Reviews (page 5 of 7)
Þessi var miklu betri en sú á undan. Var ekki aðdáandi á sínum tíma, þótt Bring tha noize hafi nú kitlað smá. En nú er þetta nokkuð skemmtilegt pólitískt hiphop. Svona þroskast fólk.
good album
decent, but then again only listened once. would listen to it again!
As always, writing is top-notch and poignant. Damn shame they lost their originals when producing this. I bet there would've been some more phenomenal stuff here, but instead they had to rush and stick to their usual script. I do like the funk/rock n' roll inspired beats, but wish the song structures were a little more varied.
Inventive, creative, musically sound, it ticks all of the boxes, but somehow it's just not for me. It's like a gentle but constant enjoyable sparring with a competent opponent. My ears feel like they're getting a gentle battering. I was glad when it finished.
I preferred the previous Public Enemy album I listened to but still a decent listen. And I learned something new, I hadn't known Arizona pussyfooted on MLK Day for so long
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.
Good, not great.
Yereeaaaahhhhhh boooooiiiiii. Iconic. Influential. Not one of my faves, but I appreciate what Public Enemy have done for rap music. Love the Anthrax collab. 3/5
The first track did not fill me with hope. An annoying siren blares loudly in the background throughout. Some of the other tracks are pretty good though. It's a mixed bag.
Same as every other hip hop album from this era: Some tracks are hype and some are just annoying
Good old school rap
Great album but compared to Fear of a black planet and it takes a nation…, it just hit the same chord
Tutto l’album insieme è allucinante, nel senso negativo. La struttura dei brani fatta di un unico beat che si ripete fino alla fine è troppo ripetitiva per me, però è tipico del genere. Pezzi che si salvano sono I don’t wanna be called yo nigga, e l’ultimo di cui non ricordo il nome con gli anthrax
This album is aggressive. It is a fun style, just not really for me. I feel like this album is iconic and I can see why. Combining with Anthrax is wild. Actual rating...3.5 Liked Songs: "Lost At Birth" , "Nighttrain" , "Can't Truss It" , "I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo N***" , "Move!" , "Shut Em Down" , "A Letter To The New York Post" , "Get The F... Outta Dodge" , "Bring The Noize"
liked songs: 1 Million Bottlebags 2.5
Angry and energetic. Good stuff. I think I liked this the most of the Public Enemy albums we have had.
The creme de la creme when it comes to 90s hip hop sounds is what I think of with Public Enemy. Luckily this one was way more bearable for me compared to Fear of a Black Planet. Not in my top 10 when it comes to genres I would choose to listen to but this album was really fun to listen to. Bring Tha Noize was a song of my childhood being in both Tony Hawk and WWE Smackdown vs Raw!
After listening to now our 3rd Public Enemy album (why?), I will say Chuck D deserves his flowers and is one of the better MC's we've had on this list. Shut 'Em Down is used as a sample in Biggies Ten Crack Commandments. Hell yeah. Holy hell Bring the Noise scared me for a sec with Anthrax. Honestly pretty badass. Had this one on in the background while working and it was pretty solid.
I find some of these difficult to rate. Clearly this is a fantastic album and deserves to be on this list. But I am so far removed from New York hip hop culture in the 80s that I can't really relate
My kind of rap - feels like it has a message.
That was ok. I like older hip-hop.
I liked bring the noise because it was on Tony Hawks Pro Skater . But it was a forgettable album otherwise
Aggressive and in your face, paving the way for what was to come. True pioneers. They also, created what would essentially become nu-metal by collaborating with Anthrax. Can’t say that I thank them for it, but it’s interesting.
Ultimately a fairly good rap record. No tracks that were nearly as good as anything off ITANOMTHUB except Shut 'Em Down (in particular the Pete Rock remix), which is top 5.
Tja, tja, tja. Ook hiervoor geldt: misschien is het aardig gedaan, maar ik zal het hierna nooit meer opzetten. Er is variatie, er is wat humor, de heren hebben ongetwijfeld talent maar mijn genre is het gewoon niet. Onrust in mijn hoofd in plaats van muziekgenot. Nog een mild cijfer omdat ik weet dat het erger kan.
Chuck D could sing a phone book and it would be worth a listen. That being said, this isn’t their best. But it’s hard to beat their best.
pretty nice hippetihoppeti. not their best album
Not bad
A wake up call still relevant today
Decent old school rap. 2,5
This was good but also it’s not really my style of hip hop and I wouldn’t reach for it again - the classic case of the museum piece.
Still dig the message, but it's missing some of the artistry of the previous two in terms of songcraft and delivery.
Was excited to listen to my first full Public Enemy project having been aware of the group through their classic hits. Unfortunately, this didn't grab me in the way I thought it would. Middle of the road on this one, didn't hate it, didn't love it. Favourites: Shut Em Down Least Favourites: Honestly don't feel that strongly about anything on this album, not crazy on the Bring tha noise re-release. Rating: 5/10
Yeah - Very PE
Alright
3.0 - Ok
Not my fav but respect to the guys who were there first with rap. Not a bad album for the old stuff!
Classic rap. Not my genre but I appreciate the talent.
Bring the Noise is right up my alley. Weird we're still talking about the same shit 40 years later. Of course Public Enemy is great.
Social commentary and aggressive old school rap is a great combo. Warning to other white men: Don't listen to this at work on your speaker.
I enjoy cohesive and themed albums but this is monotonous. Adds appreciation for the hip hop revolution that followed in 93.
Not too bad. I kinda liked it.
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
It was not terrible.
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.
quite boring rap, the finale with anthrax il tue tho
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Not really mine, but Respect!
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
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)
Probably fine for what it is.
Get old real fast. PE had a huge impact at the time and on music ever since, but this album is exhausting.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
(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)
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)
No más rap por favor
Not their best work 3/5
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
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
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.
6/10… 90s hip hop
Good. The Bomb Squad was toned down and groovy!
Songs: Can't Truss It, Bring Tha Noise
Easy to listen to. Surprisingly good
3.5
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.
One trick ponies
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 niin hyvä mitä aikaisempi Fear of the black planet albumi mutta ihan jees.
Grimy bastards. Unique sound.
Pretty repetitive stuff which gets annoying at the 5min mark. There are a couple goodies in here though. My fav was Shut It Down.
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.
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
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.
Flavor flav!!!!
Little long, but I love the noize
3.5ish. i liked the last album i listened to by them more.
-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
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
More enjoyable than I was expecting, definitely quite a bit of “rock” energy on this album
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
Not as groundbreaking as the first 3 but it is still PE
Old school, 1 bra låt
I really enjoyed it. 3.5
I respect what they did for the genre, but I did not love it. It does hit differently in the current political environment.
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
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.
Late stage PE
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.
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.
3.75/5 interesting hip hop album. Some good beats
I like Public Enemy, Chuck D is one of my favorite MCs, but this one doesn't quite live up to their earlier efforts.
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.
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.
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’.
6/10 = 3+
Pretty good
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.
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.
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
Old-school hip-hop.
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.
Kein Malzbier an schwarze. OK ✅ Guter klassiker
Más de lo mejor. Rap/Hip-Hop de los 90. Me ha gustado como empieza con Lost at birth y también luego Nighttrain, y para terminar Bring tha noize. Pero en general no me ha entusiasmado tanto como otros discos suyos.
see my other public enemy review
Andre public enemy albumet på her.
I'm not a big hip hop or rap fan, but this album is Okay. I'll give it three stars.
Helt solid, gillar beatsen. Borde med andakt lyssna på lyricsen men det gör jag ej.
I liked this more than their other album this was kinda hype. Stand-out: Get The F... Outta Dodge
No es tanto mi estilo. Lo pondria para estudiar o algo asi tho.
Old school jams.
Better than Fear Of A Black Planet. It definitely sounds like it's 35 years old but it's still good.
Liked it more than I thought I would
I feel like id like it on certain days
Sick beats n all but gets a lil repetitive
Probably their 3rd best album, not convinced it needed including but still solid album nonetheless
Not really my thing, but it’s cool.
More intellectual and hardcore rap from PE. I regularly use the phrase “Shut em down” to people. PE is not my go to rap group but I appreciate their importance and impact.
Not as good as the other two albums, but still solid!
Shout out to the song from Tony Hawk. I don’t have much tolerance for Flav. I don’t like that there were zero good hooks on this album.
Overall good vibe
I'm not really in the mood for this today, but I can tell it's good so I'll try to be objectively subjective if that's a thing... First thing that hits me is how, although I'm already aware this is the case, I'm still somehow surprised how often it's confirmed that nothing has really changed in the last 30 years. Otherwise, while I think this is good at what it does, it feels like Public Enemy are starting to run out of ideas on this one. Their previous couple of albums aged surprisingly well. This one feels more repetitive and drags at many points. It does get better in the second half, imo. Still, Chuck D is as effective as ever and it's hard not to take a man with a voice like that seriously.
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa.
3*
good
Is good
not this biggest fan of the hip hop
239/1001
Det var bedre end forventet, jeg kom ikke til at kede mig på samme måde som jeg eller godt kan have tendens til med hip-hop.
Det fantastiske ved det her projekt er alt den musik man opdager som man ikke vidste man kunne li’. Men der er også i årets løb sket det, at jeg har fundet ud af, at jeg slet ikke kan li’ Hip Hop så godt som jeg troede. Public Enemy var ikke en af de Hip Hop grupper jeg havde det dybeste kendskab til, men de er faktisk nogle af dem der har skuffet mig mindst ind til videre. Der er numre der sidder lige i skabet, ens hovede bopper og hånderne kaster ufrivilligt håndtegn ud i luften. Og så kommer der desværre nogle missere ind i mellem som bare tager luften gevaldigt ud af albummet. Sjovt med et metal “cover” af en af deres egne tidligere hits. Og så endda et år før Body Counts debut
Yeah these lads peaked with nation of millions. Chuck D is still 5 stars but without any big singles on this album the production is just too messy for me to enjoy.
cool album of music
eh... wasn't terrible. But nothing too special about it. Apart from the absurd use of the n word. 5/10 #148
I get the appeal, but the beats seem repetitive from track to track. Chuck D's vocal are a force on here though, and Flavor Flav brings it down.
Whilst it's still influential, it's nowhere near as good as "Fear of a Black Planet" and "It takes a Nation...".
Pretty good but not really my thing overall. Sounded like all Public Enemy to me, which is fine.
Doesn't feel as urgent as Black Planet or Nation of Millions. But still good.
Okay for me
Bit of a mixed bag, big nearly as good as their first 3 albums. But the production is good, and quite inventive as I read they tried to avoid using any well know samples to save money. Some good highlights in "Yo Niga", "Arizona" and "Shut Em Down". But the re-released track with Anthrax just feels like a cash grab.
Catchy
Can see a lot of influences on modern day hip hop and was shocked but also respect the bluntness. Fav song by the time i get to arizona
I enjoyed this album, but I'm kind of uneducated on good vs. bad hip hop. 3* Highlight: bring the noise (shoutout to tony hawk pro skater 2)
This album is alright. Its lyrics didnt exactly stand out to me. Nor did the music stand out in anyway shape or form. Overall this was a decent album.
the album move was pretty good because they had a good scratcher for the album he did pretty good with it and so did the singer he wasn't bad though i could barley understand what he was saying i think this song is good but isnt the best i would recommend listening to this album
1st song- i rate like 6/10 its ok its pretty good 2nd song- i rate like 10/10 but it sound so goodd 3rd song- i rate like 10/10 its sound fire
If you like rap, this album is for you! I don't tend to like rap though... and it's only because I can't tell what they are saying/singing. Also because I don't really like the background music, and noises. In my opinion I don't really like this album because of that. I only think that you should listen to this album if you like rap. That's the only exception.
Seguimos con la línea de ayer, que es escuchar discos de bandas que sólo ubico por canciones sueltas. Estoy empezando a conectar con el hip-hop, así que éste álbum me ayuda a seguir indagando en el género. Sí debo decir que particularmente el hip-hop de esta época no me vuela el marote pero se escucha bien. La mayoría buenos tracks, pegadizos, con el bonus de la canción con Anthrax. See you tomorrow.
Pretty good up front, slows down a bit on the back side.
3.
Much more refined than Nation of Millions, but not quite as banging as Fear of a Black Planet, another good showing from Public Enemy. Love conscious rap that still goes big, builds from previous albums, and doesn't forget a little bit of Flava.
Apparently I did enjoy late 80's and early 90's rap more than I thought I did.
Not really my genre but I respect the work and the political/social themes. Note sure this is the most representative of the genre so I give a 3.
Need to revisit
Still sounds fresh in 2024.
Mid
It's alright. OG rap.
I love a clever album title! More than that, I love an album that has a strong message especially when it's societal and political commentary. A song like "Shut 'Em Down" accusing corporations of using the Black community, or "Can't Truss It" discussing another kind of slavery in today's world, or a scathing take down of a popular newspaper in "A Letter To the New York Post"--all of it was impactful. I wasn't aware about Arizona's governor cancelling MLK day, but I sure learned about it in "By the Time I Get to Arizona." Who knew Public Enemy could teach me about history? I have a lot of appreciation for how hard Public Enemy went on Apocalypse 91.
I was dragging my feet a bit going into this one. I am getting a little burnt out on 90s hip hop on this project, as I'm already not the biggest fan of the genre, and this is the third entry (so far) that I've had from Public Enemy. That said, I do very much understand and appreciate the representation that the genre has on the project. Not to mention, everything from Public Enemy thus far had hit hard in the socio-political space. I was actually pleasantly surprised by this album and felt like it may have been Public Enemy's best entry on this project thus far. Not only was it chock full of relevant political commentary, but the particular flavor (flav) of hip hop on display here was pretty catchy! The closing track, a duet with Anthrax, seems particularly monumental; this mashup of the hip hop and metal sounds would go on to be a big thing in 1990 and beyond. Not to mention, this track just generally goes HARD. In general, I also had to laugh a bit when I saw the "hardcore hip hop" genre label on this album. I'm sure this was pretty hardcore for the time, but man, how times change!
3 good
a lot to say!
Not as good as the last one.
Appreciate what they did and do. YEAAHH BOIIII
Dynaaminen räppisstyge. 3/5
I liked the rhythms and flow of the album quite a bit, even if it was sometimes a tad too much.
It’s a decent album, I vastly prefer Fear of a Black Planet and It Takes a Nation of Millions
Nice rhyme
Nothing I wanna come back to again and again, but there's some decent stuff here.
Funky and enjoyable. Critical commentary and eloquent explanation of the times. In line with the early 90's rap scene
Better than I expected. Some bangers in here.
I liked it, but felt it wasn't quite as strong as Fear Of A Black Planet. Good beats though, and I like the contrast between Chuck D's and Flavor Flav's voices.
3.5
High-octane, hard-edged, swinging and pounding music. Almost feels like a more rap-oriented companion to Rage Against the Machine, although that’s sort of a labored comparison that probably doesn’t do either album proper justice. The production is a little too busy and crazy for me on most songs, but this is still a fairly rewarding listen. Best song: Bring the Noise
I'm so torn between a 3 and a 4. I need more time with it probably. It Takes A Nation of Millions is an easy 5 star album for me, and the only one Public Enemy album I'd listened to before this one, which just didn't hit the same highs for me. By The Time I Get To Arizona and Bring Tha Noize were my favorites tracks. So good.
Sono felice l'album sia arrivato secondo al Village Voice's 1991 Pazz & Jop critics' poll, ma se ci fossi stato io tra i giudici del Village Voice's 1991 Pazz & Jop critics' poll dubito si sarebbe piazzato al secondo posto del Village Voice's 1991 Pazz & Jop critics' poll.
Another great album from public enemy that more than deserves to be on this list, but really isn’t in the same league as their masterpiece “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back” Given this also came in 1991 it maybe hasn’t dated as well as the low end theory. So good album, but not a classic.
Un autre album hip-hop correct à cocher de cette liste
3.5/5
Oldschool.
Not really listened to Rap so looking forward to the introduction. Lost at Birth was fun. Nighttrain is a fucking banger. Fav. Half way through haven’t heard any of this before but thourghly enjoying my first real experience with 90s Rap/Hip-Hop. Hadn’t heard any of it before but very enjoyable 7/10
Liked the smooth drum samples
Average, last song was the best
Stands up quite well
music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)
This must mean there are three Public Enemy records on this list, right? What a world! Like this one quite a lot, just not as much as Fear, or Nation (which I imagine is the third). Closing track absolutely rocks but everyone knows that.
“By the Time I Get to Arizona” was something of a revelation. What a fucking track! Great writing overall, but the rest of it musically doesn’t do much for me. 3/5
Rocky hip hop beats, aggressive lyrics, good energy
Not really my thing. Musically better than the earlier albums, but that's not really the point.
questo album ha il problema di tutti gli album rap old school: dopo un po' sono tutte, tutte, uguali. ma comunque molto orecchiabile.
Sono felice l’album sia arrivato secondo al Village Voice's 1991 Pazz & Jop critics' poll, ma se ci fossi stato io tra i giudici del Village Voice's 1991 Pazz & Jop critics' poll dubito si sarebbe piazzato al secondo posto del Village Voice's 1991 Pazz & Jop critics' poll.
This is the sound of ADHD.
Not bad at all. Pretty ground breaking back in the day. I will definitely listen to this again or at least listen to the hits on the album.
It was good, I didn’t like it as much as fear of a black planet though.
Liked it. Sometimes Public Enemy can be very one dimensional, but their message is good and it still works overall. 3.5/5 Might listen again
Another PE album! Wasn't too familiar with the titles on thos one except 'Shut 'em Down'. Was expecting to find it a bit 'more of the same' to the ground-breaking early albums. But really they are still in full swing now and seem to have a new target in Gangsta-rap. Made me laugh out loud in a couple of places. It does continue the feel of the other ones, sampling maelstrom, shouty polemic and Flav as slightly soulful sounding court jester. It's good.
This album has lots of great beats. There's also some good verses. It's not the best rap album especially compared to A Tribe Named Quest's work. That Anthrax feature at the end was cool. I've reviewed a lot of albums now. 3 stars for a good effort.
Really good songs. Really good beats. Definitely feels like the early 90's rap era. Worth another listen. Fav song is I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo Niga
I'm not much of a hip-hop fan, but of all the hip-hop that I'm not really a fan of, I'm most a fan of this sort of hip-hop. It's OK.
Interesting
Not a whole lotta variety in terms of vibe n tempo but the vibe n tempo it hits are on the mark …. GOOD stuff …
2.7/5 Best Track: idk
Protest rap. Good production and authoritative delivery
Should have been 2.5. Some good stuff but not their best
Got off to a great start with lots of references to the amazing It Takes a Nation of Millions... but then it didn't deliver much beyond a reworking of their earlier stuff. I enjoyed it but it's not great the way A Nation of Millions is.
Yeah good, enjoyed this. When rap was about anger and dissatisfaction instead of Bentley's money and misogyny. Early 90s rap really was the spirit of punk reborn in the American inner cities.
Surprisingly enjoyed this, never listened to public enemy before, expected to dislike this.
The subject matter is still relevant today but man was every song the same. Wasn't much of a difference from track to track.it all became one. Nowhere near as tight and cohesive as Fear of a Black Planet. However the Anthrax and Public Enemy version of Bring tha Noise has bumped it up a star that was great.
Okay
Another very repetitive album. Not bad but I probably wouldnt choose to listen to it again
01) Lost At Birth - 7,0 02) Rebirth - 6,0 03) Nighttrain - 6,5 04) Can't Truss It - 6,5 05) I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo Niga - 7,5 06) How to Kill a Radio Consultant - 6,5 07) By the Time I Get to Arizona - 6,5 08) Move! - 6,0 09) 1 Million Bottlebags - 5,5 10) More News at 11 - 5,5 11) Shut 'Em Down - 6,5 12) A Letter to the New York Post - 6,0 13) Get the Fuck Outta Dodge - 6,5 14) Bring the Noise - 7,0 TOTAL: 6,39 (64/100) I appreciate it for what it is, but it's really not for me. "I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo Nigga" reminds me of "Tennessee" by Arrested Development so I guess it's my favorite track...
You know, after listening to Throbbing Gristle yesterday, all I wanted for today was something that I can actually call music. Fortunately, "Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black" by Public Enemy is actual music. That music happens to be pretty decent. It's not really my personal thing, but I still see the appeal. The rapping is good. It's got a nice flow to it. With that said, I definitely liked Chuck D's rapping a lot more than Flavor Flav's rapping. The writing is pretty solid. Public Enemy has this very direct and punchy approach with how it handles politics that I can really admire. The instrumentals are also good. The album does go on for quite a while, but there's just enough variety to warrant listening to the whole thing. Besides, the last song has Anthrax on it. That's just awesome. Overall, a solid rap album with a purpose. 3/5.
Yeah, okay...
I can admire this heavily from a production stand point and the subject matter of the songs is ahead of its time. For me most of these tracks just sounded the same
Old school and a lyrically rough listen at times, Chuck D is good and Flava Flav sure does have a big clock.
Great album - but not my thing.
Aged like milk. A few songs are memorable, but the rest doesn't stand out and when it does, it doesn't stand out in a great way. It's always interesting to get to listen to parts of music history I wouldn't have listened to on my own, though. 2.5ish?
Like a lot of 80s/90s albums it's a tad bloated, some of the themes have aged poorly - still a decent listen
Okay. Interessante wending ten opzichte van wat ik normaal luister. Afijn, heb me best wel vermaakt maar zal het niet snel nog een keer luisteren. 3.5/5 dus netjes naar boven afronden. Herstel. Weet je wat. Toch maar 3/5. Ik laat hiphop naar beneden afronden.
I like the social commentary but the music ain't quite my style. Songs started to feel repetitive. 2 stars + 1 for THPS nostalgia.
Pretty good, especially the lyricism.
Pretty standard hip hop. The political messaging feels authentic, but I always want at least a little levity when I listen to rap.
Some bangers
3.7 - Abrasive and in-your-face as ever. I see why this one is overshadowed by its predecessors, "It Takes a Nation..." and "Fear of a Black Planet." I like it better nonetheless. The beats sound more polished and dynamic especially on the thrash version of "Bring the Noize." Standouts: "A Letter to the New York Post", "1 Million Bottlebags."
Decent album but didn't hold me like It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back and Fear Of A Black Planet. That being said, Bring the Noize i one of my favourite songs ever. LOVE IT.
This is exactly how I imagine hip hop in the early 90s sounds. Not my actual cup of tea, but I don’t complain. I enjoyed listening to the whole album. My picks: Can’t Truss it & Move!
I love the heaviness P.E. brings to the party. I don't love the constant badgering. The audience for this is not going to listen to it anyway. I the end it comes off as complaining more than anything else. Some high-quality socially conscious takes are here though and sometimes those things make for an uncomfortable listen. I like Flavor Flave more than I should though. There's nothing I *don't* like sound-wise on this album. At the same time it's just more of the same. Not clear why it made tis list except for the Anthrax collab which is pretty groundbreaking.
Great tracks -> How To Kill A Radio Consultant By The Time I Get To Arizona Shut Em Down Get The F... Outta Dodge Underrated album! Flava Flav track awful.
Could see it was good, but not sure I actually enjoyed it.
Although the album is quite iconic, I feel it didn't age all that well. The production is fine and the lyrics are still very relevant. The album is just too long and doesn;t beat their earlier work. 6 out of 10
Was what I expected
Bring the noise is a favorite
For political hip hop, it doesn’t get much better than Public Enemy, and Chuck D is one of the best there is. That being said, I just wasn’t feeling this as much as I’d hoped. There are a couple standout tracks, “Nighttrain” and “By The Time I Get To Arizona” being my favorites, but the rest sort of blended together. Not bad by any means, just hoped for a little more.
This is very much an early 90s rap album. If you asked me to imagine an early 90s rap album, I would probably imagine something like this. I like the lead rapper but god that other guy is annoying.
I can say for certain as a 39yr old white dude driving my Yaris to work on a Monday morning, track 5 didn’t feel right. Didn’t stick the landing like Fear of a Black Planet did. 3 stars
This was better than I was expecting. Or more accurately, I enjoyed this this album much more than I was anticipating.
Better than I expected and always happy to see an Anthrax song.
Decent
I'm a fan of rap but not necessarily of this kind. I love the political messages. Chuck D. Has a unique voice. He could be rapping about sunshine and rainbows and still found angry.
7/10 - Decent tracks with good beats - Flava Flav is ridiculous Classic 90s hip hop album
I don't dive too deep into hip hop and rap. But I was excited to hear this album. And this album rips! The best song by far is Bring tha Noize with Anthrax. I wish the album was more in this style. Even though this was the only song I was truly familiar with (thanks THPS) it is just well crafted and I could honestly have that song in my daily rotation of music. As for the rest of the album, I appreciate hip hop with record scratches. I don't know why... I wish newer hip hop still had this. I associate the instrument with the genre. Akin to guitar with rock music. Chuck D sounds awesome. When he raps, his voice makes me listen. His flow is great. Flavor Flav... Kind of gimmicky - his look doesn't really help. And I can't get over his awful reality tv show - Flavor of Love. Unfortunately, I have the preconception of him that is hard to shake. But with all do respect, I don't everything that he contributes to the group. I will judge him on his vocals and delivery, which are just ok. Nothing special. At times, annoying and repetitive. I'm sure he can hype up a crowd though. I prefer Chuck D everytime over Flavor Flav 🕒. Probably wouldnt listen to the whole album again.. Didn't hate it. Will listen to Bring tha Noize in the future and I will enjoy every second.
The old school sound of hip hop. Never been a huge PE fan, but respect what they’ve done for the culture.
Ok
All the album was a really long radio song.
I'm not an expert on rap by any means, and I do prefer mine to be of the cheeky and insouciant or shockingly self-aware satiric variety, so this is just a bit too austere in its intentions for me. But I do respect artists with something to say, especially those using their music to advocate on behalf of the marginalized, disenfranchised, and oppressed. So even though this album isn't about Fighting the Power, it is about Bringing Tha Noize and I can get on board with that.
Мне не хватает контекста оценивать все культурное значение и отсылки и знания языка, чтобы оценивать тексты) Но один тречок себе добавила А вообще достаточно агрессивно, очень экспериментально, намешано, напутано куча всякого, одна большая суп солянка
Wel aardig, maar niet hoe ik hiphop op z'n best vind. Ik hoor volgens mij wel veel dingen waar andere artiesten later mee aan de slag zijn gegaan, dus invloed zal het zeker gehad hebben.
Public Enemy remains to me a group where I love the message in the lyrics, but just don't enjoy the delivery. There's a cadence to the way that Chuck D and Flavor Flav that doesn't appeal to me. It's a two line combo where there's added attack in their vocal delivery and it seems to be the same in every track. Sample beats don't flow well with the lyric delivery. Public Enemy is just not my kind of hip hop. One of the groups that I know are the kings of the genre and paved the way for much of the conscious rap I love, but just not my cup of tea.
Même si ça reste que je suis pas trop fan du vieux hip hop et de PE en général, c'est définitivement l'album j'ai le mieux aimé d'eux. Je l'ai trouvé un peu plus agressif, un peu plus mélodique. Un peu long par contre. 7/10
Toujours sympa. Pas leur meilleur du haut de mes vastes connaissances de leur discographie, mais toujours accrocheur, rageur et jamais chiant. "Can't truss it".
jai oublié de noter 😖😖😖
Can't Truss It still goes hard, track 5 also solid. Aggressive beats. Bring Tha Noize with Anthrax is fun.
Great sound, but I have a hard time hearing the lyrics over the beat sometimes.
Yeah this is good, they produce a sound that has the conviction of their content, the beats are a bit dated now but not so much that they feel hard to listen to, just solid stuff. 3.
Not as good as the previous PE album we had, but still decent. They're really good, political storytellers, but it has dated a fair bit (in the mixing and the style more so than in the lyrics, sadly). Fun range of styles and beats, but just doesn't grab you as aggressively as their other work. 3/5.
A lot more listenable than the other album of theirs we got.
Not bad, actually quite good. Flava flav is always entertaining. The anti booze track was cool and their commentary on the black community is always poignant. It’s just more of the same stuff though, not much musical evolution.
Public Enemy are still the GOAT hip hop artist. I've enjoyed all three of their albums on this list. This, the most recent (released 01/10/91), is my favourite. Still sharp, engaging, exciting and combative, but a *little* bit more subtle and less combative than it's predecessors. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Can't Truss It Date listened: 03/07/23
I like some of the songs but rap albums are super long which kinda ruins their quality as albums as there’s a good bit of filler 3/5
A solid PE album but nothing much compared to the legendary previous two, and only one standout track right at the end
I have to say it wasn't as bad as I originally thought: found it more enjoyable that some other albums I've listened to. Felt very much like classic hip-hop BUT there was a lot going on and a little overwhelming. Still not my favoured style, shame there is no MF DOOM on this list bc I'd be in heaven. Back to the point, it wasn't awful but I doubt I'd listen to it again.
I owned their previous album when I was a teen. Never heard this except for "By the Time I Get to Arizona" and "Bring tha Noize." I would have liked this more back then I think, but it's not bad. Chuck D is a good rapper. Flava Flav is good when he's the hype man or comic relief, but kinda sucks as a rapper, which thankfully he doesn't do a lot of here, just two tracks I think. Public Enemy was always good about spreading around the criticism, not only against the power they were fighting, but also rapping against people in their own community bringing them down (drug users/dealers, thieves and other criminals). Favorite track is probably "Bring tha Noize" since I'm a fan of that era of Anthrax, even though Scott Ian is not the best rapper.