the rest of this album is very very good. I enjoyed my first listen and will check out the other PE albums. Great production

Liked it a lot, both the messages and musically

Just absolutely mediocre, non-catchy, forgettable beate

Not sure we need to listen to 3 Public Enemy albums before we die. I preferred this to It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back and probably on par with the other one. 3.5/5. Raising to a 4.

This one is tough for me because I don't love 90s rap music, like the actual music. It's a little too manic for me. But the lyrics? The social commentary? I fucking love it. If I could rate just the lyrics, 5/5. If I were to guess the impact of this album? Probably a 5/5. For me, on a personal, I'm gonna give it a 3/5.

Very low chance I was gonna like this. As I predicted, dated sounds and very focused on lyrics. Has got a very rock feeling which is kinda cool I guess

4.5 Stars

Would have blown my mind when it was new

Great album

That’s probably enough for Public Enemy on this list. But this is good. Overtly political as always, some powerful bars. Welcome to the Terrordome andFight the Power are classics

Lots of anger expressed here. Not my genre but I did really like how the tracks flowed together seamlessly. Would give 2.5 if possible.

I appreciate and respect Public Enemy immensely, but this was just too much sound for me. The songs had a lot to say and I wish the production had been stripped down slightly to let that breathe. But I do understand that this barrage was their intention and it was certainly well executed.

Not my thing. Stronger conceptually than musically. Goes on too long.

This was an enjoyable listen, especially considering the historical context. The production is unique and progressive, and the lyrics are impressive. I do feel like it's a little long, hitting an hour+. I also think though, in 1990, it would have been great to buy this CD and have this many songs. It never felt repetitive. Today, I don't think I would put this album on all that often; it is simply just a little too far outside of my personal taste. I'm glad to have listened to it though.

It’s OK. Always had a feeling that Public Enemy were one of the weaker “golden age” artists but get outsized attention.

Not bad. Just not really for me.

Not sure whether to go 2 or 3. It isn't terrible but there's no chance I'll listen to this again.

Homogeneous

My favorite hip hop album from my favorite hip hop band. Absolutely perfect.

Classic hip-hop. Impressive for its time. Not feeling it in 2025

Dunno. Didn't much care for it

Pre: chuck d is the man Post: solid

Really liked this. Perfect blend of political/activist messaging and catchy beats.

let me guess- another album that is fantastic but the racist users of this site hate. edit: turns out people like this one. weird Would I listen again: yes Deserves to be on this list: yes 4.2

No private session used for Spotify as I have listened to this album quite a few times. Angry, yes, but angry with a point and thought provoking. Use of the n word, including the name of of song, but it's used to make a point so it seems purposeful and not gratuitous.

8.5 / 10

Changed the game

Too much extra noise between some great songs. 3.5, rounded up.

Spitting truths

This started off cool but got old quick. From the repetitive beats to Chuck D’s monotone voice, by the end of the album I wanted to cut off my ears. One song blended into another and it grew tiresome and again why does every rap album need to go for so long?

Love this album!

Almost 1 star but beats are listenable

very influential album and though some of the songs aren't bangers i really loved this project (though i just like public enemy as a whole)

I always start by saying hip-hop and rap aren't really my areas and always feel a bit like an imposter when I say things like "I enjoyed the albums beats and the rapping really flows". But that's what I'm saying. There's a real angry undercurrent here, a lot of the words are delivered like political statements of intent. I loved the loops and sampling, like a rapper with ADHD flicking through TV station channels. Some cool bars "I'll check out a move / but it'll take a black one to move me" which I think was talking about Hollywood's portrayal of black actors. This is never going to be my main listening genre (I always feel incredibly white listening to it) but this list has really broadened my knowledge. This album gets a strong 3.8 from me. "Your Mother's got Gold Nipples"

As good as it gets

Not great Kind of boring Skipped a couple songs

Yeah, boyeeeeee! This is what I'm talking about! Finally something good after that drought.

For some reason, every song feels different. I like the slow-paced songs that have those unique voices in the background more than others. Transitioning between songs with the ones that are a mix of many different things gives it more meaning to the more unique ones afterward. Not a hip-hop fan, and I would not have listened to one out of my own will, but this one sounds really good.

This was the first time I really heard Public Enemy and even then it was just the singles off the album that got radio play. I forgot how hard this album goes in all ways. The music they are rapping over is frenetic and just hearing Chuck D spit so much truth over this beautiful cacophony that Terminator X is laying down. Then you have songs like Burn Hollywood Burn which would fit right in on some metal albums. This is a force to be dealt with just like Public Enemy is, sonically, lyrically, thematically this album is a weapon in your hand just like an AK-47. This is the kind of album where it’s so fucking good that the people who made it almost need to stop right then and there because there is no topping it, you have created perfection.

This is where Flava Flav came from? That’s hilarious. Cool samples. Sounds so modern. I want to revisit this for sure. Funny timing since my dad was just showing us the Anthrax crossover song.

Innovative sampling. Timeless lyrics. Just overall a badass listen. Classic af

politically charged. heavy material with a good sense of humor. seamless transitions. timelessness,

Fight the power!

Would not buy

No

hard

Not a hip hop fan but beat is very funky.

I was slightly familiar with a couple of tracks: 911 is a Joke, Fight The Power. But I didn't know the album as a whole. I had assumed that the setup on all tracks is that Chuck D raps and Flava hypes, so it was interesting to see that Flava and others do some rapping too. Also, I had kind of pegged Public Enemy as more of a mid-80's group, so 1990 feels kind of late. Anyhow, decent album altogether.

Impressive this still lands as hard as it does. Depressing that it still feels as relevant as it does.

Music brimming with thesis-worthy songs: - How media perpetuates and limits how black people are portrayed in media (Burn, Hollywood, Burn - and still relevant given Lupita only got that Oscar for playing a sexually abused slave) - Police profiling and violence (Anti-Nigger Machine - also still relevant) - Using anti-miscegenation to show how race is purely a construct to perpetuate notions of supremacy (Fear of a Black Planet - maybe less relevant given some of the gross ways mainstream culture has come to fetishize mixed folks) - An ode to black women in direct opposition to so much of the misogynoir endemic to US culture & media (Revolutionary Generation) - How health care fails marginalized people and communities (911 is a joke - still relevant; just look up rates of maternal mortality for black vs white women) ...all while layering in more samples than Paul's Boutique, with a vibe that varies from a riot to a party (and sometimes both.) If I have a quibble, it's that some of the rhymes feel clunky in the way that early hip hop can often be, and it feels like the whole thing could just be tightened up a bit overall - within songs and with the album overall. Minor complaints when the artists are clearly aiming to deliver a meaningful masterpiece.

Awesome

One of the best albums of all time

This actually aged better than I was expecting it to have. It's also definitely front-loaded. 3.5 stars

This is what John Connor listens to

Weirdly some of the hip-hop albums have aged the least well for me. 3.

Limited appeal

Golden era of hip hop. Quite possibly the most uncleared samples i’ve ever heard on an album. Black excellence. Revolutionary words. Fight the Power as the final track to send a clear message and that message is strong.

Muy gangsta skkkrrt skibidi toilet, sampleos pro y no mamadas como las de ahora, hermano. No le di 5 estrellas porque me distraje escuchando Vértigo de la diosa Fey, buen disco, buenas rimas, buena música.

Yeah it might be political, hard-edged and full of mad beats, but it’s also surprisingly melodic

Cool vibe, I sometimes found the amount of sampling a bit too much.

Pretty decent, considering I am not normally a big hip-hop fan.

Meget fint gammel rap album. Plejer normalt ikke t høre gammelt rap men dette var en dejlig overraskelse 7/10

Brothers gonna work it out - 6/10 911 is a joke - 7/10 Welcome to the terrordome - 7/10 pollywanacracka - 4/10 Anti-N machine - 5/10 Burn hollywood burn - 7/10 power to the people - 6/10 who stole the soul? - 7/10 fear of a black planet - 5/10 revolutionary generation -6/10 cant do nuttin for ya man! - 7/10 reggie jax - 6/10 b side wins again - 5/10 war at 331/3 - 6/10 fight the power - 7/10 Was really hoping this would be better because it was just a few years before Wu Tang but its a lot of yelling, ad lips from flava flav (lol), and yelling. I do think the skits were clever but I dont include those in the ratings.

really engaging and inventive if ultimately overlong. fav tracks: fight the power; welcome to the terrordome

I enjoyed this more than the other Public Enemy albums I’ve heard. I felt like there was more variation/musicality in their delivery and backing tracks than the usual somewhat robotic style of late-80s rap. Fav tracks: Burn Hollywood Burn; Who Stole the Soul?

I really enjoyed this. I love old school hip hop. The story telling, the sampling, the variety, the beat. It's all so great.

Old school rap

Great beats, great rapping, very nice production style

It’s hard not to appreciate this powerful political statement that resonates 35 years later

Epic, incredibly important rap album, both for the sampling and pushing rap music to be more politically conscious. Chuck D told Ice T he wrote this while listening to Sly and the Family Stone. Fight the Power and Welcome to the Terrordrome are super classics. And somehow Flav carried a decent song on 911 is a Joke. In terms of importance this is definitely a 5/5. That being said, I don't necessarily listen to this album--or any Public Enemy album--a ton, despite being a huge hiphop head. One of those James Joyce situations I guess, where everybody knows it's genius, but not always easy to listen to. Dense and driving beats and energy--you have to be in a mood for this.

Classic

Chuck D and Flavor Flav’s voices pair so well together. When they’re going back and forth on the same track, it absolutely rules. There were some misses on this album for me, and at times I felt like the samples were a little too hectic and cluttered. Best Track: Revolutionary Generation

That classic boom-bap hip-hop sound. It's good, but I couldn't help but think that most of the record sounds the same throughout when I was listening to it. Favourite Track(s): Welcome To The Terrordome Least Favourite Track(s): Can't Do Nuttin' For Ya, Man!

Talking over a beat track. Not my jam

Institutional racism, white supremacy, golden age of hip hop, critical crediblity Burn hollywood burn Fight the power Power to the people

It’s a vibe!

I enjoyed more that Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black. The samples and production felt pretty on point, although personally I'm not always in love with Chuck D's rapping. Last track is an obvious standout. Probably wouldn't listen to it from start to end. Although I find the album very compelling thematically.

Really, really solid 90's rap FLAVAAAAA FLLAAAAAAAV Best Song: Fight the Power Rating: 7.0/10 Stars: 4

It's OK. There are way too many repeats of like 1 to 2 second clips for a minute+ straight which is just annoying in every other song

Very very strong 3* almost a 4 but just too many songs that were not hitting like the best ones on here

was horrible just an irritating noise

Yeah boiiiyyyy. This is great. The sound is a bit dated, but the themes are still relevant. I love Chuck D's voice, it hits hard. How sad that 35 years on, the attitudes they rhyme about are still rampant. Quite thought provoking. I love driving to this too. The anger makes me feel cool.

Very good

Great early 90s rap with a LOT of substance. 3.5/5

Dense, sample-heavy production and Chuck D’s stentorian delivery about various social issues, some of which were pretty controversial at the time. Cool I guess, but not really my kind of thing.

Ok, not offensive. just not my thing.

4.5 / 5 A lot to unpack here. Very much of its time, but also (sadly) universal. Groundbreaking even if followers have eclipsed the original in terms of talent and creativity - will be revisiting this album a lot, and I expect my opinions will get even more positive.

2/5

To me, it sounds like a NIN record. 5/5

Rap is really not for me

Smooth as fuck funky beats

Angry, confrontational, and, sadly still far too relevant.

Kind of a slog because it's just way too long. Iconic group but Chuck D is so much more interesting than Flavor Flav that it's not even funny

An album that's trying to get your body moving and move you to action. Perfect to listen to while you do a job that requires extreme stillness.

I liked the lo fi sound. Overall it was okay

It's good. It's OK.

Not a hiphop/rap guy but this is a nostalgic album for me as it reminds me of a time when rap was actually interesting. So much of modern rap is far less musically diverse and creative, and lyrically self-absorbed, whereas Public Enemy have so much going on in each song that it's consistently interesting. Though it couldn't sound more of its time if it tried, its message is just as relevant in 2025 as it was in 1990. Best Tracks = Brothers Gonna Work it Out, Fight the Power & Welcome to the Terrordome.

Fight the power

Do Fear of a Blank Planet- ok yup

Great riffs that lend expression to those that society has held down but not something I will return again and again to listen to. Provocative stuff that I do not usually choose to listen to that is painful but well executed. An important record and social commentary.

One of my all-time favorite albums of any genre... just as relevant as today as it was 35 years ago... Jimmy Kimmel knew what he was doing when he brought them in.

Very good early gangster rap. An ignorant critic might say it's derivative of N.W.A. but it's the genre and nwa propagated it. Good funky sounds and rap. Fear no black planet.

Amaaaaaziiiinnngggg You feel it In your heart and ur body Experimental, fun, but consistent Top of the genre

Public Enemy albums are just so listenable. Great sound collages. Occasionally the lyrics jump out and those march the music, but the lyrics sink back in my listening enough that I can’t go five stars.

As a listener, I tend to be more connected to music than lyrics, but I'm hoping that I will someday find the album that makes me a fan of hip hop. Unfortunately, while I respect it, this album isn't it for me.

Yeah that was cool.

not for me

East coast rap during the golden age of sampling. Great album

Favorite: 911 is a Joke

Hell yeah.

Clearly this is a classic, but musically it mostly just seems to be people saying random phrases over drum beats. Hard to give this more than a 1 from my own perspective.

It’s a shame we’ll never hear sample work like this ever again. Often it’s like an audio collage. Vital and angry and still fun to listen to. It’s also classic hip-hop that holds up.

Not my usual genre but it was an educational trip back in time. I liked it

I’m not from the right country for this album to hit so hard as it should do.

A classic. I'd say parts haven't held up as well as "It Takes a Nation" but it's still great. Mid 3 to low 4 out of 5.

Não é o meu estilo mas tem bons Beats

2,7/5

Fear Of An Overly Long Album.

Probably their best work, and not just saying that because I played the shit outta this tape when it came out.

Вообще не идеальный альбом но очень хороший, биты где то технично крутые где то классные по наполнению или просто мелодичные и жирные, вокал не могу назвать выдабщимся но на нескольких песнях читают просто афигенно

Five stars for an absolute classic.

for an album that released 35 years ago, there's a real freshness to it. anything with flavor flav is bound to be great too, look at flavor of love!

All over the place!

Such a great collection of bangers. Aged super well and it is always fun hearing Flava Flav! I wish the topics weren’t as relevant today as they were in 1990 but here we are. Powerful message

It's always fun getting these wildly influential albums and having everything make so much more sense in hindsight. Also, Fight the Power hell yeah.

Crack is whack Just say no.... The same goes for the album....it's fun but 20 songs is excessive. Too much of a good thing, isn't always positive.

Hectic. Greatness, confusion, and many points in between.

Good enough for a while, but it gets pretty tiresome at some point… and then it goes on for another 30 minutes… 3/5 Highlights: Brothers Gonna Work It Out Power To The People Fight The Power

2.5

Interesting as spoken word poetry but not for me

Well... It's been long since the last hiphop album. So, here we have the next challenge. Public Enemy was really big in my defining years in my circles. Surprisingly - or not - teens like me, metalhead, started listening Public Enemy and even wearing their shirts. Music press in the Netherlands was pushing them. To a certain extent, I can understand this. Public Enemy to me is a bit the heavy metal-act among the hiphop I've listened this far. (Unfortunately) Not because they use a lot of metal-samples, but because of the nature, rather overpowering, of the music. What I like best is definitely the voice of Chuck D: that is one hell of a voice to start rapping. What I like least is that the album as a whole is first of all waaaaaay too long (it's 1990...), well over an hour, and secondly that there aren't that many highlights. Very few of the songs really stand out. Surprisingly, the most streamed songs are also the ones I like best: 'Fight the power' and most of all 'Welcome to the terrordome'.

This was Public Enemy at their peak. A very well-produced album and everyone is in top form (Chuck, Flav, X). It’s either this or “It Takes a Nation…” as my favorite PE album.

Nice samples, nice flow, a good mix of experimental stuff whilst also being a smooth listen. Will always FW political commentary albums loads.

Understand why this album was made, and why I was made to listen to this. But it does not mesh well with me. The issues that they discuss were prevalent in their community; however, not all of their views hold well... Not bad but not brilliant.

No termina de ser mi rollo, pero aprecio ciertos ritmos y ciertos mensajes.

Fun but ohhhh man the lyrics

Some bangers on here to kick off, just slows down too much for my tastes.

While it may have gravity and impact, I’ve grown tired of justifying a connection to classic hip hop. It’s not worth it for me.

I don’t know how to explain it but this was good enough but some of the production and song structure just doesn’t age well. Some good tracks on here though. Didn’t blow me away or anything. It’s a product of the early 90’s speaking on topics very much still relevant but not as easily digestible as something like Straight Outta Compton

Great album! I haven't really listened to Public Enemy before now but the sampling and beats are great.

Loved it. The production and sampling are amazing.

Bit overlong but I quite liked the vibe of this one

Very poignant, especially giving the current political climate. I’m not incredibly familiar with Public Enemy, but this was solid.

Better than Coldplay

Not for me

Awesome. This is the first HipHop/Rep album I heard that has a very clear PUNK vibe. The voice and lyrics of Chuck D on top of that wall of music/noise hit directly into my guts.

Excellent testament to the rise of hip hop.

Enjoyed a few bars here and there but faded into background on my listen attempts

Complex samples collection from the golden age of Hip-Hop.

Chuck D has the all time best voice in hip hop, no question. Some all-timer hip hop tracks on this, even the instrumentals (particularly the opener) are great. Probably leans closer to a 4.5/5, so rounds up to a 5/5

Nice oldskool hiphop.

The time has arrived for the final Public Enemy album of the project. Have I ended on their best effort? Well, I think I prefer its predecessor, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, but this is a close second. Fear of Black Planet is great. This encapsulates just about everything that makes Public Enemy a big deal in hip-hop history. You've got lyrics and production that could both be considered revolutionary in multiple senses of the word. Both Chuck D and Flavor Flav bring their A-game in spreading their messages. Speaking of messages, boy does this album have them. This album really makes you want to fight the power. Yeah, this album closes on its best song with the all-time classic, "Fight the Power." Nothing new to add here, that song is amazing. Others like "Welcome to the Terrordrome" and "911 is a Joke" show off the Bomb Squad's stellar production. I think the album's a little long and it has some skippable tracks, but there's no denying that this album's a classic. Public Enemy isn't quite my favorite hip-hop act, but they've definitely earned a place in hip-hop history that I have to respect. High 4/5.

political and correct

Classic old school rap. Public Enemy #1.

Nowhere near a mid album, but really not for me. I just couldn't get attached and it was a bit too long. 3 Stars.

Aw hell yeah! I remember when this came out, it wasn't my scene but a lot of it was inescapable. Listening to it as a whole today I don't know if I would've liked it then as much as I do now (which is a lot). Sadly the themes are all too relevant (maybe even moreso) in 2025. Music and loops are definitely of their time but are still super solid grooves. I will be revisiting this fairly regularly.

4 out of 5 From the early days of rap. Chuck D and Flavor Flav had great beats and powerful lyrics. Not related to this album, but I really, really needed this music after they gave me "Super Fuzzy Logic" yesterday. That shit was painful.

It was okay. Not quite my sound.

Noisy, I like it

It’s a very particular and innovative album. However, I wouldn’t listen to it again. Its lyrics give a lot to think about regarding the society and culture of the time.

Not a rap fan, sounds like fun if I was.

Def not my cup of tea, That 911 is a Joke song is ok.

Не дослушал, не ложится.

Única sensação que este disco me transmitiu foi de alívio, quando acabou. Muito ruim!

Solid.

Is good

4.75

i just cant get into chuck d’s voice at all…..

Very sample driven, to the point of sounding messy. Not nearly as good as Nation of Millions. 3/5

The key to a successful group is to have one big serious guy, one lanky goof, and one terminator

i liked this better than the other public enemy album but it went for way too long

Again, not as bad as anticipated but came up too close to the last Public Enemy album for me to really care about

Felt like homework

They need to take the drum loop off. It is also a fun reminder these people were rappers before they were tv people.

It’s good, and the importance is easy to recognize. But I didn’t love it.

This was my most anticipated album of 1990. I loved It Takes a Nation of Millions of to Hold Us Back and had been playing "Fight the Power" on a loop from the Do the Right Thing soundtrack. "Fight the Power" is one of the greatest songs of all time, "Welcome to the Terrordome" slays, and there's plenty of good stuff on here ("Brothers Gonna Work It Out," "Burn Hollywood Burn," Who Stole the Soul?" etc.). There's also a good amount of filler, and luckily my young self didn't understand the sickening homophobia of "Meet the G That Killed Me." Chuck & Flav should've known better, and that song is a stain on this album. Otherwise it's awesome.

Public Enemy was the high water mark of hip-hop to me - perhaps not surprising for a 48-year-old liberal-ish white guy from Ohio into rock/alternative. Don't think I ever owned an album but the singles on MTV (cuz I certainly wasn't hearing it on the radio) from this era are all classics. Definitely hyper-of-the-moment which does for me affect its longevity but great stuff.

So good

I know it's groundbreaking, but I cannot stand it

This was pretty good. I could do with a more modern sound, that super early 90s rap sound rubs me the wrong way. But the lyrics are fantastic. I wouldnt mind hearing a modern remix of the lyrics with more current beats.

4.7

great listen

It was alright but just not for me. I can't see myself going back to it.

Angry album this one

Thoroughly enjoyable experience

Rap but not my kind of rap. I’d say the main problem for me is the aggressive production throughout the project which kind of ruins any and all interesting bars. Whilst I wouldn’t come back to this project I wouldn’t say it’s terrible it’s just not my kind of music and for that reason it’s a 4/10 for me

Contract on the world. Mello intro. Odd? Brothers gonna work it out. Chuck D such a strong clear voice. Overall not sure this goes anywhere. Bit long and like the slightly home recording feel of the vocals when Flava sings. 911’s a joke. Funky. Great track. Flava surprisingly lyrical/melodic. Incident at 66.6fm. Warmed up for the Beasties….had gentlemen in cages with uzi. Gold. Hilarious track. Welcome to the terrordome. High tension from the get go. Something about it at the end it kind if fades into background music for me. Maybe heard it so many times. Meet the G that killed me. Cool title. Odd short track. Pollywanacraka. Rap version of ASMR? Anti-Nword Machine. Is a positive-sampling machine. Takes ages to open. Was this composed as a walk out song? Burn Hollywood. Good track. Power to the people. They are aurprisingly techno or at least more than i remember. Not sure i like the speaker ping ponging of Flava at the end. Who stole the soul. Who stole the techno more like it ammiright? Fear of a black planet. Classic. Beats. Samples. Spitting fire. Revilutionary generation. Nice intro. I like it a lot too much though I think it is a bit of a bit of a stretch to to be honest with you and I think it is is a bit more of a stretch for me to be honest with you and I don’t think I I think I would be be able to do that but I think I will will be able to to be able to get get a better understanding of what the situation is and what the situation is is and and I think I can do a lot of things better than I can do with the other people and I think that I think that I can do it it just depends on the situation and and I don’t think I think I can do do you know what I think I can do that I think I think that would be a lot of of the things that I think I I think I don’t think that would be the best thing to do it just depends depends on what I think it’s just a a lot of things like that I think think about it is I think it’s a lot lot of people are very different than what I think I I don’t know I think I think I think I just don’t know I don’t know but I think I don’t know I’m just saying saying that I don’t know what to do with my life and I don’t know know what what I don’t know how to do with it I don’t know how I can do it I don’t don’t know how how to do it I I don’t know how much I can do with it but I don’t know Cant do nuttin for you man. Another melodic flava track. I find his voice annoying but his tracks are wuite singsongy and i like the juxtaposition with spitting fire type rap. Reggie Jax. Nice track. Forgot about this. Cool groove. Funky, laid back. Has big Eric B and Rakim feel for me. Leave this off your fucking charts. Track for the b-boys? B side wins again. Nice ahout out foe the b side. I think the title and military styling made me forget this is the album if a dancey party band. Serious message but dancey party band. Not too much distance between this and ‘well the hip to the hop’. War at 33 1/3. One for the carpenters. The circ saw zipping from ear to ear was a bit annoying. Otherwise good track. Final count of the collision etc. odd. Fight the power. Funky. Great track. Solid closer.

When I saw this pop up I wondered how it would have aged. It's still cool.

I love 90s hip-hop. I grew up with it but I have never been a big fan of Public Enemy, more specifically this album. I understand why it gets the praise it does but it’s too musically scattered to click for me. Too much background noise and not enough clean production for the style of hip-hop I like.

I just can't get through a hip-hop album, no matter how good it may (or may not) be.

Excellent

This is the 8th album i've listened to. I can see why this is such a large album and on this list because i feel the cultrual impact it would have in this. However just looking at the music, I really dont like this album its also pure rap which is my leas tfavorite genre im gonna give it a 63/100

I know most of the songs on this album but I've never fully listened to it before (2). Pretty good, but less enjoyable than their precedent.

Some really good socially conscious hip hop. The songs all have great beats and flow, and the lyrics are good. I enjoy the samples and the wide variety of voices on display.

Not my favorite - cool sound though

Phenomenal album, with messages that have continued to resonate thirty years later.

Good album, not my normal cup of tea.

Amazing album! I'd personally give it 4.5 if possible.

Killer. Revolutionary. Brothers Gonna Work it Out, 911 is a Joke, Fear of a Black Planet, Fight the Power all added to Liked Songs.

Energetic and still relevant

Giving this 3 stars not because it’s not a HUGE achievement in rap and it should be celebrated as such but rather just because it didn’t click with me. I think I need to give it a few more listens but it didn’t fit into my brain the way I wanted it to. This is an INCREDIBLE album- just not for me.

I love rap, but I've just never enjoyed Chuck D. Sorry!

Important, of course. Not every second holds up perfectly 35 years(!) later, I suppose, but songs like “Fight the Power” and “911 Is a Joke” still command your attention.

The positive is that it’s less ‘clunky’ (for lack of a better term) than their previous efforts. Production and flows are smoothed over and done very well. The negative is that most songs on here dont leave as much of an impression on me. “911 is a Joke” has gotta be the most unique song subject I’ve heard in a really long time. But “Burn Hollywood Burn” is the most impactful, scathing record for sure. Weaves media portrayals of black people into their long history of being oppressed. Really well done. Soft 3/5. No one does it like Public Enemy, not their best but still leaves you with a few things

Listened to the whole thing waiting for Fear of a Black Planet, and Fight the Power. I struggle with Hip hop and decontextualising the samples where recognisable, or recognising the symbolism and relevance where there is some to be had. It might benefit from further listens but I'm not going to oblige.

Not really my cup of tea, but that considered I did enjoy the album

Very much an enjoyable listen. Have listened to this album a few times before as well and I don't get bored by it.

Saves the best till last. Some of the samples did sound a bit like someone was just mashing a soundboard randomly

(90/100)

Fear Of A Black Planet

Public Enemy

Reviews (page 5 of 13)