Reviews (page 2 of 7)
I do love this? But like its not something I could just casually listen to? Its like an A24 movie that you feel you are only allowed to watch once because any more and you would lose yourself
YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH BOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Great
OMG this is so perfect and uplifting! I was mired in grunge in the 90s and totally missed this classic. thanks for letting me know about it!
Public Enemy is the shit. Arguably the most important hip hop group of all time, and this album is a good reminder why. Despite having to rush to redo the album after losing their original tracks, it all sounds great. And it closes with the absolute banger "Bring Tha Noize," with Anthrax, possibly the best crossover of all time. Kickass.
Great
Top tier 90's hip hop. Absolutely phenomenal. Started listening to this album and was immediately reminded of Pineapple Express where Dale Denton and Red are gearing up to take on the Chinese and save Saul. Favorite songs: Bring Tha Noize, By the Time I Get to Arizona, Lost at Birth, Nighttrain, How to Kill a Radio Consultant, Can't Truss It, I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo Niga Least favorite songs: More News at 11 5/5
Mind. Blown. I don't know what I expected, but it's fantastic. From the first second of the first song, the album smacks you in the mouth and dares you to do something about it. Considering this was released in the early 90s, the bravery it took to talk about slave ships, and racism, and putting the spotlight squarely on white people is astounding. The Bomb Squad beats are out of this world with an aggressive, almost punk rock feel. I've always kind of wondered what the point of Flava Flav is, but his interjections on this album are nearly perfect. His solo offerings are probably some of the weaker points of the album, but overall, he adds to the vibe rather than takes away. And then there's Bring the Noise, their collaboration with Anthrax. This song might be the #1 reason American suburban white boys started listening to rap, and there's a direct line that can be drawn between this song and the nu metal movement that dominated the rock airwaves. Whenever I've gotten an album from this era, I always remark on how anachronistic it sounds. And, I could definitely say that about parts of this as well, but because this album was *so* different, it just didn't age the same way. The flow is definitely different, you can tell it's from a different era, but the beats are so unique that it's really tough to place it if you didn't know. With half stars, this is 4.5. But because of the creativity, the bravery, and the influence, I'm very comfortable giving this a 5 star rating for this project.
I miss break beats in hip hop so much man. This album was incredible, it had a message, they were saying something!! The beats were the highlight for me though, it made the music fun but didn’t over power the message they were trying to convey.
Top tier. Fear of a Black Planet is my number one, but everything PE put out is so damn good. And the Anthrax collaboration is iconic.
It’s so easy to forget that before Flavor Flav became a reality tv show caricature (and the cringey later album titles), Public Enemy was an amazing band. Great lyrics, boom bap sound that rivalled any gangster rap of the day. Easy fun rowdy listen
Love that 90% of songs start with a record scratch noise (scratch? Spin? Whatever you call it)
This is probably my favorite 90's hip-hop album I've had so far. It miiiiiiight just come in under "Ready to Die," but it's damn close. I just tried to write about why I love this. I kept spitting out cliches and found that what I was saying couldn't really convey what I meant. So let me try again, albeit with some cliches involved. This entire album almost feels like it's just on the edge of bursting at the seems with its chaotic energy, infectious energy, and sizzling production style. Everything about this feels like it was put together by a team that had a unite, cohesive vision and mission for what they wanted this album to be. It's smooth, yet hits so hard, so well-produced and yet feels like it's flying off the handle toward complete implosion the entire way through. It's a fascinating thing to listen to, and I absolutely loved it. On top of that, the political messaging here is, while not subtle, very well directed. They make no bones about how they feel in regards to certain topics, and they come at you hard and fast with those opinions. More power to them, honestly. I sincerely hope there's another Public Enemy album on this list. I need for Flav. (I just checked and there's two more - amazing). Five stars. Give me more. Standout Tracks: Lost At Birth, Nighttrain, Can't Truss It, How to Kill a Radio Consultant, Move!, 1 Million Bottlebags, More News at 11
From the onset it would seem curious to me that there's a **third** Public Enemy album on this list. I know they have a good discography, but within the context of a list like this or the Rolling Stone 500, I wasn't sure exactly what you'd get out of this album that you couldn't get out of IT TAKES A NATION or FEAR OF A BLACK PLANET. This'll be a "No, duh" moment here: you get another good-ass Public Enemy record. The beats are hard as fuck, Chuck D is as righteously forceful as ever, Flava Flav is the hypest of hype men... That's all I could ever really want out of a Public Enemy record, so I know I'm damn satisfied. And it's not like there's nothing different about this album compared to the other two. Particularly, it's in the beats: thanks to their work being stolen, the Bomb Squad had to rush the production to meet album release, and as a result the beats are a lot simpler and less dense than the other records. It's really not a bad thing; it proves to me that the Squad can hit just as well even when they're not making stuff like "Fight The Power". Actually, honestly, as much as I love the dense sample work, it's pretty refreshing to hear Public Enemy over simpler stuff. It doesn't make them any less hardcore than they always are, so... Look, though — if there's any one reason, personal and selfish, why I'd have this album on this list... Y'know, I said back in my last review (of Everything But The Girl's WALKING WOUNDED) that I didn't believe that any album was included on this list for one song. No album **should** be here for one song. You wanna talk about songs, singular, and not complete projects, go look at the Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs. Just as well, this reason isn't to diminish any other song on this album, particularly "By The Time I Get To Arizona", otherwise the best song here. Screw it, though. All by itself, this album to me is worth the price of admission just for the re-recording of "Bring Tha Noize" with Anthrax. Holy shit. Matching Chuck D's flow and delivery with Anthrax's wild brand of trash metal? This kicks ass. This kicks so much damn ass. By a country-sized margin it's my favoritest thing here. Like, I don't know if I can really emphasize how excited I was for my group to get this album for this song alone. As one of the first volleys of rap metal, far as I know, it's still one of the best ever. Goodness me. So, like, this album would've always been a 5. It doesn't get nearly as much recognition as the other two Public Enemy albums, but shit, if this one don't earn its keep. However, even if the rest of the album hadn't held up, "Bring The Noize" has the strength that this would still be a 4, minimum. Legit one of those "Living For The City" or "Life On Mars?" songs strong enough to do that. So even if you've think you've gotten all you can out of the others, do yourself and don't pass this album up. Yeah, I'm tellin' you.
It's more of the Public Enemy goodness my group has gotten, now with extra Anthrax! 4.5 bumped to 5.
I like everything that Public Enemy stand for. They have something to say and are relentless in their politicking. The message they deliver is as important today, if not more given the present incumbent as POTUS, as it was in the 80s/90s. I don't listen to much rap/hip hop but always enjoy Public Enemy when I get a chance to.
Unironically so cool. It’s angry, it’s relentlessly repetitive at times, and never provides a moments rest. Perfection.
This is so good. Hadn’t listened before.
Rap vom feinsten
this was a great listen, really enjoyable
Yeah boi!
This is genius
1/9/25. Powerful and engaging, this is a certified classic to me. Can always come back and listen, especially during a workout.
Genuinely incredible album - strong political content, presenting the rage of the lower class in America, fundamentally black. This is an amazing show case of "write what you know"
Fakt, że ta lista jest tak nieproporcjonalnie (i nieuczciwie) skupiona na anglosaskim rocku sprawia, że tych kilka albumów z innych gatunków, które się na nią dostały, to zawsze absolutne perełki. Co sprawia, że tym bardziej szkoda, że musimy słuchać jakiegoś szrotu w stylu The Libertines albo HMS Fable. Złote czasy hip-hopu. Album zarówno mega zabawny, kreatywny, eksperymentalny, liryczny, a jednocześnie poruszający ważne tematy i będący bardzo mocnym komentarzem to współczesnych sobie wydarzeń. Muzycznie wyznacza to, co obecnie stanowi korzenie hip-hopu - muzyka z decków, wszystko brzmi mega surowo (w dobrym znaczeniu tego słowa) i "street". Gdzieś czytałem, że ich duet z Anthraxem "Bring the Noise" to był jakiś dziwny i niepotrzebny twór. Osobiście uwielbiam ten kawałek i to pierwsza rzecz Public Enemy, jaką kiedykolwiek słyszałem i pierwszy mój kontakt z nimi (nie licząc gościnnego występu w Johnnym Bravo, o ile pamiętam, to był zajebisty odcinek). Dodatkowy plus za to, że nie ma ani jednego kawałka o ruchaniu, dragach, imprezowaniu i chlaniu (nie liczę "1 Million Bottlebags", bo to utwór o problemie społecznym). Czyli da się stworzyć komercyjnie udany hip-hop bez zakreślania "bitch" i "dick" na karcie bingo.
Aggressive, raw and yet still funky and compelling. Chuck D, and I cannot emphasise this enough, has one of the best voices in the industry. His flow is natural, his tone is magnificent. The sampling usually hits the mark, the beats are great. This may not be Public Enemy's finest, but it is still really bloody good.
I love this album
Absolute classic
5/5. The production is so chaotic and loud, it works so well to match the energy the rappers are bringing. Each song just has great beats and instrumentation. It is very complex and layered that it feels so full and dope. It is also surprisingly danceable and catchy. I don't remember wanting to skip any songs even if I didn't catch all of the lyrics but from what I did catch, they were rapping about ideals I mostly agree with, like ACAB, pro-black messages, and anti-racist morals. I did hear some anti-gay lyrics but I'd have to relisten to confirm. I can see how these songs can be overwhelming but I enjoyed it all the way through. Excited to check out more Public Enemy. Best Song: Can't Truss It, By The Time I Get To Arizona, Bring Tha Noize
I don't think there is a voice more perfectly suited for rap ever than Chuck D's. The previously Public Enemy albums broke the ground, but this album was a group at their peak, striking an amazing, balance, producing an incredibly impressive, brutally unapologetic set of serious yet sonically infectious songs unlike anything anywhere.
I was a bit crook while listening to this, so i'm giving it a bonus half a star assuming i wasn't listening that well
Angry. Just how I like my HipHop
Overshadowed by It Takes A Nation of Millions and Fear Of A Black Planet, I’d completely forgotten how good this album is. Chuck D as ever is preaching from a mountain top, seeing the big picture. Flav is less of a comic foil than usual, more an everyman in conversation with the preacher man. Turning the Anthrax namecheck from ITANOM into a collaboration is the highlight.
this album hits hard in both message and instrumentation. a very angry and political hip-hop album bringing light to the divisive issues that america faces, especially against african americans. even with civil rights movements and acts in place, why must injustice and police brutality still occur day after day, week after week? why must big organizations and smaller groups treat afro-americans like lesser beings? not only are the lyrics aggressive, but the beats are as well, mixing BIG drum loops with vintage funk samples. also flava flav is featured in this album. white supremacy is a fucking disease.
Very fun album
Once again another all time PE classic. They churned out way more hits than it felt like and this production was just so ahead of it's time with how harsh and almost industrial it was at times. A little interesting to hear some of the views on this album about their own feelings towards how black people in america act, very akin to The Blacker the Berry by Kendrick in which you do feel if they were asked now to talk about it, they would approach it with a lot more nuance than is presented here. But nuance is usually limited in the medium of music so it does make sense. But overall this was fantastic and I left fueled up to to point passion and energy somewhere and was ushered out by my favourite hip hop/metal crossover maybe ever.
Fantastic album from beginning to end
Love it.
Aptly aggressive Calling out fat injustice While repping culture
Public Em is fantastic here. I use to think Flava Flav was joke but dude has some pretty good lyrics and drops some good beats. This album has some great tracks and their message stays on point throughout.
My God they were incredible. 30 years later the issues still remain…
Brilliant production, explosive lyrics, dizzying use of samples, contemporary relevance, absolutely wonderful
Awesome album to caulk a tub to.
Brilliant. Makes me want to watch re-runs of flava of love - the best reality show ever created. Why isn’t it back on tv? 4.5
No
Chuck D used to do a morning radio show with Liz Winstead, the creator of The Daily Show, and Rachel Maddow doing the news. Chuck D was excellent, thoughtful and insightful. Just like his music. “Now the KKK wears three piece suits.” Exactly. I like this a lot more now than when it came out. How can something this essential be anything but a 5?
This album was one that shaped my musical life. 5/5
Great all the way through.
# Playlist track - By the time I get to Arizona # Notes - Right from the cover, this is an amazing album. - Even though this is not my favorite genre, by any means, there are interesting samples and instrumentals throughout. - Definitely worth checking out.
LOVE
Chuck D is an amazing lyricist. Flava Flav sometimes distracts from his brilliance, but this album is as good as it gets.
own
Bring Da Noize! 👊🏼
My true awakening to hip hop and rap was Public Enemy. Ok, sure I was into Beastie Boys first, but Public Enemy was truly eye opening with their message. I'll pop in PE fairly regularly to this day even though I really don't listen to the genre aside from them and one or two others.
1/1 Enemy publicized
Love Public Enemy. This album is so raw and heavy. More intense and immediate feeling than some of their stuff which I love.
Listened Before? N An absolute scorcher here. Chuck D is the freaking man. This record is very, very good. I wish it was a bit more consistent but the first half absolutely rips, and there's several gems on the second half and it's rounded out with Bring Tha Noize! Wow! Added to Playlist? N Songs added to playlist: Shut Em Down, Bring Tha Noize
This one was great! Great messages, great music, great rapping, some thrash metal thrown in, and no tedious filler taking it over an hour. I liked the sound of this quite a bit more than "It Takes a Nation..." Yeah, boyeeeee!
More hip-hop that I wasn’t curious enough to have sought out previously that I am so glad to know now.
Fantastic!
Really great album! Political. Hard hitting. Even an Anthrax track I like! Really great!
Wow, this was honestly a HUGE improvement over It Takes a Nation in my opinion. Every track was great and filled with energy.
I love this album
Going from Loretta Lynn to Public Enemy is one of the many joys of this ap, ha ha. Unfortunately, today I'm a little short on time to describe how great *Apovalypse '91... The Enemy Strikes Back* is. So it's gonna be a quick one. The only little issue I have with this record is that it suffers a bit from how *perfect* its first side is, paradoxically.The second part of this album still harbors some excellent hip hop. But you just can't beat tracks like tight "Can't Truss It", or the deeply menacing yet groovier "By The Time I get To Arizona" (with its crunchy bassline and its soulful backgound vocals). There's also that lively "Nighttrain" or the more laidback "I Don't Want To be Called Yo Nigga", and all those tracks are as iconic as anything found in "It Takes A Nation Of Millions..." or "Fear Of A Black Planet". The alnpbum also goes out with a final bang, sonce there's the "Anthrax" version of "Bring The Noize" as a bonus at the end. That collaboration with the metal band sure is iconic as well... *Apocalypse '91...* is therefore a great bookend to P.E.'s "classic" period. Chuck D was the best rapper in the world during those early hip hop years: his punchlines *burn* everything on their way, and his political analysis is still as relevant in 2023 as it was back in the day. And Flavor Flav is a master at creating a sardonic atmosphere when he takes the center stage, as always. So the *relative* dip in quality during side 2 explains why my initial grade is 4.5/5, it's nothing that can prevent me from rounding it up to 5. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: a little more than 500, I've temporarily lost count here Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: approximately a half so far (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: a quarter. Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): the last quarter
A really good album, a worthy sequel to Fear Of A Black Planet in my opinion. I thought this was equally as good, and maybe even a bit better. For me the ending track being a thrash metal version of Bring Tha Noise, featuring Anthrax, no less, was very unexpected, but absolutely amazing. However I think By The Time I Get To Arizona was my overall favourite here - Extremely funky, and that gospel choir near the end brings it up to a whole other level. This was an aggressive and catchy Hardcore Hip-Hop record that just slaps. Favourite: By The Time I Get To Arizona
3rd May 2023 Not actually listened yet - still no phone so getting ahead of the curve and will listen on the drive home from London. Stayed at Seb and Justo's, went to the theatre with Harry to see Gielgud and Burton play. Was ok. It's 90s rap so I'm going to pre-emptively give this one a big 5.
Hell yeah. The fattest beats. Love
nice sound, one of the best hip hop albums ever
Me crié a base de eminem y hip hop noventoso, por eso m gusto tanto este álbum, en RS hablaron que este álbum intenta establecer una agenda sociopolitica de Y para la comunidad negra y yo estoy en total acuerdo, tmb hablaron de la creatividad de las letras y de los ritmos q son una PASADA, el significado de By The Time I Get To Arizona se ve bien reflejado y de este álbum mis favs son 9/14 así q imagínate como disfrute este album, 9/10.
9/10 - Great album all around, not my favourite genre but enjoyed it nonetheless
CAAAAAAAAAAAALICKED WITH THIS JUAN.
Even better than I remembered
This album kicks so much ass! aggressive, in your face, lyrics are to the point, and the overall sound is a punk afro boom beat.
Public Enemy really was amazing in the golden era of rap.
Awesome old-school rap
return of the jledi
Enjoyed a lot. Man how times have changed between race relations and how we perceive them…let only. Some good bangers in here.
Really enjoyed this album, hip hop it's not a genre that I listen, but the collaboration with Anthrax on the last song of the album really was well done. The overall tone of the album is a bit heavy which I like
I love old school rap
great
Bangers on bangers
Last album of the imperial phase? Maybe. Still feeling every note and word of it? Yes.
very cool
Best hip hop album I've heard from this list so far. Great tracks with something to say.
Yep, still love it.
Revolutionary in every meaning of the word!
Probably the best Public Enemy album.
All the vibes you expect from this era. Rap has changed so much since this
Love P.E. wish I saw them more than 1. Listened like 20x .
Holy shit, what an album. This is the template for half of my favorite albums ever
Not the greatest PE album, but it's still Public Enemy. Shut 'Em Down is among the finest from the group, and the I love the way the beat and the lyrics flow from the beginning to the end of this album. You can dip in and out starting with any track, but it also benefits from being played right through from start to finish. The production is super heavy and I love this album a lot.
Fantastic raw energy
Super punchy with an intense attitude. Loved this album, definitely needs a revisit.
Pp
Great songs great noise. The political weight and intellect brought by chuck D contrasted with Flavs craziness still sounds fresh now. Mad noises too
Epic. Should be mandatory listening everywhere.
Brutal.
Onze. Não vai abaixo, não cai. Não vai abaixo, não cai. O que eu aqui construí não vai abaixo, não cai. Funk fado, funk you, não vou abaixo, não caio. Isto é tudo persistência, boy daqui já não saio. MotA: Shut 'Em Down "The future holds nothing else but confrontation".
This was a really fun album and I enjoyed listening to it.
Classic album by the pioneers. Virtually flawless.
Amazing old school hip hop, the issues portrayed in this project are still relevant today. Production aged really well.
This was fucking dope, last song is excellent
Blew my ass off. The first half is so strong and powerful.
Great!
A great album with some great social commentary
This album seems like o exist on the shadow of its two predecessors but actually it is at a similar level. Really enjoyed this.
hard beats, some misses
Bastante político, disstracks y críticas raciales es algo que Public Enemy es conciso, hasta su nombre es simbólico. Un álbum de los 90s hiphopero que aún mantiene las épocas pasadas presentes en su ritmo y rimas, algo que no me termina de encantar. Sobretodo muy punchy, crítico, un rap para disfrutar y ser consciente de las situaciones.
Havde ikke forventet den her på listen, positivt overrasket over hvor vilde beatsene er. Et af beatsene lyder basically som et Anthrax nummer!!
Lost at Birth - 4/5 Rebirth - no rating Nighttrain - 4/5 Can't Truss It - 5/5 I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo Niga - 3/5 How to Kill a Radio Consultant - 3/5 By the Time I Get to Arizona - 5/5 Move! - 4/5 1 Million Bottlebags - 4/5 More News at 11 - 3/5 Shut Em Down - 5/5 A Letter to the New York Post - 3/5 Get the Fuck Outta Dodge - 4/5 Bring Tha Noize - 4/5 Average score: 3.9/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ pretty solid album. so far i prefer Fear Of A Black Planet more than this. i didn't care for the Flavor Flav tracks nearly as much as Chuck D's so maybe that's why my rating isn't as high as i'd hoped
Flava is great. Glad to see he's still such a rad dude these days now too. Good album.
4/5
Overall: 7/10 Honestly there's some bangers on this one, Chuck is still killing it on the vocals and Flav is so much fun to listen to. I would honestly say this is my second favourite Public Enemy album. Fav Song: Nighttrain
It’s pretty great. I think the beats are maybe weaker than the earlier albums. By the Time I get to Arizona is an all timer. One of the best songs ever
Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Can't Truss It, By The Time I Get To Arizona, Shut Em Down I think this is Public Enemy's best work so far. I've heard three albums now: Fear of A Black Planet, It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, and now this album. Flava Flav continues to tone down his antics (yeaaaa boyyyyy) and does a little more than just emcee work. Plenty of samples being used and plenty of the songs got turned into samples (ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE: Ten Crack Commandments!) Just as before, there's plenty of social critique, some subtle, and some right in your face. It also doesn't feel as loud as the other two albums, which is a plus. Less noise rap and more conscious rap.
Day 309 Enjoyed this a lot, as I have with most of the early 90s rap albums I’ve had so far. By the time I get to Arizona is a proper banger, had it on repeat for ages Highlights I don’t wanna be called.. By the time I get to Arizona Shut em down
Pleasantly surprised! I gave Nation of Millions and Fear of a Black planet years ago and couldn’t get into it. I found the production all over the place and Flava Flav almost unlistenable. The beats are still noisy but it seems all seems to fit together much better and Flav is mostly sidelined to the hype man role. Easily my favourite PE album 4 stars
1, 2, 3, 4.2 , 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Time I get to Arizona, Shut em down and Bring the Noize are iconic songs. I was able to blast yo nI**a driving with car windows open, but I was driving down a gravel road, and no one was in sight within 25 kms
Pointed, engaging, and pretty funny at moments. I question whether this needed to be a double album; some song list streamlining would go a long way toward making this a perfect 90s hip hop record. The second half is notably stronger. Still plenty to enjoy overall. Top tracks: Move!, Shut Em Down, Bring Tha Noize
Pretty good PE album. A little one note compared to the other ones we’ve gotten but this one has “By the Time I Get to Arizona” and that song slaps
Having only really heard their hits, listening to this album was a lot of fun. It's hip hop of a time but it doesn't feel dated to me. Fits right in there with their contemporaries, the Beasties. Or Maybe the Beasties were chasing Public Enemy.
Having enjoyed this album since its release, my initial thoughts were a 3 but that was mainly due to not revisiting it as album for a while. As an album it flows really well, and it has some bangers throughout. I think PE struggled with never reaching the heights of their first two albums with Fear… being a little patchy in my opinion, but Apocalypse 91 is solid and for the most part overlooked. It’s not a 5 for me, but it is a solid 4. Quite odd that is in this list though, to me only the first two PE albums would be list worthy. Good to revisit it.
Not a big fan of these bad boys but they could throw down!
Not as good as the other Public Enemy albums in the book. Still good. 4 stars
I think the first half of this is great -- "Lost at Birth", "Can't Truss It", "I Don't Want To Be Called Yo N***", and "By The Time I Get to Arizona" are all really strong. The second half is not nearly as good, and the remake of "Bring The Noise" with Anthrax could've just been a B-side. Still, there's enough good material here to go 4 stars on it, and I think it's actually a little stronger than Fear of a Black Planet.
Some good old school hip hop here.
In the early, early 90’s a white kid in a predominantly white school was obsessed with PE. This album didn’t really show me why. He had nothing to identify with this. However, its strong revolutionary and urban message to young Africas Americans is strong. Hip Hop and Rap has never been my thing but this was when it was done well
Way better than I thought. 4 stars
Since starting this i have confirmed my belief that i dont like jazz or prog. I had a third genre on the list and that was rap. Well unlike the two above i have found i enjoy rap. I will admit i like to have the lyrics in front of me but i like the beats. First Public Enemy album for me and am looking forward to a few more.
4 чисто за фит с Anthrax
Найс
неплохо, может вернусь еще к их творчеству, пока ставлю 4 (3.5)
Hiphop met Jazz invloeden daar word ik wel enorm blij van. De beats en sounds zorgen ervoor dat ik een soort flow kom. Muzikaal voelt het ook echt als een anti-establishment beweging. Voor de verandering ben ik eens echt gaan luisteren naar de tekst, aangezien jullie dat ook allemaal doen … By the time i get to Arizona vind ik tekstueel echt sterk, gaaf dat ze starten met een radio speech.
Ik merk dat ik automatisch deze plaat ga vergelijken met de hiphop plaat van afgelopen week van Jurassic 5, wat volgens mij een aantal jaar later uit kwam. Ik moet zeggen dat public enemy wat minder gepolijst vind, en dat is wat mij eigenlijk wel aanspreekt. Ze zijn wat brutaler en hebben meer die energie die bij Jurassic 5 ontbrak. Dat t album afsluit met bring tha noise vind ik ook erg vet,(ja Teun, ik vond t leuk) je denkt ineens oh jaa dat zijn dus deze gasten.
Pretty sure this was the third hip-hop album I ever bought after Run-D.M.C.'s "Raised in Hell" and the Beastie Boys' "License to Ill." The first one I bought on CD. The first one that talked about real issues and also presented a sonic landscape I'd never heard before. I have not heard this album in full in decades, so happy to revisit it again.
I love the Chuck D/Flava Flav combo.
Great album
All things considered, it was quite decent. Not an expert on the subject, but it was mostly enjoyable, and it did not feel monotonous. Bonus point for "Bring tha noize" 7/10
I didn’t know much Public Enemy going in to this, apart from the singles, and really enjoyed it. I can hear how this must’ve ruled the airwaves in 91.
Definitely didn't think I would enjoy this but I saw I rated another Public Enemy 4 stars, and this was pretty good not being a hip hop fan. Found myself revisiting some of these tracks later so that's a good sign.
Good album. Toned down the migraine inducing sirens of their earlier work, adds some rock and more variety…
73/100. This album still carries a lot of what makes Public Enemy so compelling. The politically charged energy, aggressive delivery and confrontational style are all here, giving parts of the record that classic Public Enemy feeling. At the same time, the record feels a bit inconsistent. Alongside the strongest material are several tracks that simply do not reach the same level. Even with those weaker moments, there is still enough quality and personality here to remind you why Public Enemy were such an important force in hip hop.
buja jak na rap szczefolnie ostatnia piosenka? chyba yo byla ostatnia brzmiala troche jak metal generalnie spoko chicuaz sama bym se chyba tego nie wlaczyla
I saw Public Enemy open for Run-DMC and I became a huge fan. It was around the time It Takes a Nation of Millions came out. That is a certified classic from front to back. I listened to that every day and became a huge fan. I read everything I could find out about PE. I bought Yo Bum Rush the Show. I waited for Fear of a Black Planet as they talked of breaking up with Professor Griff stuff. I heard Welcome to the Terrordome. It was amazing. As time passed my fandom started to wane as more hip hop artists started coming out and I started branching out. By the time this was released I listened to it I was kind of indifferent. I was tired of Chuck preaching. The rhymes started to have that wack attack Mac rack rhyme scheme that he used on Terrordome. He was never the most clever lyricist but he started getting lazy. But this album had some Bangers. Can’t Truss It, Shut Em Down, By the Time I Get to Arizona. They all were amazing. But on this album this was the first album where they weren’t pushing the sonic envelope forward. They started sounding like other producers. But that kind of happens in hip hop. Also having a Harry Allen song on this album. It’s terrible. It’s still a great album in their catalog. Just not great. Another thing. I like Bring the Noise but having Anthrax on the song and adding to the album seemed out of place.
Awesome, though not quite as great as Nation Of Millions
Another classic
Fourth best PE album but still pretty good.
10/10 it’s got Bring Tha Noize with Anthrax. Nah but this album slaps, opening track Last at Birth with its main sample is so hype. Like with all Public enemy, Flava Flav is either the most annoying part, or the best hype man going. On this occasion having a song about hating the New York post (good) because they published a paper about beating his baby momma (bad) Production rocks, sample choices are great and the drums absolutely thump
4 stars just for the Bring the Noise track with Anthrax. Other than that”Shut em Down”, not much else for me
Really good - can see the influence on a lot of later political rap (e.g., the interludes from preachers, news stations, etc.) Favorite songs are can’t truss it, letter to the NY post, an the anthrax song at the end. Got a bit repetitive in the middle
This is very very close to a 5 for me. I listened to this when it came out but did not feel strongly about it then like I do now. I do not know the reason for why I did not like it as much then. I was 13 when it came out and listened to it then but did not think it was as good as "Fear.." or "ITAN." I think that I was just wrong and was too into Ice Cube and "Death Certificate" (which is better and a 5 of 5). This is a great album. There are really no skips except "A letter to the New York Post." The production is not as incredible as their earlier albums but is still really well done. I am glad for this list to get a chance to revisit an album that I really overlooked at the time.
Holder seg overraskende godt.
It's been nearly a year and a half since I listened to Fear of a Black Planet, and my feelings on Public Enemy's follow-up record, Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Back, are more or less the same, albeit with some noticeable differences. For one thing, the production is notably leaner, with a greater mixture of live instrumentation alongside the sampling. This was done out of necessity, as The Bomb Squad and other personnel rushed to recreate the music that was stolen from them. If anything, the backing instrumentation did surprisingly well in providing that necessary oomph to the backdrops, especially the hard-hitting percussion and blaring horns on tracks like "Can't Truss It" and "How to Kill a Radio Consultant". Of course, Terminator X still busts out on the turntables, while Chuck D and Flavor Flav continue to spit bars in addressing the prevailing issues with systemic racism in the United States. Probably the most striking of these songs are "Nighttrain" in calling out those within the black community who harm each other, "I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo N---" in addressing the pervasiveness of the derogatory word, "How to Kill a Radio Consultant" regarding the ownership and dissemination of black music on radio stations, and "By the Time I Get to Arizona" in highlighting how some people refused to recognize Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday as a national holiday. The fact that a lot of what they addressed then is still relevant today in this country is both poignant and depressing. Though that said, I did also appreciate when they reaffirmed their talent on the hard-hitting "Shut 'Em Down". Yet, it's also apparent in places where this album was rushed, again likely due to the stolen material. Not only are there two different introduction tracks toward the beginning when they didn't need to have them, but they also tacked on at the end Anthrax's rendition of "Bring The Noise" from It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. Now, as someone who does enjoy Anthrax, I dug the crossover thrash remix they did alongside Public Enemy, but it is vastly different from the preceding material on this record. I also have to acknowledge that some lyrics did not age well, mainly with "A Letter to the New York Post". Now, I get the general conceit of that song was to address how disenfranchised black lives can be through salacious, negatively spun stories that certain media outlets would partake in. The problem is with Flavor Flav's opening verse, which not only puts a lampshade on how he was arrested for assaulting his then-girlfriend Karen Ross and losing custody of his kids, but instead of owning up to that mistake, he doubles down, making a baseless claim about actor James Cagney beating up a gay guy. Not only is this the wrong way to address one's personal problems, but it also makes Flavor Flav's homophobia apparent on record, leaving me with a sour taste. Overall, I still consider Apocalypse 91 to be a solid golden-age hip hop record, despite some obvious shortcomings. There are a track or two I'd skip on repeat listens, but a lot of the songs on here ended up good and relevant.
Flavor Flav, the greatest hypeman.
So much fun. I forget how much I like their music.
I really liked this one. Very high-energy and great record scratching. I better not listen to “I don’t wanna be called yo n***” because it’s very catchy but I don’t want to be singing it aloud
Noisy, 90’s genius.
Yessir. Been a minute since I'd listened to Public Enemy. Good damn stuff.
After listening to a couple PE albums and a couple of their contemporaries, I think I prefer these guys over similar groups. High energy, a great mix of serious and snarky, really interesting guest spots…what’s not to like?
4 Pretty cool for the most part. Could have done with that one song where he's trying to defend his right to beat his wife and hate the gays
I thought about generously giving an extra star here, even though I don't think it's perfect. The other two albums from Public Enemy on this list are somewhat better, so it's kind of unfair to give this the same 5 star treatment. One thing about Public Enemy - production and beats are great and timeless. Never a boring song, even if listening to Chuck D does become grating as time goes on.
A good album. Not PE’s best but one of their most overtly political. A couple of classic tracks round it out.
Not their best, but still awesome.
Chuck D rules! Great album
This has never been a favorite genre of mine - the self-promotion, violence, misogyny, unnecessarily frequent vulgarity and overall lack of musicality makes it a hard reach. This album felt different. Maybe because it reminded me of the popular hip-hop and rap music of the late 80s (LLCJ, RDMC, IceT, etc). The lyrics here are less harsh and the political/social commentary is properly biting and thought provoking...more about where we are as a society than trying to get with some chick, violently gunning down a competitor, or claiming themselves the best. And there's a certain endearing lightness to Flavor Flav's contributions. There's a million better ways to express what I'm struggling to say. In short, I really liked this and will be back. 4/5
Ohh that shits good
A relentless series of powerful messages, wrapped in clear anger, propulsive beats, and samples that match the severity of the message.
I had forgotten how angry this one was.
This album reminded me that I don’t listen to nearly enough old school hip hop. Also had no clue this was where Flavor Flav came from. 3.5 but I’ll round up because why not?
Dug it. Know their voiced but never listened to an album before.
I listened quite a while before realizing there was very little swearing and no references to bitches or hoes. Just good beats and pointed commentary on the lot of men on the mean streets. I added “I Don’t Wanna Be Called Yo Niga” to my Generator playlist.
Two Public Enemy albums in a row? Alright then. This one's probably the best of the three in the book. It might be the second one released in the 90s, but it's the one that sounds more '90s'. Great album.
classic for a reason
The least talked about PE album, but probably their best, imo. It always surprises me how much I love the tracks with Flavor Flav on lead. He’s known as the hype man of the band, but when he gets on the mic he’s not bad and spits the truth. 3.75, but I’m going to round up to 4
I've now had all 3 Public Enemy albums, and I can say that I've saved best until last. Maybe they've been growing on me more I listen to them 🤷
This is great hip-hop record with lots of musical diversity. The album explores African-American conflict coming from violence within the community, and the lyrical delivery and flow is fantastic. Every emcee expresses the issues while sporting the incredible instrumentals as well. The final track with Antharax was absolutely insane as well. Good Stuff.
top 3 - Bring Tha Noize, Move!, By the Time I Get to Arizona. Made me wish I listened to a Public Enemy album sooner! Great stuff here.
Always going to be my favourite hip hop/rap band. Muscular and streamline, 4 Star
I’m not sure that this is PE’s finest work, but still good. It’s a slightly broader style on this album, shown in lead songs ‘Can’t Truss It’ and ‘Shut It Down’ being a bit different from the ‘Wall of Noise’ approach of previous albums. As with PE always though, they offer a great historical record of key concerns in black politics (eg continued resistance to MLK Day on ‘By the Time I Get to Arizona’ and black alcoholism on ‘One Million Bottlebags’). Overall though, I don’t think it’s quite as compelling as their previous efforts. A lot of the early album is self-referential, so it perhaps doesn’t have the same feeling of originality. While still well put together, I think I prefer the more manic sound of earlier efforts. Nonetheless, a good listen.
I must confess I was expecting this album to compare poorly to ‘It Takes a Nation of Millions…’ but I actually enjoyed it a lot. It’s another great, politically-charged Public Enemy album. Highlights included ‘Can’t Truss It’, ‘By the Time I Get to Arizona’ and ‘Shut Em Down’, plus several more, but while the second half was maybe a bit less consistent quality-wise, there wasn’t really a dud track on it. I was genuinely surprised by how well the Anthrax version of ‘Bring Tha Noize’ worked, a nice way to end the album! A pretty decent 4 stars. Yeah, boyeeeeee!
Was entirely unfamiliar with this album but I knew PE from Fear of a Black Planet. Anyways this was awesome; great beats, ad libs, and some punchy verses.
I liked this album a lot. Cool sampling and reference to other hip hop tracks (they said “can I kick it?” a bunch!). Very interesting and compelling social commentary. Though the rap style was kind of consistent throughout, the beats were varied and I liked the cool and near-intimidating flow. Easily my favorite song on the album was the one that I definitely cannot sing in the company of others. 8/10 today.
This was a very fun listen. Before listening to this, my only exposure to Public Enemy came from Prophets of Rage and their collaboration with Anthrax (which is the final track of Apocalypse 91), and they were both very good first impressions. Other than that, I was fairly uneducated on Public Enemy's stuff. Now, after listening to it, I can see why they're here. I thought there were some really cool uses of samples, and the verses were consistently great. For the most part, I actually preferred the non-singles, but Bring The Noise (or Bring Tha Noize, as it's spelled here) is awesome. Favourite song: Bring Tha Noize
This album was so important and influential when it came out. For me, it definitely centers in a certain time and place. I wouldn’t have been exposed to this album when it came out - I was nine and lived in a white household that didn’t listen to much rap at the time (though I, personally, would be listening to more rap within a handful of years) - but I’m glad I got to hear it now.
Great album with lots of great tracks. I spent a lot of the late 80's and early 90's driving my family crazy listening to PE.
Damn! This album slaps through and through! Right from the start it takes off and keeps on going. All of the songs are pretty similar, but they're consistent in a good way. I'm debating giving this a 5, but the only lyric that I remember hearing is that they beat someone up just for being an f-slur. I'll probably take a star off for that.
Very political
Man, this hit so hard back in 91.
This was pretty good!
I found this fun and clever and enjoyed the sudden double bass pedal at the end with Anthrax
Obviously you know Harder Than You Think from Public Enemy but this was a really good intro to some of their wider work that I really enjoyed. Probably just me being daft, this, but I was taken aback by how political a record this is. Clear, coherent, complementary production (the opening track sets the tone for this well) and overall I really enjoyed it.
Really solid, if not their best.
Fans may disagree but the stripped back production sounds more sophisticated to me than the embryonic plunderphonics of Fear of a Black Planet. I l already liked the rapping, but here it comes together as the full package: dancier, looser, more fun. Previously I thought I wanted to hear them go harder, tougher, meaner, but in fact through adding more funk, soul and joy into the mix that they have captured my imagination. A nice mix of politics and humour as well, paving the way for the unrepeatable, hilarious backing vocals on I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo N*. You’d have to be pretty stone faced for this record to not to raise a smile. It doesn’t particularly dip at any point in quality, but if there was any trace of an energy slump, the closing Anthrax rap rock collab certainly wakes you up!
Low to solid 4 for me today, i don’t like the production or vibe as much as Fear of a Black Planet but this is still a great golden era rap album
4/5 dope but not fear of a black planet
Pleasantly surprised by this
Like Motörhead - fast as fuck, one note as fuck, fun as fuck. Bring the Noize if you listen to nothing else.
This is, probably, my favorite Public Enemy Album. Can't Truss it, By the time I get to Arizona, Nighttrain and Bring tha Noize are probably the most memorable from this album. The last 45 seconds of Bring Tha Noize are what really do it for me though, that is one of the nastiest drum / drum track transitions that I can recall off the top of my head -- it blew my fucking mind in the early nineties. I would listen to that song again and again just for that transition....
(89/100)
PE is excellent but this album is great but probably an A tier, not S tier. It’s still charged and Chuck D still has force but I didn’t believe it was as focused and tight as the other. And Flava Flav still annoys me
Bring the noise, tony hawk classic. Definitely enjoyed this more than the last public enemy album we had, it's got that 90s NY hip hop sound that crosses over with the punk of the time so well. This album clearly influenced RATM a lot, lot of lines and words made it into their lyrics. It's just not varied enough to be a 5 for me, though it is definitely more interesting than pretty much all other rap of the time.
Could repeat what I wrote for their previous album largely. Chuck D has a great voice for a front man. Some important themes which sadly are still relevant today. Got to mention "bring the noise" which is burned into my brain from THPS2. 3.5 but 4, for bring the noise
Great Songs: How To Kill A Radio Consultant, Lost At Birth, More News At 11, I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo Niga, Can't Truss it, Bring Tha Noize Good Songs: Nighttrain (Pete Rock Strong Island Mt. Vernon Meltdown), Move!, A Letter To The New York Post, 1 Million Bottlebags, Shut Em Down, By The Time I Get To Arizona, Nighttrain, Rebirth Mid Songs: Get The F... Outta Dodge Bad Songs:
I liked it, it was good rap, good rhymes, good spins. It is a little rough for me to listen to regularly but I don't mind it .
Loved the lyrics and messages throughout, and these guys drop the funky beats! This style of hip-hop isn’t totally my thing, but it’s still a great album.
One of the better ones from this group. Some of the tracks are goofy but the message stands
Surprised at how much I liked this
i really liked this!
this album somehow manages to be very serious and pretty fun at the same time. some of the samples and backing tracks were kind of grating and annoying, but there's enough good stuff on here that i'm willing to give it a pass. the bring tha noize collab with anthrax is huge and is such a great album closer. not sure if i like this album more than fear of a black planet but they're both good inclusions on this list. favorites: nighttrain, can't truss it, by the time i get to arizona, move, more news at 11, bring tha noize
Excellent beats and groove.
Good, and with some powerful songs, but nothing quite at the level of their previous.
Hardcore hip hop at it finest - love them.
Solid! These are some very angry men, and even though over 30 years have passed since then, this record could be released today and it would be just as fitting. Great spin!
I really like Public Enemy, and this is just more of them. Lots of great beats here, some very strong verses and hooks and a fun album in general. I feel it's a bit too self-referential though. There are a lot of throwbacks to older songs here, making it feel less like it's own thing and more like a greatest hits. I also don't think it's quite as sharp as their previous 2 albums.
Fun
More old school rap
It’s not quite on a par with It Takes a Nation of Millions or Fear of a Black Planet, but they are still very much bringing tha noize.
Great rap
I quite liked the 90s hip hop type beat plus the radicalism. The black cnn
Really enjoyed this. Didn't know much public enemy stuff but get the hype.
Solid 90s hip hop. Bring the noise is the highlight.
I did in fact turn it up and bring the noise and it was quite delightful
Я розумів, що It Takes a Nation... та Fear of a Black Planet тут будуть 100%, вони навіть в останньому списку пічфорка були чи не єдині, хто мав більше 1 альбому. Але Апокаліпсіс 91 я точно не очікував тут побачити. Хороший альбом, Чак розповідає як жити, Флейвор показує чому він кращий хайпмен евер. Але все ми це чули до цього і трохи яскравіше та сильніше.
Хороший альбом, дуже качає як завжди в них, відомий мазафакерський фіток з антракс, коротше що сказати - тверді 4.
I like this album enough but feel it's unnecessary to include on the list since the other 2 albums are already on there and absolutely need to be
No. 78 Great album, amazing production and flow. Makes me want to explore the rest of their music . Will definitely revisit at some point.
"Now the KKK wears three-piece suits." Ain't that the truth. Except now, we also have rappers cozying up to maga and no one seems to care about anything anymore. Full disclosure: I am not the target audience for this and I am not a rap fan. That's all ok. I can still see how important this album is. Fear of a Black Planet is better, but I'm still glad this exists. What I said for Fear of a Black Planet also fits for this: We need protest music and righteous indignation now more than ever. I feel like we've gone from “fight the power” to “chase the clout.” Consumerism coopted rebellion. I prefer rebellion.
Got into a good few songs on this. Fun listen.
4.20 / 5 This is a certified banger and nobody can tell me otherwise. The flow these guys show in every single song on this album is incredible.
This was great. Amazing power, anger and focused message. I'd only heard It Takes a Nation of Millions before, but I think I'll be looking up their other albums now,
This was good. Not as impactful as Nation of Millions, and perhaps a touch more generic, but it was still a blast of samples, scratching, visceral vocals and big beats.
bring tha noize
Pretty good. Not normally a hip hop person and generally prefer the more old school side of it where the funk and soul samples and influences are more apparent, but there were some solid grooves here and lyrics were very good. Very much a product of its time though and not sure I'll come back to it
What this record lacks in the earlier PE energy it makes up in polish and consistency. The Bomb Squad is all over the place on the production, shifting tempos and vibes song to song. Flavor Flav gets some killer rhymes on his hand too, and of course we get the mashup with Anthrax that melted parents’ minds in 1991. Urgent as ever and melting minds - this one is still pretty great even if it doesn’t have the same highs as their earlier stuff.
I liked the (now) retro horn sounds and old school delivery and beats. Maybe 3 or 4 songs on this album I’d listen to based on first listen. Some of the stuff a bit too antic, percussive, and unpolished to my uneducated ear.
This is what rap sounds like in my Gen X head
Respect for Flavor Flav. Overall I liked this one and thought it compared favorably to other late 80s/early 90s hip hop albums that have come up here. "When the quiet storm comes on, I fall asleep." - Me too.
Amazing album other than a couple of meh songs.
Public Enemy really were a force to be reckoned with. Four all time great albums in a row is something any group would aspire to and Public Enemy did it. Forgive me, I was not familiar with their game before this project. As for this album, it’s not as great as their previous work, but pretty damn good nonetheless.
Been a while since I listened but solid album, nice samples
Funk, anger and power. Enjoyed a lot more than expected. Shut em down the pick?
> The Beatles
Best listened to on Vinyl or CD, streams cut out a lot of the character of the release. Great stuff, especially impressive when you know they lost (they were stolen) the original masters and had to recreate all this material fast before someone leaked the release. Such great energy, such flow and power.
Great old school rap album! So poignant even today!
Pretty solid tunes - love the production!
7/10 Favourite: Can't Truss It Least Favourite: Move!
I don't mind this album, it's certainly a strong offering and very much worthy of the list. Hip hop isn't really my genre, but I recognise the greatness in what's going on here. This album is probably objectively worth a 5 for what it is, but my own taste and enjoyment still has to factor in. I went back and forth for a while on whether this was personally a 3 or a 4, but in the end, the thing that tipped it over for me is "By The Time I Get To Arizona". I love that song, and not just because of all the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 I played growing up (but it sure helps).
Old school rap. Lots of social commentary and songs flow into each other
An incendiary lightning bolt of an album. A tad short of their first two, but a worthy and important listen nonetheless.
Beats are insane in this album. Lyrically is all you expect from from PE. Would de definitely be more praised and popular if not because of the past albums.
Fairly solid entry on this list, some of the erratic vocal samples I could do without though 4*
Not my usual but this had some nice beats!
I didn't realize Flava Flav was so political before he became a reality TV guy, but this album is pretty good. 4/5
Kings!!! Great album.
I loved NY rap when was rap and not hip hop
Fantastic album, amazing production and flow. Makes me want to explore the rest of the discography. Will definitely revisit at some point.
This was probably the last truly great album put out by Public Enemy, and it's slightly imperfect. I never realised that they had their music data stolen, which explains the slightly sparse sound. It has some fantastic tracks, but the second half isn't quite as good. I actually dislike the Anthrax collaboration for some reason; even though I loved seeing Anthrax perform this live, the version here just seems a bit lacking somehow. Four stars.
The opener, Lost at Birth, is a fucking banger. Rebirth had a nice flow into it. It's a short interlude, but gets the point across about what they were about. Nighttrain reveals that rebirth serves as a nice in between. Has some blues undertones in the voice. By song #4 I get the point of it. To serve as a nonstop locomotive of energy.
Álbum muito divertido e bem feito de Hip Hop. QKZxHBB Khan.
Their fourth album. Hip Hop. Whoa ! This takes me back. A friend at school loaned me this one on cassette and I played it over and over and over again. I'm not even a Hip Hop guy but this album is so good. My favourite track is Can't Truss It but the whole album really jumps along. Great production too.
Don't get me wrong, I appreciate Chuck D and Terminator X as much as the next guy, but it is absolutely wild to me that we have 3 Public Enemy albums on this list and not a single Tupac, MF DOOM, or Jay Z record (so far). That said, this is a really solid album. "Conscious" rap before that was even a thing, with songs serving as commentaries on the self-destructive nature of Black communities feeding into the desires of racist America (Shut Em Down, 1 Million Bottlebags), discomfort with using the N-word loosely given its destructive past (I Don't Wann Be Called Yo Nigga), and corporate slavery (Can't Truss It). And the messages are delivered forcefully from Chuck D's muscled, but effortlessly flexible delivery. Flava Flav provides a fine foil, but the songs where he takes a more significant role fall flatter. Favorites on here are Shut Em Down, Can't Truss It, By the Time I Get to Arizona, Get the F... Outta Dodge, and a crossover masterpiece -- Bring Tha Noise. For the most part the production + beat selection was solid, but the high-pitched clarinet(?) squeal on 1Million Bottlebags really sucks. Falls in at a soft 4 for me.
Man, I memorized "By the time I get to Arizona". Great PE album. Only gets a 4 because Fear of a Black Planet is a 5.
Four incredible songs on here. Even a slightly lesser PE album is a damn good album.
Not my genre, not my style, but I listened twice and appreciated it. Unlike the vast, vast majority of rap artists, PE has something to say and they say it effectively.
Dit is de 2e notering van Public Enemy, die we voor onze kiezen krijgen, maar niet de laatste. Public Enemy hoort absoluut in de snoblijst, maar ik zou er geen 3 in opnemen, al heeft elk album wel zijn iconische tracks. Maar goed, ik zit niet in de keuzecommissie van de snoblijst, helaas. Qua muziek is er weinig dat ik niet had verwacht van dit album. Het is rauw, uptempo, en met een lekker breakbeatje. Daardoor heeft het nog steeds gelijkenissen met harde rock en is de afsluiter met Anthrax niet eens zo'n vreemde eend in de bijt. Sowieso zijn die crossovers met hardrock, hardcore en nu-metal stiekem heel gaaf. Zo heeft Ice T ook een bekende metalband "Body Count". Het past gewoon goed bij elkaar. Ik vind het wel tof gedaan en ik kan Public Enemy wel goed hebben. Ik denk dat ik hier meer plezier aan heb beleefd dan Fear of a Black Planet, dus mag hier een sterretje meer.
“Yo! Bum Rush The Show” (1987), “It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back” (1988) y “Fear Of A Black Planet” (1990) son tres discos (sobre todos estos dos últimos) imprescindibles. Por eso este cuarto me hace dudar si también calificarlo del mismo modo. By The Time I Get To Arizona o el temazo con Anthrax “Bring tha Noize” presente ya su disco del 88... son puntos álgidos. ¿Más de lo mismo? Sí pero no. Aquí ya no hay un saqueo de samples sino que son los propios PE quienes los elaboran o usan incunables (o fragmentos tan pequeños que no requieren permisos ni royalties). De nuevo anticipando el futuro y liderando la escena. Un grupo que estaba en la cumbre. De ahí no se puede subir ya.
You can't stop the train ... or the groove. Early 90s Hip Hop is great!!
I lwk think that Public Enemy is on this list just out of respect, and nothing else. 4/5
I like it, it's not the best PE album and is probably the end of their epic run but it has enough heat on it to keep coming back to
Yeaaaaa boiiii
After suffering through Dr. Octagon it was good to get back to some excellent hip hop.
Chuck D is great, not a huge hip hop fan but really enjoy his style, album hits hard, lyrically very strong.
i liked it! but it won't become a go to
Good old 90s “protest/conscious” rap. I miss PE
It may be just this album, since I'm not familiar with any of their other work, but I enjoyed this and the political messages it was getting out.
Funky visceral liberation
I enjoyed this! It sounded dated, of course, but that was to be expected. Loved the beats and mixing. My favorites were "Lost at Birth," "Rebirth," "By The Time I Get To Arizona," "Shut Em Down," and "Bring Tha Noize."
So far this is the best work I've heard from Public Enemy.
When I saw this today, I thought, "Ugh, not another rap album," but listening to it on my way to work, I was surprised to find that I really liked it.
I haven’t heard of this one as much as their previous 2 so wasn’t expecting to be up to that level, it definitely was though albeit slightly worse as there are a few duds here (in my opinion). Mostly the Flav solo ones, I really like Cold Lampin’ with Flavour in their 2nd album (and is actually one of my favourite P.E songs) so this was a bit surprising to me but I only really liked the diss track to the New York post one of the 3 Flav ones on here. It could be cause the others are more slower paced which doesn’t fit their style as well or maybe just the style of the rest of the album. Chuck D is amazing as always on here though, definitely one of the greatest and most influential MC’s of all time. The beats on here are crazy good as well and the drum samples even better to be honest, they’re so powerful and carry a lot of energy and mixed with great rapping to top it off. Forgot to mention the great lyricism and political commentary as well. Not only is this album influential to the genre, I would argue it’s not even dated as some people say it is, almost every song is pretty much as timeless as early 90’s hip hop can be. Favourites: almost all other than ones mentioned + By the time I get to Arizona snd the Anthrax one). Overall, 8/10 (very close to a 9 though).
Pretty good. Enjoyable, but not an album I can listen to while driving around with the windows down. I’m more familiar with their other two bigger albums, but this one also seems very worth exploring.
Very good stuff from Public Enemy. A song or two with some questionable lyrics but overall quality stuff.
Pretty, pretty, pretty, good.
I actually liked this one a lot more than the last Public Enemy album I had on the list (Fear the Black Planet). Apocalypse 91 felt a bit less chaotic and I didn’t find Flavor Flav nearly as annoying this time around. Also, the song with Anthrax at the end was just wild. I might actually have to go have another listen to Fear of the Black Planet now.
Amazing.
Public Enemy is awesome. This is a banger!
Different sounds from the previous Fear Of A Black Planet, harsher beats, and a killer crossover track with Anthrax in "Bring The Noize". This felt like the end of a 4 album hot run, as by the time their next album came out the game had changed...
Pretty damn good and as uncompromising as PE became known for. Although I don't think it quite reaches the heights of Nation of Millions or Fear of a Black Planet, there are some great songs here. Shut Em Down is a classic, and Bring the Noise goes so hard and is a near-perfect early example of what a rap/metal hybrid should be. By the Time I Get to Arizona is super funky and I love the live instrumentation feel. Overall the production feels a bit weaker than the classic Bomb Squad era but Chuck's flow does feel more updated for the 90s. Really liked this having not ever listened to it as a full album before.
I preferred this to It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back. 3.5/5. Raising to a 4.
*Awesome hip hop beats with poignant lyrics *Bring the Noise is an all time song *Some of the beats/tracks loop a little long which can get repetitive, but overall, awesome album!
I was not expecting that bring Tha noise was on this record, just for that I'll rate it with 4 stars
I prefer it takes a nation of millions, I think, but loved this one as well.
Good album but not as strong as their other albums.
I’m glad I finally took the time to listen to this one. It’s not the first PE album that comes up when you talk about their classic albums, but for me it was just as good as the first two
Anthrax has entered the chat.
The most angry, rebellious and political Public Enemy ever been. The beats are fantastic, the lyrics are conscious, the delivery is flawless!
This slapped! Excellent beats. I was NOT expecting a passionate anti-alcohol song. Would have been a 4 1/2 if not for a lil' misogyny and homophobia
Yeah boiiiii
This classic of political hip hop hasn't lost some of his powerful message, but some instrumentals and their interplay with the lyrics feel dated.
Bra album, väldigt tunga sociala kommentarer i låtarna och i sketcherna emellan. Tycker dock beatsen är lite meh jämfört med andra aktiva rapgrupper under samma tid.