Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black

Very good stuff from Public Enemy. A song or two with some questionable lyrics but overall quality stuff.

Pretty, pretty, pretty, good.

The skit from the KKK got me off guard

I didn't like this album as much as the previous Public Enemy that was rated / reviewed. I feel like the production feels a bit more rushed. There was so much repetition thought each track and not enough variability from track to track. I still find Public Enemy super "effective" in making strong social commentary but this album was a little to "on the nose" for me. Also, the Anthrax feature at the end of the album feels a bit scripted, more like an MTV moment than an authentic musical collaboration.

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.

That's not really my type of rap music, as it is not as melodic as I'd like it to be. Overall, didn't really enjoy this album as much, although I know that this kind of music was huge back in the day.

I enjoy cohesive and themed albums but this is monotonous. Adds appreciation for the hip hop revolution that followed in 93.

Amazing.

Not too bad. I kinda liked it.

Public Enemy is awesome. This is a banger!

Definitely different than previous PE albums, and it seems more, I don't know... mainstream. Some bomb tracks on here, and it's still better than most rap produced today. Lots of political topics covered for the time, as always. Well done. 3.46 / 5 stars

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...

9/10 I love this.

It was not terrible.

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.

Was better than I thought it was going to be. Everytime I’ve heard a public enemy song, I’ve felt that it was the kind of hip hop that translates well to the mainstream audiences, although it’s clear you cannot say that about the majority of tracks within this album. But there are a few within. There’s also a few I never want to hear again. Seen people mention the social commentary within, but it’s quite hard to gauge when it’s wrapped up in swearing and words the majority of the population cannot say themselves. Middle of the road for me

Hard

Yeaaaaaaa, boyeeeeee! Exactly what I needed this morning.

Oh good, a lesser album by one of those groups you're "supposed to" like. Of course, when you get into what their politics actually are, they aren't the worthy group that patronising left wing NME readers wanted them to be, but nearly an hour of irritating record-scratching and Chuck D's dull hectoring voice is unbearable. Like Led Zeppelin, it's music for virgin boys who like to pontificate about their interests to give themselves a sense of superiority. I'm supposed to think this is better than the Geto Boys because it's "intelligent"? Fuck off.

Still prefer Chuck D.'s lyrics/raps to Flavor Flav's. Of the three PE albums I've had so far, this is the best.

Not my style

*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!

quite boring rap, the finale with anthrax il tue tho

Started out strong but really wore out its welcome by the end. Toward the high end of 90s era rap for me - closer to 2.5 than 2.

I was not expecting that bring Tha noise was on this record, just for that I'll rate it with 4 stars

Aaahhhhh ok so this is Flava Flave. I’m learning I’m not very much into 90s rap through this project but I thought the themes about racism/being black in America here were super in your face and I appreciated that.

I prefer it takes a nation of millions, I think, but loved this one as well.

The Good: Well, we survived the apocalypse! The Bad: If the enemy was public, then are the goods guys hidden? The Ugly: What if the 91 means 2091???… Here’s me being a skipping record stating the “I don’t like rap” line again. However, as with the other offering from Public Enemy, there is always an exception to the rule. I don’t know what it is that makes me sit back and actually listen and, dare I say, enjoy their music? Maybe it is due to the fact that I don’t like I am being preached to, instead I am being educated? Anyway, this one is getting 3*, which means it is 5* yet losing 2* due to it being rap...

The whole album is full of great funky samples, but only a quarter of the songs actually stand out. The rest of the album suffers from that 90s/2000s fixation with oral skits and TV zapping pieces.

Good album but not as strong as their other albums.

This is pretty good. They have something to say, but aren’t afraid to use comedy to say it. Enjoyed it and might listen again. 3/5

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!

Unfortunately still timely. Definitely some outdated language and questionable attitudes, but the tone still hits.

Public Enemy were unquestionably innovative and groundbreaking during this time period but this was their fourth album of being innovative and groundbreaking and it seems like they were running out of ideas. There are good songs on here but none as good as the best songs on their previous three albums. Flavor Flav has some decent moments but nothing to touch “911 is a Joke” or “Can't Do Nuttin' for Ya Man”. I think this is one more PE album than this list actually needed.

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

Hiphop er ikke lige mig

This was a bit of a mixed bag, with some decent tracks and some with quite obnoxious samples. 'I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo Niga' was a quite groovy track, and 'By The Time I Get To Arizone' had a real phat distorted bass or guitar that was cool. 'Lost At Birth' was annoying though, and I didn't like 'Bring Tha Noize' which was more of a hardrock track, completely going outside of the boundaries of the album. Overall I'm not exactly why, but I didn't enjoy it that much when listening to it. Definitely feels like an album that could fit me, but maybe it's one of those that you need to get into more to appreciate. For now a strong 2.

Not at all as impressed by this as their previous album we had on this list "It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back". This album lacked the same interesting samples and freshness. It still was ok but this type of rap feels a bit dated. Without catchy samples this became even more evident. Weak 3.

Yeah boiiiii

Not really mine, but Respect!

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.

Безбожно устарела музыка паблик энеми, к сожалению. ФЛЕЙВОР ФЛАААААААВ

Don't pretend to get all the references but I like the energy and the way the lyrics flow

Who made this list?

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.

Du hip hop des années 80, qui est moins bien que le hip hop des années 90.

I like Public Enemy, and this was a pretty good album, but I wasn’t really feeling it today. Not quite as good as “Fear Of a Black Planet” or “It Takes a Nation of Millions…” (I’m sick and having a hard time focusing, so I’m sure that didn’t help)

I prefer "It Takes A Nation of Millions" but this is a good record. One certainly has to appreciate the relevance and freshness of this material.

Not looking forward to this. Ok… here goes… Can’t get past what a blowhard Chuck D is. His voice works my last nerve. Dear god, it’s a double album?!?!

This album is strong but doesn't quite measure up to the brilliance of Fear of a Black Planet or their earlier material. The Anthrax team up for Bring the Noise is some bonus fun.

I think the beats are maybe the best genre of rap beats that exist, and I think this album's beats are even more consistently good than the previous 2 albums, which I wasn't really expecting. Chuck D is also probably one of the best rappers of all time, and the back and forths with flavor flav are legendary, the latter also has his own song on here, which I don't think I've heard before. Also I feel like they are also incredible at politicial activism, in the midst of hip-hop becoming more mainstream and white people pushing back against it, which they through quite a lot of shots at. Its hard to say how influential public enemy were and are, because nobody really sounds like them anymore, or did in the 90s, but that might be showing how truly unique they were. I just don't like the slower songs, I think that after hearing all these great fast beats, it just feels quite underwhelming. Favourite songs: all except shut 'em down, get the f... outta dodge. Overall around 8/10 (quite close to 9 I feel)

ChatGPE. I was there for this. After banging out three of the best rap albums of all time, I think the PE-o-sphere got disillusioned with the success, which inevitably involved their fan base shifting to white suburban kids like me, and they phoned in this album before evolving into their next phase. I don’t remember albums of theirs after this, which there clearly was, which was probably the way Chuck wanted it. Love PE, but this is not their best work.

"Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Strikes Back" is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy. Hardcore hip hop and political rap are the Wiki-listed genres. OK. Prior to the recording, the discs for every track was lost (they had been working on them for 4 to 5 years) which resulted in a leaner production and more instrumentation. Regardless, the album had wide-spread critical acclaim. The album was produced by the Bomb Squad and the Imperial Grand Ministers of Funk. Public Enemy was/is Chuck D, Flavor Flav and Terminator X. The album reached #4 on the US Billboard 200. A Darth Vader voice opens "Lost at Birth." A grinding sounding and a hip hop beat. Chuck D and Flavor Fav cone out strong on the mic. A James Brown sample gets "Nighttrain" headed in a groovy way. Horns. Busy with noises. Drugs in the neighborhood. A helicopter and more Darth Vader vocals begin "Can't Truss It." Scratching and a Ronald Reagan voice samples. Chuck D. and Flavor Fav get serious as they compare cargo ships of slaves to the state to the state Black neighborhoods with the point that you can still never trust the government with their past. The album stays political and takes aim at then Arizona governor Meacham for not recognizing MLK as a national holiday in "By the Time I Get to Arizona" Funky. People screaming. A great sample of Mandrill's "Two Sisters of Mystery." One of the highlights of the album has to be the closing song "Bring Tha Noize." A thrash cover of their own song by Anthrax. A great way to end an album. This album has a powerful start with Chuck D, Flavor Fav and the content of the songs. For all the comments on the thinner production, I thought the production was pretty good: good use of musical and vocal samples. This album may not quite reach the levels of "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back" or "Fear of a Black Planet" but there's six or seven high-quality songs and makes this worth a listen.

Probably fine for what it is.

Very very solid album. Some songs are a little too repetitive, but overall it's a very fun album. High 4.

Pas mon style mais des morceaux sympas

Get old real fast. PE had a huge impact at the time and on music ever since, but this album is exhausting.

Gold rap/hip hop music. In my opinion, rap music should never stopped sound like this. Anthrax feat caught me off guard, very good!

I love 90's hip hop. I do not love Public Enemy. Sorry not sorry.

Not as good as the others, but worth listening to.

Sample-heavy hip hop/rap. Seems more sample-heavy than It Takes A Nation of Millions. Funk/soul/rock samples predominantly over fat beats. Actual singing on I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo Niga! Better than It Takes A Nation of Millions! Seems more cohesive with a set style and aesthetic. Also more political? See intro to By The Time I Get To Arizona. Which also has some gospel, just to add to the musical breadth! How To Kill A Radio Consultant has that Gorillaz style trumpet sample. Quite nice! 2nd half is a bit dull, not so many hooks. Another metal track, with Anthrax. Interesting. Best track - Can't Truss It, I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo Niga, How To Kill A Radio Consultant. 3/4 stars - go for 3 based on disappointing 2nd half

Never liked them, much better rap out there

It’s alright and good bars, but when the song starts you know the same 2 bar loop you’re going to hear for the next four minutes. They brought the energy and there’s a lot going on in the lyrics. I could see why this is a classic, but most of the songs get stale long before they end. Well put together project Some songs are bangers

Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: 🪖😎🤢 Production: 👊🐢👍 Music: 🚨📣✊🏿 Rating: 💥💥(💥)/5

Yeah!

Really liked this. Always impressed by their production

Very cool

Highlight: Nighttrain, Can’t Truss It. In a nutshell: fight the power It didn't do anything for me compared to "It Takes A Nation of Millions..." but it maintains the quality one would expect from Public Enemy- some good loops, scathing political commentary, etc. Overall: 3/10

God, the cover is so ugly. Album was ok, but I didn’t like it as much as Fear of a Black Planet which was one of the first albums of this project. Heard before: no Listen again: maybe

What hateful music. Well not music really. Techno spoken word. No music exists.

Greve semplicemente. Allora non mi era dispiaciuto per nulla però vabbè nulla mi aveva fatto impazzire. Quando ho sentito l’ultimo brano ho letteralmente perso la testa.

I found it a bit long and possibly needed more variety, I want to give a three because I have lots of affection for Public Enemy but I'm going for a two. I think they've done much better records and can hit harder.

Still noisy, still confrontational, still Chuck D barking truths over beats that sound like the inside of a collapsing factory. But the Bomb Squad’s once-revolutionary cacophony is now more groove-oriented, almost West Coast in moments—less fire alarm, more slow burn. “By the Time I Get to Arizona” rides a fuzzed-out guitar line into protest-funk territory, its seriousness sharpened by Flav’s conspicuous absence. “Shut Em Down” pares things back to a sonic punch in the gut, while “Bring Tha Noize” (recycled with Anthrax in tow) prefigures a generation of rap-rock rage. “Get the F... Outta Dodge” earns side-eye curiosity—did Ice-T just guest-star as a rogue cop? Call it PE’s transitional album: not a dud, but not quite detonative.

Sadly one of those albums I just don't like

Public Enemy is so dense, great music, great lyrics. Could use another listen to fully absorb but this is undeniably great.

Out of the three Public Enemy albums on this website, this one is the weakest by a long shot. However, it’s still alright and has its moments.

I feel like I need to listen more carefully to the lyrics to understand just how dated it is . . . but it doesn't sound dated at all.

So I guess don’t offer Chuck D a beer when he comes over. These guys are really fun at parties, I’m sure. THREE STARS

So not my favorite Public Enemy album. It is good but I prefer Yo! Bum Rush the Show, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, and Fear of a Black Planet much better. Musically and lyrically this was a good album but I prefer the others.

1. Lost At Birth - 8 Song is a bit all over the place but the beat is excellent and the flow is superb. Lyrically it's very good just a bit too repetitive at times. Great sound overall. Insanely fun track. 2. Rebirth - 10 Track is only 60 seconds but what an insanely good flow with superb lyrics. Massive tune. 3. Nighttrain - 9 Great rap. Insanely fun track and the percussions do so well to add to the metaphor of the nighttrain. Lyrically it's probably the strongest track so far. 4. Can't Truss It - 7 Flow in the second half of the track is great but it struggles in the first half. Lyrcially not as strong but the last two minutess are still very much enjoyable. 5. I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo &$!% - 5 Instrumentally the most brilliant of the opening 5 tracks. Lyrically the worst. The song is lyrically is incredibly stale. 6. How To Kill A Radio Consultant - 10 Another strong track. Brilliant lyrics and superb flow. Just a top quality rap. 7. By The Time I Get To Arizona - 6 I don't understand the references of New Hampshire and Arizona in the track so the intro is completely lost on me. Flow is decent as is the beat and the sound but it's a bit of a pass over track. It's just not nearly as strong as anythign else on the album before it except "I Don't Wanna Be". 8. Move! (feat. Sister Souljah) - 8 Outro is the worst part of the track but the flow throughout the track is excellent. Lyrically it's very good with a great beat underlining the whole track. 9. 1 Million Bottlebags - 6 Verses are great but the choruses are a beat weak and the conversations sprinkled within the track work very well on the topic of the track but don't add any significant quality to it. Not a bad track by any stretch, but there's better on the album. 10. More News At 11 - 5 Too repetitive a track. I love the idea and the sprinkling of the news cast throughout the track. Makes it very unique and enjoyable but the chorus is kind boring. 11. Shut Em Down - 7 Decent flow but the chorus is too long and simple. Track kind of bores itself out. 12. A Letter To The New York Post - 7 Verses are great and I definitely agree with the message. The New York Post blows. Having said that, it's a solid track but suffered by the history lesson about The Post. 13. Get The F... Outta Dodge (feat. True Mathematics) - 9 Great track. Amazing lyrics with an equally as amazing beat. Track is short, simple, and fun. 14. Bring The Noize - 3 A rock trap with rap lyrics over it. It's not bad but it's definitely the weakest thing on the album with how much the lyrics almost crash into each other and eventually get too fast to remain comprehensible. Chorus is completely uninspiring. Average Rating: 8.33 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 4.17 Rounded Down: 4 Stars

Powerful, insightful, scary, a driving force that just pulses throughout. I didn't hear a single wasted cut on this album. Perfection.

Great music and great social commentary. One of the founding rap albums

Chuck is the GOAT

This is easily my third favorite Public Enemy album following Fear of a Black Planet and It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back. You can tell they are still on the height of their popularity and skill, this is a great album. There were a few skips but not enough to hurt the album significantly. Honestly the thing that does hurt this album the most is how low effort and repetitive a few beats are. The first track is a great example of how grating the beats can get when you don’t change it up significantly throughout a song. The first 2 mins it doesn’t even dawn on you but by that last minute all you hear is EEEEEWWWWWE EEEEEEWWWWEE. It was driving me absolutely nuts, and a few other songs have that same problem.

Classic angry rap album here. I usually recommend this one first if I'm suggesting Public Enemy, it just really has it's own vibe. Terminator X really has amazing samples and is a tribute to his craft. Chuck's bars are tight and complex as always, and Flava Flav is the hype man for the people. All around great album.

I had a good time listening to this classic rap album. The chaotic politically charged angry rap style is definitely something I prefer over the more recent rap albums these days.

It may seem monotonous to some, but I just couldn't get tired of the furious energy, political anger and knowledge that emanated from PUBLIC ENEMY. News and archival sounds, radio interference, samples — a stunning time machine to 91. P.S. Trash-metal version (feat. Anthrax) of «Bring The Noise» is crazy!

This hits hard no punches pulled intense ride.

I think one too many Public Enemy albums were put in this book. I don't know, maybe it's just the other two albums were so good that this one seems to not meet that high standard. By no means is this a bad album and Chuck D's lyrics still bite and can tell a great story. This isn't an effort on par with the two other albums and based on the information on the backstory of the album I think Public Enemy would agree. Some of my favorite tracks are: Lost at Birth Nighttrain Can't Truss It By the Time I Get to Arizona Move Shut 'Em Down Bring Tha Noize

It's decent enough and has some powerfully politically-charged messaging, but it has a lot of noise along with it and fell off in the last half. Highlights: Can't Truss It, Shut 'Em Down

Has some really powerful messaging throughout! Definitely not something I would listen to again, but can see why it’s on this list! Fav songs: Can’t Truss It

I was NOT expecting Anthrax to be on here

Fuck yes. Perfect, but hate the metal song at the end

Track for track, Apocalypse 91 fell short of Public Enemy' previous albums. That said, as a complete album experience, I think Apocalypse 91 competes with its predecessors.

Third album on this list I’ve been served up by this lot. The 1001 Gods really do try your tolerance. Thank goodness it’s the last. 1/5 14/8/25

I have heard Public Enemy but was not previously familiar with this album. This is not something I would normally listen to, and I did not really get any sort of feeling listening to it. Would not listen again.

(как всегда не слышу слова) вроде норм, довольно боп, местами странные голоса - непонятно намеренно или просто паблик энеми такой, опять много кусков нашла которые последующие творцы референсили (особенно запомню как пришлось остановить альбом и идти слушать Тома Карди)

Fab!

Grimy, dirty and socially conscious, love it.

Good. Lost at Birth- great opening track Remath- solid By The Time I Get to Arizona- amazing track

one tune album. such awaste

I liked this one

This is an album that is made to be loud. It's a very forceful listen. The beats are kickass and very sample heavy. That doesn't mean that all the songs are memorable though. I think that this is a solid project with a selection of notable tracks. That's about all for today. Thanks for being my plane album (7/10, 3/5 on this scale)

I loved this album when it came out and I played it a million times, but this might have been the first time I ever listened to it and heard what Chuck D was saying. An important album and very much the definition of an album everyone should listen to.

No más rap por favor

Not their best work 3/5

This stuff is so relevant today, it’s fucking tough to listen. Is there a popular black rapper or musician today that will stand up and motivate the people against this racist and fascist regime? Seems like all we have today are the Diddys and Kanyes and all the rest who don’t give a fuck about nothing but money and pussy? And they’re terrified of the nazi-maga fucks in power, afraid to lose their Bentleys. So they toe the line and don’t question. Just like most everyone else. Sad. Maybe Kendrick is our modern day NWA? We could sure use a little more anger right now.

Public enemy rules. They are truly a one-of-one.great album.

Flavor Flav is barely in this album which I am kind of ok with as I find him a bit annoying. The messages within the lyrics are better than the actual music. The main guy who is prominent throughout has an interesting style but it is very similar in every song. This makes every song sound like a continuation of the last. It’s just too long to have such a similar sound for every song. 5/10

I had only really heard “Fight the Power” and “Bring Tha Noize” from Public Enemy. I had always loved both tracks and hearing this full album has only solidified my appreciation of the band. Chuck D’s voice has such a resonant undertone - it immediately demands your attention and directs the flow of energy like a preacher - making his case and calling to action. Sadly, the issues demanding attention in 1991 are still the same in 2025. In many ways, it is even more important in this moment to take the blinders off and face what we have created and are creating as a country. Fantastic album

Potent album in all respects and, with the white middle-aged lenses, this is one of the best of the era. I especially liked "One Million Bottles," a pointed critique of black men drinking themselves to death, and the Anthrax collab "Bring the Noise." Wish I had listened closer to this album when I was a counselor at a school in Chicago and one of the teens in my room had it and played it all the time.

I love political rap, and Chuck D is the high priest of the genre. Some terrific samples on this, love the James Brown on Nighttrain. Really hits its stride in the middle of the record with By the Time I Get to Arizona and Move. Today I learned from this that Arizona and NH voted against MLK day being a holiday, fucking insane. Bring The Noise with Anthrax is such a fantastic, ballsy move by a group that clearly loves all kinds of music. It doesn't quite stand up to their two masterpieces in Fear of a Black Planet and It Takes A Nation, more filler, but still a great one

I knew I liked some Public Enemy songs, but I forgot how good these guys were! When we talked about great rappers, why isn’t Chucky D’s name brought up more? This album was powerful and angry and yet musically excellent .

Wasn't feeling it.

A classic of its genre and it’s not corny, super dated, or boring. The beats knock and the performances are no-bullshit, high energy, and uncompromising. I was relieved to enjoy it as much as I did given my track record with other hip-hop cornerstones . Unfortunately still not above a bit of the timely homophobia/whatever social ills, but it’s not as egregious as some of its peers I guess.

This was super cool. I didnt know what to expect going into this, I've never listened to Public Enemy before, but it definitely wasn't this. I loved the metal-ish tracks. The beats, the synth. All great.

As enjoyable as It Takes a Nation... Possibly more so so creeping into a 4 for me. By the Time I Get to Arizona the highlight.

This was a lot of fun. I really enjoy the energy and style of the tracks. Honestly I didn't pick out as much of the lyrics as I'd like and I suspect on another listen where I concentrate on that I would enjoy it even more. You could hear the really strong influence they had on rage against the machine here, especially in "by the time I get to Arizona" I had to actually check if rage had nicked the riff from it it felt so obviously like them, but apparently not. There were a few lesser tracks in amongst it, but then there normally is with a double album. Once again I reckon with a bit of restraint I would have loved a single album cut of this. Also weirdly, considering my normal tastes, I prefer the version of bring the noise without anthrax on it, although I do like the fact they collaborated.

Æ likte det, men vi har så definitivt kommet så langt at æ begynne å lure på koffor enkelte artister har mer enn et album på lista. Men det e fascineranes politisk og alt sånt, altså.

Awesome record! I forgot how good it is. Now that I got this reminder I will listen to it more often.

Not sure this needs to be in the book. It has their 2 more classic albums already. It's not bad, so fine for now. Eventually this should be replaced by something newer or some omission. Favorite song: bring the noise

Yipes

first listen sampling immaculate

Pretty decent, a bit repetitive

Still an overall decent album, but just seemingly holding place with their very strong previous few efforts. The highlight tracks are still excellent, but the others don’t always stay consistent despite the relevant messages that many deliver. A bunch run longer than they really need to. Still thoughtful, aware, angry, and a bit fun - just not as great as some of the other output.

Old school hip hop.

Eigenlijk wil ik dit halverwege track 1 al afzetten. Het is precies wat ik verwacht en ik weet al dat ik hier niet van hou. Hoe belangrijk het album misschien ook is geweest voor hiphop en rap, ik kom niet goed door die vermoeiende herrie beats heen. Ontzettend veel irritante geluiden: Van die wesp-achtige blazers die in je trommelvliezen steken, gillende wijven, agressieve en vervelende scratches, veel fluittonen en allerhande alarmen. De laatste track kent iedereen van één van de Tony Hawk games, maar zelfs dat momentje van herkenning kan dit album voor mij niet redden. 1 ster. Ik luister serieus liever een Suzan en Freek album dan dit.

6/10… 90s hip hop

Good. The Bomb Squad was toned down and groovy!

Banger after banger after banger. Still relevant today, morso even.

Really solid production and interesting, politically concious lyrics. Not typically something I'd revisit a lot, but this had some great grooves and I found myself vibing to it frequently.

Wow, definitely like this one. I liked their previous 2… unsure why this one didn’t resonate at the time. I think I simply was entering my classic rock phase.

Songs: Can't Truss It, Bring Tha Noise

Easy to listen to. Surprisingly good

I really should have listened to more Public Enemy in my youth. It's not for me (middle-class, white, male, UK) but I was way too quick to dismiss it as "angry black people just talking over beats". Shame on me....... shame on me.

⏱️

3.5

Powerful political rap. My brain needed a moment to adjust to the wall of sound that is Public Enemy’s sound. But once it did, I found a ton to appreciate here. The music is great — hard-hitting beats that mix old school hip-hop with 90s funk. Chuck D’s flow is very deliberate even when he raps fast — I was able to follow along with everything he said. “By the Time I Get to Arizona” was a highlight! The combination of the soulful backing vocals with that fat, funky, and fuzzed out bass is epic! I also heard the musical connection between Public Enemy and Rage Against the Machine for the first time today. There were a few lines that popped out at me that get quoted in Rage songs, and a few musical moments too. I see how Public Enemy paved the way for them.

Public Enemy has an inherent humor to their sound; I don't know if it's because of Flavor Flav, but it's always interested me because their lyrical content is most often aggressive, angry, and full of angst. They talk about race, cultural issues, police aggression, and more, and yet there is Flavor Flav looking like a cartoon character. Not hating though- I love it. In fact I think the only rap-related "band shirt" I have is a Public Enemy shirt. I like this album, but it isn't my favorite ("Fear of a Black Planet" would be the one). I think there's a little bit too much repetitiveness on this one for me to fully gel with it. I don't know if maybe they had made this record with the idea that it would be a good listen while people are breakdancing or something, but it lingers on sections for too long, and too often. Still, it's a nice listen.

Loud, raucous, and so great. The thing that I like most about this album is the skits and interludes, and how ahead of the times the beats are.

One trick ponies

Oof, this has not really aged well… but a lot of the music I love would not exist without this. 4* on account of the influence. 4/5

The last PE record I cared about, which is probably how most folks experienced it (despite the single from He Got Game being swell and all). The two singles, Arizona, and Lost at Birth still stand out above the rest, but the general sense I took from it at the time and today is...man between Chuck’s voice and the Bomb Squad (peace be upon them) and coming so quickly after Fear of a Black Planet, the sound of PE was overwhelming. Fatiguing. I know they don’t do “light” very well and it’s silly expecting that from them, but I could see myself running for Summertime. Can’t Truss It and Shut Em Down are great case studies: perfect grooves, hooks, beats...and both 5 minutes loooooooong. The record as a whole, especially minus the Anthrax crossover, is well short of the run time of Fear, but damn.

Hyvä respectable albumi

Ei

Ei niin hyvä mitä aikaisempi Fear of the black planet albumi mutta ihan jees.

Schrott! Nicht hörbar! Furchtbares Gestammel: -10

Grimy bastards. Unique sound.

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

Started off as just straight bops and it kinda tapered off a bit starting in the middle. Then it ended with the bop "Bring Tha Noize." Haven't heard that song since I played Smackdown vs. Raw, but damn what a banger. Good album overall. Good flows and barely any monotony.

Pretty repetitive stuff which gets annoying at the 5min mark. There are a couple goodies in here though. My fav was Shut It Down.

Raw, straightforward and aggressive in terms of both lyrical content and delivery. A letter to the New York Post is probably the most memorable track for me on first listen. It's straight to the point and incisive; showcasing the energy that is one of the many highlights of this album. Nighttrain is another favorite track of mine for similar reasons. I like the various influences that weave in and out of each track--especially those moments of funk, since g-funk is my preferred style of hiphop. There is also a palpable futuristic vibe which I think works well with this particular production. The track with Anthrax was a better blend of styles than I thought it would be. Overall I had a lot of fun with this album and I really appreciate the clear political message.

YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH BOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Strong but not for me.

Another solid offering but again nothing that really got me. High 3.

Very political. This is the evolution of protest music. Not my favorite style of music but it is good. The anger definitely comes through.

Absolutely relentless. I honestly needed this album to stop for a second so that I could take it in better. I’m sure that was Public Enemy’s intention so I can’t begrudge them for it.

Unfortunately just not my thing, but I can appreciate the groundbreaking aspect of this

Strong.

I like a lot of Public Enemy though strangely I did not like this album.

Other than the important social commentary, I'm not usually into old school hip hop. This album started strong but very much dragged in the middle with repetitive beats and samples. Bring the Noize was just what I needed to snap out of it, and rounded the album up a bit. 2.7/5 - > 3/5

Great

This album has reminded me of my affection for Public Enemy. In this album, the political message is as stronger as ever, just as it is in their other albums. Some strong tunes here. In particular, Can't Truss it and Bring Tha Noize. Really hard stuff. Easy 4 stars.

It’s ok. Like most 90s rap the music is pretty monotonous sampling throughout. However, what really carries it is Chuck D. That raises it at least a star from what I would have given it.

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!

Good throwback to OG rap. Never done a dive into Flavor Flav, so pleasantly surprised to hear him in his prime. Political of course, with an underground-esqe anger that makes the link between punk and rap crystal clear. As a forever lover (if not full-time listener) of punk, this listen was easy to appreciate.

Oh, no thanks.

Flavor flav!!!!

Little long, but I love the noize

I remember stumbling upon a Public Enemy set in 2009 just after it started. I said to myself, "this is the best performance I've seen all weekend." That was saying a lot... because the last ever Beastie Boys performance also happened that weekend. Who can guess where I was?

3.5ish. i liked the last album i listened to by them more.

3.5 Not my normal thing but I've got a lot of time for this, particularly given I just had Run DMCs debut the day before. That there were 7 years in-between that and this blows my mind, feels like going from 50s doo-wop to the Stooges or something in just 7 years. Wish rap continued down this path of consciousenceness rather than the hedonistic NWA route

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

Curious choice over It Takes a Nation of Millions... Good reminder of how big of a deal of Public Enemy was for a couple years there in my formative youth. And a good reminder of how big of a deal Anthrax was for me for a brief period too. One of the most important groups ever but this doesn't feel like their best work.

-i listened to It Takes A Nation Of Millions almost a year ago, and i feel like i was a bit harsh on the rating. this was a very similar album to me but i think ive expanded my palette over the past year enough to appreciate it much more -not my favorite type of hip hop but still really cool. love the sampling especially -Favorites are I Don’t Wanna Be Called Yo Niga and More News At 11

Cool !

i appreciate public enemy, but man listening to a whole album is very abrasive and fatiguing. i’ll stick to the hits probably.

This holds up remarkably well after 30+ years. And the Anthrax collab is amazing. Can’t Truss it By the Tome I Get to Phoenix Night train Bring the Noise ****

Super fun to go back and listen to this again. It's been since the middle 90s since I've heard this one. It's not quite as good as some of their other early work. But a blast none the less.

Apparently I like hip-hop? Minus one star for that Anthrax track which was unnecessary.

My expectations going into this was to respect the craftsmanship, influence and political/ social statements but ultimately find the music dated. And while there are a few bars and songs that either haven’t aged well or sound dated as a whole a majority of the record is really enjoyable and hard hitting. The production is great and the performances are fun and biting. Standout tracks for me are Lost At Birth, Can’t Truss It, By The Time I Get To Arizona, 1 Million Bottlebags and Move! Not sure the Anthrax crossover song works super well but it’s very fun and an unexpected combination. Overall a respectable 3.5/5

Cool album. Standout songs: Can't Truss it By the time I get to Arizona A Letter to the New York Post

Como digo en cada entrada de algún álbum de rap o hip hop, no soy nada fan del género, y cuando me encuentro joyas como ésta, me emociona mucho. No había escuchado a Public Enemy y me parecieron con un gran ritmo y un rap directo y a la cabeza. Muy disfrutable para caminar de noche en los barrios intensos de la ciudad. Al menos me hace poner cara de malo.

Not my taste

More enjoyable than I was expecting, definitely quite a bit of “rock” energy on this album

Felt great after 2 weeks of pop/rock

I hated the first Public Enemy album I received on this list, let's see how this one goes. Song 1: Lost At Birth. Same annoying droning sound. I'm pretty sure this might be the exact same album. 7 songs in and they all sound like this. Maybe it was better live, you had to be there at the time, or have to be able to resonate with the messages better. Bring the Noize baked by Anthrax was slightly manageable but still not great.

I liked this album. I feel like I didn't really like Fear of a Black Planet the first time I heard it, so I'll have to go back and listen because I thought I wouldn't enjoy this, but ended up liking it. Powerful educational tunes for the most part. Songs that make you want to fight, stand up, or sometimes just laugh. It felt really ahead of it's time, maybe things have just been effed up for a really long time though. 3.5

Lot of catchy, cool songs, but to be honest it sounds dated. I know it made waves when it was new, but listening through a modern lens it sounds a lot less special. I think there's other albums that rubbed shoulders with this one that stood the test of time much better

Amazing, I've rarely heard such a pile of shit in three briefly played tracks. Hip-hop just isn't my thing. 1/5

Chad rap 4.5

Not as groundbreaking as the first 3 but it is still PE

A little way too repetitive beats, grated on me

Good energy - I like. Enjoy the continuous flow between songs. Great beats and flow. Felt energised and upbeat listening to it and some nice little break downs and use of samples. Yehhhh I like this and whilst songs are similar in some way, just great flow and continuation and vibes (1st half) 😎 political, cultural and a capturing of society at the time, and more importantly, being black. Enough to keep it fresh and varied throughout. Tune with Anthrax just shows their openness but also a bit comical. 1st 1/2 better than 2nd. Great start and run of tracks.

I enjoyed this old school rap. Although that keenan and kel skit kept replaying in my head. Yo i said old schoooool

Not the worst.

Wow. Not a genre I like very much but hard to argue with the sigificance of what these guys had to say.

11/05/2025 I didn't ever expect myself to be into old skool hip hop.

4.5 stars. Essential 90's hip hop. Slower paced with good beats. Lyrics with some activism and commentary on African American community. Standouts "By The Time I Get To Arizona", collab with Anthrax "Bring Tha Noize".

Not sure how Flavor Flav had a career after this, but Chuck D's flow is fabulous. I Don't Wanna Be Yo Niga is probably the worst song ever written and recorded, even though I completely understand what they were attempting to do.

Have not heard much, if any, hip hop or rap music that I like. This one included.

Per FOBP review I should have given ITANOMTHUB a 5 as by far the superior album. In my opinion A91 suffers from same issue of FOBP in that the beats/ samples are too dense they they diminish the power of Chuck D. Still some strong tracks - and power of message remains - but overall not as good as FOBP. A low 4.

Apocalypse 91…The Enemy Strikes Back ‘Clear the way for the ass to ass 1ws’ I know he doesn’t sing that, but it certainly sounds like it. I don’t know this one as well as Fear of a Black Planet and A Nation of Millions, I do know it’s not quite as well regarded as those two, but listening through now I do it’s just as good as those. Because it is less densely produced, due to them re-recording and Hank Shocklee being less hands on, it’s more musically direct and with some of the live drumming has a more organic feel. I do love it when they go full kitchen sink, but this does benefit from the contrast with their other albums, even if thematically and lyrically it's still just as intense and aggressive. Lost at Birth shows the less full on style, it’s just one descending, repeating siren rather than 8 sirens all competing at once, and the clarity makes it much more immediate, a great opening track. Can’t Truss It’s intro sounds a bit like The Way I Are by Timbaland I think, but I love the repeating horn piano breakdown samples. The guitar sample is also excellent on I Don’t Wanna Be Called Yo N***, and the bass is also excellent. By The Time I Get To Arizona is my standout, the bass sample/groove is mesmerically good. Move! Feels most akin to Black Planet and Nation of Millions in it’s sound. 1 Million Bottlebags, Shut ‘Em Down and Get The Fuck Out of Dodge are also great. I’m not sure the Anthrax version of Bring Tha Noise adds much to proceedings though It’s interesting coming so soon on the list after 3 Feet High and Rising, as there are a few references to it, the same This is a Recording sample in Lost at Birth, Me, Myself and I in By the Time I Get to Arizona. Over multiple listens I do think this is just as good as Black Planet Nations, the sound is a bit easier to digest, and there are some slower grooves and tempos, but lyrically it’s still as dense and as interesting and as confrontational, and it just gets into the 5s 📢📢📢📢📢 Playlist submission: By the Time I Get to Arizona

The Imperial Grand Ministers of Funk have created a continuous sonic backdrop which is only equalled by contemporary mixmasters, Jive Bunny. The raps feel like they laid the groundwork for so much modern hip hop. Breaking free of the repetitive form of the original MCs like Grandmaster Flash, and raising it to something much more complex. If I were to ever meet them I'd shake them by the hand and say, listen chaps, this might not entirely be my thing, but it's jolly accomplished. Although I prefer the other two PE albums we've reviewed, It's cutting lyrics and important subject matter and continuing quality of raps, tips this into four.

Old school, 1 bra låt

Got the groove…and the messages

I really enjoyed it. 3.5

Nope

3.7 - Its good, but does it really stand out from others?

Hmm I think unpopular opinion but I liked this album more than their other two much bigger hits. 3.8/5 Fave Tracks: Nighttrain, Can't Truss It, By The Time I Get to Arizona (shout out Tony Hawk)

Once again, Public Enemy demonstrates that sounding rebellious does not equate to sounding good. Sometimes musical molds are good to break away from, as seen with the rampant experimentation in the 60s and 70s. Other times, when melody is rejected in favour of bellowing about how much your life sucks while swimming in cash from your previous album releases, I think you should stick to convention. This kind of 90s hip-hop sound is very dated and I'm convinced the 5-star ratings are primarily nostalgia-driven rather than a reflection of how good the music sounds. Apocalypse 91 is even worse than its big brothers, It Takes a Nation of Millions and Fear of a Black Planet, because there's a stark lack of radio-friendly (and consequently better-sounding) tracks. Instead, the listener experiences 52 minutes of monotonous noise and near-identical beats (most of which are artificial, further removing any humanity or relatability) with a few moments of fresh air to remind the listener that this group is capable of making good art... they just don't particularly want to. The fresh air in question are the tracks Can't Truss It (debatably), By The Time I Get To Arizona, and Bring Tha Noize. The former would normally be a soulless throwaway on most R&B/hip-hop records, but it comes with a vaguely good brass riff that makes it stand out slightly from the pack. Kind of a dorian-mode feel. But the fact that it doesn't vary throughout the song, even slightly, demonstrates the level of quality we're dealing with here. By The Time I Get To Arizona has a shockingly complex synth line that sounds like a different artist entirely until the vocals come in. Ignoring the vocals, it's actually a darn good track. Sounds sci-fi-esque. Bring Tha Noize brings in the electric guitar and (judging by Spotify listening numbers) once again demonstrates that rock influence will make just about any music sound better. I wish Public Enemy would experiment more with a rock sound, maybe add some interesting melodies to replace the agonising loops. Because, despite their obvious influence in the 90s, they've got very little going for them. Public Enemy is a musical dead end. 1/5 Key tracks: Can't Truss It, By The Time I Get To Arizona, Bring Tha Noize

I respect what they did for the genre, but I did not love it. It does hit differently in the current political environment.

Even if you take off the Anthrax remix, this is a perfect hip hop album for metal heads. Loud and in your face.

They definitely bring it. The beat of their music is infectious.

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

Hearing this over 30 years after its recording and so many issues still exist is devastating. And it still sounds fresh.

Not the biggest fan of rap but I quite enjoyed this

Their other albums are better

Old skool rap

Had absolutely no interest in listening to a 90s rap album for the third day in a row

3.5/5

3.75

Powerful commentary on the state of society and how the Black community is treated. Not my favorite album musically, but an important listen.

While its still got the intelligent emancipationist rapping from Chuck D the real contribution of this album is on rave. This album paved the way for darkcore and and is basically the only source other than 909s that Nasenbluten ever used. Its way more stripped back, much less funky and a lot more aggresive. Apparently their DATs were stolen halfway through production which makes it even more ghetto. Lost at Birth opens with skittering scratches moving across the whole stereo image and a metallic siren that could have come out of a Rufige Kru track. Nighttrain and Can't Truss It just pound home the same loops over and over again until they start to drill into your brain. By The Time I Get To Arizona is Amiga-ready having been reduced to the lowest bit rate you could imagine. 1 Million Bottlebags has rave stabs? Anthrax AND a funky drummer break? Suck on that Aerosmith. Its not Fear of a Black Planet or Nation of Millions but just look at that cover - Flav is literally the Terminator.

"Bring tha noise" +2, political fierceness

This is infinitely better than modern hip hop

Late stage PE

"Justice evolves only after injustice is defeated" Public Enemy's "Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black" is an unyielding and forceful album that showcases high production quality. However, the musical sound and beats take a backseat, much like punk music from the 1970s, as the value lies in its message. The album's real power comes from the unflinching reality conveyed through Chuck D's social and political commentaries. All the other voices, including guest artists, fail to rise to his purposeful command of storytelling. Overall, the album is cohesively crafted. Although it features similar beats and tempos throughout, these are mixed with various samples and musical injections to prevent it from becoming monotonous. While I lack the background or expertise in hip-hop to fully explain the relevance, I enjoyed this record, The message alone warrants this album a rating of 4 and is something that everyone needs to listen to, at least once.

Once again, nothing against the lads but not enough interesting stuff going on musically. I can't really hear lyrics so they might as well be talking about eating ice cream round Nan's house.

2 out of 5. I liked this one more than their "Nation" album.

So, what I liked about this album is that Public Enemy really knew how to bring that jumpy party vibe to their music. It definitely has energy that runs through you. I also enjoy the old-school turntablism that used to be such a big part of hip hop, but sadly, technology has really changed the DJ element. It was also cool to see the collaboration with Anthrax. Now, I have to admit that even though music like this used to affect me differently, I think I’ve just moved past that stage and outgrown it. It will always be important in history, but if I said I was totally feeling it while listening, I’d be lying. I pretty much just played it to get through it.

I definitely need to revisited ITANOMTHUB sometime soon There are a few good bops on this thing, but it doesn't work great altogether. There's also a few songs I think are just kind of mediocre which sucks because the vocals are awesome sauce :( Still a solid album all around though. Favs: Lost at Birth, Can't Truss It, 1 Million Bottlebags Least fav: More News at 11

An early 90 classic that’s held up amazingly well and still somehow remains criminally underrated. Huge beats and great delivery from Chuck D.

Hard Hitting Hip Hop! From their three albums on the list, I’ve learned that I really like Public Enemy

3.75/5 interesting hip hop album. Some good beats

Great beats great lyrics which could also be from 2025 not 1991

I like Public Enemy, Chuck D is one of my favorite MCs, but this one doesn't quite live up to their earlier efforts.

Just as I thought we may have seen the last of the Hip-Hop albums, we another one which is largely indistinguishable from all the other Hip-Hop albums in this list.

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 like the message, and the album has more variety than some of Public Enemy's predecessors like Run-D.M.C. That said, it feels unpolished compared to other major hip hop artists at the time - Eric B. & Rakim, Gang Starr, etc. were putting out higher quality songs.

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.

Good hip hop album that clearly shows what time its from which isn't a bad thing in this case. I haven't heard much of public enemy before but I like a lot of what I hear here.

Elvis, was a hero to most, but he never meant shit to me. Every time I see this group, that line flashes through my head like a bolt of rage from a pen scribbling decades ago. That revelation came on the previous year’s “Fight the Power” which still resonates today. Before I blow this whole review box revelling in the past glories of a single line of a single song, I now peer forward to the apparently barely averted apocalypse of 1991. Unless of course there was an apocalypse and everything since then has been a dream in the head of some guy. Perhaps it’s me? I suppose that’s what anybody would think. Too early to be this existential. Hey Flava. Be a dear and get me out of this intro, would you? Oh hell yeah. What an intro. Adrenaline inducing. Well. I don’t know if “get back cause he whacks (wax) the tracks like terminator” is holding up. This track starts in one place and stays there. I wanted more rap and less of the repetitive whine. When the rap kicked in, I was still slightly distracted by the beat. Not a bad song, but I await more variety. Yo Flava. I can’t count. Will there be an accessible beat counting mechanism? Can I use my rap abacus? I think that should be allowed. Man this was a good little shot. “Now the KKK wears three-piece suits.” Still relevant. What are these beats? There is so much going on. Samples galore, weird guitar licks, car horns. Let’s get some dogs barking and maybe some kazoos. I joke but Chuck D delivers again. Anger distilled into musical expression. This beat starts off great, but unless there’s a switch that one second horn loop is going to drive me crazy. Well. They mix it up enough. I will say that this one sounds a little 80’s. Almost (ugh) west coast. Sorry that was hard to say. Sunny beat. I need bitter cold. Went too long as well. Well. We have some slurs afoot. When Chuck D isn’t rapping, the audience should be saying, Where’s Chuck? I’m probably going to skip this one at my next karaoke night. Probably not a good look. I’ll listen to this one carefully, and if radio consultants still exist, well, let’s just say look out. I plan on getting funky with the underground. I don’t like how that sounds in any way. Arizona has never been this funky. I love that this is just an opus about hating Arizona. Chuck D is so cool. Just says the stuff that needs to be said. No political party represents him. America is ran by a bunch of racist gun morons. Man that beat switch with the scream sample is so good. This is a beast of a song. Trudging through the desert, crushing government infrastructure. Move! is a song that sort of highlights the worst aspects of this album. The busy beats and repetitive vocal samples, make this one a forgettable track in what has been a solid recording thus far. I mean, burp samples aside, this rules. Little straight edge anthem from Chuck. This one goes pretty hard. Simpler beat and it’s excellent. Less news at 11 hopefully. This song kind of floated by for me until the jarring KKK outro. I guess that’s what you could call it. So much rage. Oh no, another Flava Flav song. Ok, now he’s gone. He’s not terrible, but he certainly lacks the poetic gravitas of his band mate. This smack down of the New York Post seems like it’s probably justified, but it hasn’t been my favourite subject so far. Classic throwback to Day of Reckoning 2? 1? I don’t remember. The formula that Body Count would build a career on works so well here. Genres with similar spines of indignant rage, meshing to create a novel and heavy track. Anthrax isn’t the greatest thrash band to ever do it (they only have one good album; sue me) but they work as a very capable backing band for the frantic poetry of Public Enemy. Apocalypso would be a cool name for a death metal/calypso outfit. I take that back. That whole idea sucks. But I must leave what I write. Why? Probably a series of disorders heretofore undiagnosed. I dream of a future where they can figure out the concoction of whatever is going on up here. Anywho, Public Enemy brought “tha noize” on this record. Chuck D is militant and aggressive and angry, but he has a focus that is hard to match. No punches are pulled lyrically at all. Obvious American discrimination is decimated while the finer aspects of systemic oppression are mused upon to the tune of increasingly chaotic beats. I think it’s in the beats that this album has its weakest moments. From the very beginning, there are layers and layers of samples and it so often feels like an overstuffed sack, to the point where nothing works. There are excellent beats sprinkled throughout, but where the lyrics should be the main focus of this album, there seems to be a full one man band playing over a five second soul sample loop. I will also say that even though I’ve praised him throughout, Chuck D’s monotone delivery can get a little tired after fifty plus minutes. All things weighed, this was a good album. Aboard this early 90’s political rap battleship, I sail into the beyond feeling at peace about the apocalypse. Watching the worms return to feed upon the living once again. Splinter the earth around me. Just don’t mess up my wearable clock. I’m a timepiece aficionado. 3-3.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Rebirth, By the Time I Get to Arizona, 1 Million Bottlebags, Bring Tha Noize

I can't hate Public Enemy, they are one of the most vital bands in music generally never mind Hip Hop specifically. But this doesn't have the full on pull that they have at their finest. It's definitely worth a listen but I think it's not something I need to hear again.

Not the PE album I would have expected to be on this list and one that I am less famliar with. But it is solid. I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo Niga, By the Time I Get to Arizona, and 1 Million Bottlebags are up there with the best of their stuff. I really wish there were part stars because this three-star rating is on the cusp of a four.

Rap, 1991 -> 1

It's the standard for the hip hop albums on this list - way too long for no good reason. -1 star for the Anthrax collab.

4.5/5

Album 730 of 1001 Public Enemy - Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black (1991) Rating : 2 / 5 Blah Blah Blah. Better than many but not my thing. Extra point because Flavor Flav is sometimes a hoot.

First track was catchy. Album is righteous anger and was right on. Not a fan of being yelled at though.

Still startlingly relevant. Faves: A letter to the New York post; bring tha noize.

Apparently, the disks for every track Public Enemy had been working on for the past four to five years prior to the release of ‘Apocalypse 91…’ were stolen, meaning as result, they had to rush to re-create their music in order to put out this album in a timely manner. And you can hear it. This is still a good, solid entry in the Public Enemy canon and it’s certainly worth a listen, but it never quite threatens to hit the same highs of ‘Fear of A Black Planet’, and ‘It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back’.

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)

6/10 = 3+

Pretty good

Not quite as good as first one, but pretty solid. A few slow spots

90-tals hip hop

wow! Haven't fully enjoyed other albums of Public Enemy I've listened to, but this was brilliant. Lyrics were very interesting and offered an insight into 90s America for Black men. Production and beats were very cool too. I'm currently making my way through Malcolm X's autobiography, and this album is in a similar zone to that. Lost at Birth, Can't Truss it, How to Kill a Radio Consultant, Move, More News at 11, Shut 'em Down. Brilliant stuff. Special mention to 1 Million Bottlebags for its interesting social commentary. I finally "get" Public Enemy.

such a banger of an album - crazy samples, brutal lyricism, hard scratching, and high energy.

Not always pleasant to listen to (sometimes repetitive with a very busy sound) but they have their own unique style, energetic delivery and a strong message. 3.7

Not quite on the level of Fear Of A Black Planet, the fourth album from Public Enemy is still poignant, albeit not as gripping as their two previous records.

Almost as good as Fear Of A … Not quite, but almost! Chuck D still delivers like his life depended and the arrangements are solid as well; a higher degree of live musicianship helps bring the songs to life. The fact that Anthrax collaborated with the group on the closing remix of “Bring Tha Noize” slams dunk the ending and helped pave a change in direction of the genre.

Good stuff right here.

Love the bare bones boom boom bap beats made of scratching and samples looped on repeat but they get a bit samey after a few tracks. Their song w Anthrax kicks the shit out of Aerosmith & RunDMC, even if they accidentally invented Nu Metal.

Turn it up! Bring the noise!

This was DENSE, used Genius to learn about the double meanings. Lots of this still relevant imo.

I have nothing but respect for Public Enemy, but this album did not feel very accessible for me. Some good jams, but nothing outstanding.

Veel van dit soort albums luister ik 1xtje en daarna af en toe een nummertje

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

It's great. Bold and punchy. Not as memorable as fear of a black planet but another great project.

I don't think this is the best Public Enemy album but it is another good entry in to their work. I don't know if it's just me but I feel like this record is dominated by Chuck D while Flava Flav and Terminator X take a bit of a backseat. I think the production and beat work on this album is really great; it's that middle mix of the early ages of hip hop moving toward what would become the more deliberate and from scratch beats of the 90's. The sampling is there but the beat production has a lot of construction in it as opposed to one or two samples together, followed by a distinct set of samples later. Anyway I enjoyed this. It's not the masterpiece Fear of a Black Planet is, but it's still good. And that Anthrax feature at the end...nice.

Came back to this multiple times this week and it’s such a solid and fantastic album. I didn’t know how consistently good Public Enemy’s output was in the late 80s-early 90s but I’ve enjoyed finding out. Fun to pick out ‘…Arizona’ from one of my favourite video games of all time - not Guitar Hero this time but the fantastic Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 and just a run of absolute belters.

Old-school hip-hop.

Maso

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’m at a 4. I dunno, maybe my expectations were a bit too sky high after the brilliance of both “It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back” & “Fear Of A Black Planet”, but this one fell a little shorter for me. I don’t think it’s in the production – the beats here are still good enough, though this clearly isn’t as up to par as those two albums. It’s not totally in Chuck D’s flows or lyrics, because his stuff is still sharp for the most part, but he does have moments where the energy just doesn’t feel as present. It’s partially in Flavor Flav’s, because he’s sort of relegated to a P. Diddy-esque hype man role ala “Ready to Die”, and his contributions to this one come across a little more bitter & angry compared to his stuff on the other two albums; I might just be missing something, though, who knows? I’m not sure exactly what it is, but the closest thing I can come up with is just that the album’s subject matter just hasn’t aged particularly well. Sure, a lot of this still has a prescience to it, but it lacks the sort of timeless bite that makes the prescience have a point that really sticks. A lot of the complaints brought up here are valid, but much like Flavor Flav’s stuff, it’s rooted in a way that doesn’t address the core of the issue and just sort of fantasizes around it. That lack of a call to action, in a meaningful sense, something so blatantly present on the other two albums, feels replaced by a call to just sort of acknowledge it and hope someone listens. Once again though, I might just be missing something. That’s not to say there’s no bite – the first 4 tracks are great, and “By the Time I Get to Arizona” is a fantastic track that contains the direction I wish this album had really, really stuck to, but a lot of this album does come across as flatter, especially the last 4 tracks (save, partially for “Shut ‘Em Down”). That’s NOT counting the Anthrax remix of Bring tha Noize, which is, for better or for worse, nu metal being born right there in 1991. That shit was rad. With all that said, it’s still a great Public Enemy album, but something is just missing here – whether it really is the subject matter not aging as well, a more bitter tone to everything, or the production / storytelling not hitting the same level as the first two PE albums we got, it’s something noticeable enough for me to give them a 4 for the first time. I still recommend it, though. It’s a solid 52 minutes, and it’s still got Chuck D flowing like a motherfucker – when he’s rolling, there’s still an infectious energy that’s too damn good to ignore. He’s just not rolling as much on this one, hence the 4. Again, though, and I cannot stress this enough: I might just be missing something.

top tier bars

Not horrible but realistically prob wont listen again

Not really my vibe but a fun listen

for some reason I enjoyed this more than "It Takes a Nation of Millions". I'll chalk it up to the mood I must have been in. The high energy beats and Chuck D's rapping were good, very early 90s. I'm realizing I'm really bad at deciphering lyrics, which results in me being lower on these kind of albums than I could be given the opportunity to read through line by line on Genius. Still cant stand that useless barnacle Flava Flav.

bombing

Hell yes, Flavor Flav and Terminator X let’s do it… Right off the bat, Chuck D is fucking awesome. He has such a good voice for rap/hip-hop that flows well with their beats and blends well with Flav’s higher voice for his raps and ad libs. Lyrically solid, enjoyed all of the songs, laughed at A Letter to NY Post since a diss track to a newspaper is pretty funny but it was a good diss track! Overall enjoyed the album, I find myself comparing most of the hip hop to this time to how I like Tribe and this is close but not enough for me to give a five.

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.

No. PE is not worthy of a third album on the 1001 List. Take an annoying smoke alarm or siren or squelch as your baseline, take seven oppressed, angry black men rappin’ ‘bout their ghetto lives over that baseline and you have just made another couple Mil and a (0.4*s) album. This one sux, G. Really, really hoping PE doesn’t make the list again.

I'm pretty over Public Enemy and I don't think this album belongs on the list. There's no stand out song, most of them sound the same, and it feels like a money grab. It's an uninspired cash out because the formula worked so why not squeak another out. Apocalypse is full of annoying sound effects and cheap beats. It sounds dated and a lot of the lyrics are for shock value (ex: track 5 "I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo N" repeat 50 times). The screeching sound on "1 Million Bottlebags" is absolutely a game ender, I couldn't wait for it to stop. Closing out with "Bring Tha Noize" was a good choice, but unfortunately this one is annoying as well. I don't need to hear anything from this album ever again. Barely a 1.0 only because Anthrax.

Each album by Public Enemy provided by the list has gotten better consecutively (and by date). This 3rd list installment presents the further refinement of the group, better production/mixing and lyrical content although with the same topics of political injustice, social unrest, crooked cops, and drug problems the black community faces. Flava still pretty lame but slightly more tolerable. I hope we are done with PE but I'm afraid we will be getting their debut. The enemy strikes back on this album with 2 stars.

I've enjoyed the prior Public Enemy albums to decent reviews. Something about this one didn't stick. With 3 entries on the list already perhaps they have overstayed their welcome for me. While it felt mostly like another hour of similar Public Enemy fare, something about this one felt a little more watered down. The production felt like generic beats surrounded by an annoying noises to take you out of it. While Flava carries another aspect of annoyance I still find his Public Enemy hype man additions somewhat endearing for some reason. Either way, this was the weakest of the Public Enemy albums I've heard so far and I'm getting ready to close the book on them for the most part. 2.04 stars

Best I’ve heard from them

Unironically so cool. It’s angry, it’s relentlessly repetitive at times, and never provides a moments rest. Perfection.

It's cool and political but feels dated.

Kein Malzbier an schwarze. OK ✅ Guter klassiker

This will be a new one. Yeah, it's just not my thing.

Not a huge rap fan, but this album was really good.