Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Many many years ago a friend put a tape in his mom's a car, and played the song "She Watch Channel Zero," a death metal loop with this big voice hammering rhymes at us and this little voice yelling silly things over it. Then came "Night of the Living Baseheads" with this relentless sax loop. All us 12 yr olds were blown away, thought it was the most awesome music ever. Up to that point, rap in my world was skate rink stuff, kinda fun stuff but nothing too engaging. The Freaks Come at Night, Run DMC, and sneakers. I knew sneakers were really, really important. But Public Enemy was fast, angry, funky, different. It sure was odd that a bunch of white skater kids were listening to Public Enemy while none of our black friends at school even liked them. "Too loud," or sometimes, "why do *you* like them??" Most liked Kool Moe Dee, MC Hammer (to be fair, "Turn this Mutha Out" MC Hammer was pretty good). Move up 4 years, rap had transformed and was in the golden age, and Public Enemy was fixed in this weird space of theirs - loved by MTV, ignored by radio and either loved or disregarded by kids. And yet, they basically helped shaped so much rap of the time. Sample-heavy, hard beats that didn't shy away from repetition: embraced it, hammered you with it. They either influenced the sound or paved the way for so many of the hip hop sounds of the era. One the west coast, NWA and Ice T etc seemed to pick up the hard and fast beats, but on the east coast, whether it was all from Public Enemy or whatever the cocktail was of wild west sampling at that point: a lot of clean, looped, lyrically clever sounds. Gone were the rhyme-trading party-starting styles of the Beastie Boys and Run DMC. Arrived were the pounding verses of Rakim, Pete Rock, Big Daddy Kane, etc. And unmatched, uncopied, was Public Enemy. Poetic, political, noisy, angry, borderline reverse-racist. And what I'm sure has always seemed weird to a lot of black fans of Public Enemy, maybe even Public Enemy themselves, is their white following. This album doesn't quite attack the white naivete as much as Fear of a Black Planet, but it is no doubt a black experience album. But the undercurrent of the Public Enemy sound has always been so rock-oriented - noise, distortion, uptempo, pounding, and however ignorant of racial bigotry or oppression white kids might have been, teen angst is always real, and PE has got some angry angst. It should be telling that the tracks chosen for MTV on this album were Can't Truss It, Shut Em Down, By the Time I Get to Arizona. But interlaced with those slower, no less hard-hitting songs, are borderline punk equivalent: blazing energy-filled tracks like Nighttrain, How to Kill A Radio Consultant, Move... To me, this album is pure genius. Listening to it after so many years, the lyrics are so brilliant and layered, the rhyming so relentless and referential, and I don't think there is a voice more perfectly suited for rap ever than Chuck D's. The previously Public Enemy albums broke the ground, but this album was a group at their peak, striking an amazing, balance, producing an incredibly impressive, brutally unapologetic set of serious yet sonically infectious songs unlike anything anywhere.
Classic hip hop house party music. I have to be in the right space to enjoy these tunes. Since I'm not, it just sounds like every '90s hip hop record except none of my favorite songs or artists. I have zero nostalgic connections to this record. Public Enemy had better songs on other albums... "Fight The Power".
30 years later and I still don’t understand Flavor Flav’s giant clock necklace. To be fair, I have never really looked into it. And he is a great hype man. I spent quite a bit of time thinking about the word Nigger. About how it is a horrible word and shouldn’t be said. About how it has been taken back by Black people and used as a representation of power. And about how that is all well and good but if you are going to put it in a song that millions of people listen to you shouldn’t be surprised or angry if that word gets said/sung/shouted by non-black people. I don’t know if any of the members of public enemy have expressed anger over this, maybe I am just thinking about Jay Z. It is quite the conundrum. The album was solid. I would’ve thought that It Takes a Nation… (Rebel Without a Pause) or even Fear of a Black Planet (911 is a Joke) would have been the PE album chosen, but as I have not investigated all of the albums that are on this list they very well may be on there, too!
I enjoyed this album. There were definitely times where the tracks got repetitive, and there were lots of noises that didn't always contribute positively to the listening experience, but I liked the interplay between the rappers and the tracks and the content from start to finish. I wasn't listening to this back in the early '90s, but I recognize this must have been a bold statement when it was released.
Not as bombastic as their previous two, which is what I love of about PE. Plus, anytime Flav is rapping I'm tuning out. Still Chuck D's lyrics are (sadly) relevant, even if he's not as gifted of an MC as some of the guys who followed in his wake. Personally, I'd chop this album chop off the list.
I found my taste for rap and it seems the main ingredient is Public Enemy! That Flavo Flav chap really brings the tasty goods to my ears. I love that 90s scratch sound combined with the repetitive grooves.
2.5
Esra bueno, medio repetitivo
3+
Strong statements about black people stigmatization.
Not my favourite of theirs but overall it's very solid
Public Enemy really was amazing in the golden era of rap.
Not as gripping as "Fear of a Black Planet" but still a good album.
Kinda shocked I've never listened to this one vs. "It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back" or "Fear of a Black Planet". Pleased to say it holds up equally well alongside those two all-time classics. 4.5 stars
Definitely enjoyed this one.
I know I’m wrong. I just don’t enjoy it.
Why this PE album? Not good. Bring the noize is pretty much the only good song.
Voelt wel alsof het veel invloed heeft gehad, maar voor de rest niet heel super. Die track met Anthrax was wel een goeie
Meh 90s RAP
I actually enjoyed this (not being a great fan of hip-hop)! Harder and more varied than Gangstarr from the same era. Chuck D’s voice is deep and authoritative, the Bomb Squad are good on the production and turntables. The message is socially conscious and free from gun toting and too much unnecessary swearing.
I like that Tony Hawk song
not a huge fan honestly
Not the best Public Enemy album however it is a Public Enemy album and therefore at least four stars.
very good lyrics, talks about real life situations involving racism, very distinct sound although it seemed to have gotten repetitive
legal
Great 1990s vibes.
Nope
One of the best albums in hip-hop, but maybe not PE’s best.
Good stuff
Good for singalong with the kids.
There’s maybe 2-3 tracks that I’d relegate to B-Sides for an otherwise brilliant record.
Awesome old-school rap
Brought tha Noize.
return of the jledi
90’s rap
I did not like this album of them also
Enjoyed a lot. Man how times have changed between race relations and how we perceive them…let only. Some good bangers in here.
I enjoyed this album and the themes Public Enemy tackles are so much better than a LOT of their contemporaries. In the end I've never been incredibly into their delivery.
certified hood classic. 4.
It's aged to some extent, but you can feel and understand the power and the importance at the time that does stretch a bit into the present.
Bring the Noise! with Anthrax. Nice. Great sounds throughout. 3/5
Very original and sincere
Really strong start but fell off a bit
Le style de musique préhistorique-rap confirme qu'il est l'un des ennemis publics du générateur.
Public Enemy porte extrêmement bien son nom, on ne souhaite plus jamais revoir ce groupe infect sur notre écran de générateur.
Great cadence, powerful lyrics
The last truly great Public Enemy album. I love that Bomb Squad production, it still sounds like it's from some dystopian future.
Really enjoyed this album, hip hop it's not a genre that I listen, but the collaboration with Anthrax on the last song of the album really was well done. The overall tone of the album is a bit heavy which I like
I did not know this album. I liked this album. A pleasant surprise. Musically it sounds more contemporary, richer, fuller and less dated than their earlier albums. Even Flavor Flav is generally less annoying.
Look, it's still good. But it ain't no Fear Of A Black Planet.
Cool
p665. 1991. 2 stars Hip hop/rap. Well done of its kind but not my thing at all hence 2 stars.
This album is the fourth by American hip hop group Public Enemy. It was critically acclaimed at release - being called better than a "classic" - and was certified platinum in the US after just 2 months. This is one of the great albums of the golden age of hip hop. The hip hop music was good & funky, and the lyrics were interesting as they set a sociopolitical agenda for the black community.
Some funky shit
Not my thing but good
I love old school rap
Good
How many PE albums are on here? I think this is the third one for me. They’re all pretty good but it’s really hard to distinguish between them.
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa.
great
Classic. I love the flow and delivery on this. Just smacks u in the ass. Aldo I thought Flav was just a hype man but he spits some bars too. Sick. Bring the noise with anthrax is so insane to me. Turned out great. It's like when run dmc dropped a track with Aerosmith but 100000% cooler.
Surprised how much I liked this. Will listen again and to other PubliC Enemy albums
Classic hip hop. Great beats. Great bars.
Power personified. Great sick beats and string ideas and production quality.
nope
Favourite track(s): How To Kill A Radio Consultant; More News At 11 The only way in which I had previously been confronted with this kind of Hip-Hop was with music by the Beastie Boys. Did not ever sort the genre out after that. Not because I could not vibe with some of the beats and harsh words drilled into your ear - there are times when I could see myself listening to these tracks again. But the problems discussed are just a little too far detached from my own social sphere and experience. And, on repeat, I do find these beats a little exhausting. Still interesting what Flavor Flav got famous for. Apparently it was not Flavor of Love.
Perhaps less showy than their first three albums but here PE really get into a groove with social commentary over sick beats. All the players bring their A game - Chuck D is a lyrical beast, Terminator X brings the beats and Flav is the perfect hype man. The fearlessness of the group to say what they damn well please (a surprisingly risky commercial strategy) gives them credibility and an opportunity to change lives and minds. And whilst you won’t necessarily agree with everything said, Chuck D demands you will listen. Couple of side notes - I shook Chuck D’s hand after his gig with Asian Dub Foundation and the man was brilliant with his fans, took the time and had no posse or security or pretensions. The man oozed class and gratitude. Additional side note - you can see how big an influence PE were on Puff Daddy! Evidenced not just by his god awful cover of Public Enemy Number One (hip hop covers being a rare thing - thank god) but by carbon copying the stylings of Flava F across Biggie’s records (and with considerably less style and class). Diddy loved that hype man style. Of course, when Big died and Puff took the lead, he imagined himself to be Chuck D with none of the talent on the mic.
Can't Truss it is good - however seems to be more looking back to how good the previous albums were. To be honest this is weaker than all 3 of their previous ones, however the fury of PE still comes through and taken by itself it's still a super powerful album.
Bangers on bangers
Eigentlich 4 aber weil es NOI Trottel sind nur 2.
Not their best
If one comes off of, perhaps, the first great three album run in hip-hop then chances are it's time for the steep decline in quality to commence. That's not what happens here. With Apocalypse '91, Public Enemy continue to refine their revolutionary political message and heart on sleeve mottos that propelled them towards legendary status and they remain a bulldozer of bombastic sonic innovation, regardless of what others may have thought at the time given other members' exploits. Although not as memorable as the first three albums, Apocalypse '91 stands on its own either way. Favorites: Lost at Birth, Nighttrain, Can't Truss It, I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo Nigga, By the Time I Get to Arizona, 1 Million Bottlebags, Shut Em Down, Get the F... Outta Dodge, Bring Da Noize.
Classic album that I had forgotten how enjoyable it was, so nice to revisit :)
Definitely not the worst rap - but I don't like rap at all.
paar high energy/ hongerige tracks. Sterke productie Typische 90's hip hop
First half was really good, last half was mediocre and a bit much.
Awesome album and pretty intense production
Несильно альбом запоминается, хотя он очень атмосферный. Семплы классные.
The few gems in this album are really great. The overall album feels both dated and ahead of its time. 5/10
It was alright - wouldn't listen to it again.
Class like 👍
Not my thing
Solid album
Nah, you’re alright.
sounds like it'll be intense.
Solid album. A few filler tracks it feels. Bring Tha Noize, Shut em Down are fantastic. By The Time I Get to Arizona has a great vibe.
I don't really listen to rap and as much as I can appreciate how cool this is I'm probably not going to listen to it any time soon. Great beats and attitude, just not for me.
The songs kind of blend together and sound similar. Have that old style beat that is just boring to me Gets a little more varied but didn’t really want to finish this album
Liked this more than I thought I would. Great chemistry and energy between chuck d and Flava flav. Production is actually pretty solid for it being the 90s. Lyricism is very black nationalist and anti establishment and I can kinda get behind that.
Old vibes on the first couple songs. Like reaaallllllly old. Got way better after 4 or 5 songs. Shut em down great song i have no idea how i know that song though. Not a essential listen at all 4/10
The bars were kinda hitting and the production was a lot better than I thought it would be. Don’t know if I’d listen to any songs individually though
I'm not big on hip hop but this album was a jam.
These old hip hop albums were’t as focused on the songwriting, in terms of choruses and structure, the way the genre does today, but the lyricism is unparalleled, something seriously lacking in today’s mainstream hip hop. That is the album’s biggest selling point on top of interesting sample production throughout and a unique ending collaboration with Anthrax.
An album that sounds very crowded and at time a bit overwhelming due to so many rappers at the same time. Despite that, the album left me fairly neutral, nothing really positive or negative to point out
I don't like this music , sorry.
bom rap dos anos 90, 3/5
Standard old school hip hop
Now we're talking! I've listened to a few songs here and there from Public Enemy and also the album "Fear of a Black Planet". This album is equally good. Public Enemy is top tier east coast hardcore hip hop. The production, the beats, the lyrics and the overall aggressiveness is hard to top. The album keeps the momentum all the way through and ends on a perfect high note with song Bring tha Noize featuring none other than the thrash metal band Anthrax.
Definitely slaps. A lot of really great songs on here. Public Enemy really throw thein agenda into your face and it makes for great music. Main complaint is that the flows by Flav are sometimes pretty bad and the others get a little stale while listening song after song. 7/10
Riktigt feta breakbeats, men mixen lämnar mycket att önska. En trea tack vare visionen.
Not bad. Not my style of hip hop, however.
Loving this. The backing tracks / beats alone are sick. The deluxe edition of the album on spotify has instrumental only versions of some songs and they stand up well on their own. Chuck Ds gritty delivery hits hard too. Bring Tha Noize is a great hip-hop / metal collaboration (trying really hard not to call it "rap rock") 4.0 (great).
Decent album! Fine to listen to, probs don’t need to go too much deeper though.
I can see how this is a seminal album in the hip hop genre, but its not my favorite. There is a style of hip hop just after this in the later 90's that I like more. The beats are simpler and more jazz influenced and the rap has a little more rhythm. Shut em down was my favorite on the album. 3.5 / 5
When this album ended I immediately put on rage against the machine. Public enemy obviously was a huge influence on some of the bands I love now however I didn’t love this album. At one point I checked to see how many songs were left which is never good. Still lost at birth, I don’t wanna be called, and shut em down we’re great songs. Also bring tha noize is an all time classic and started a trend in hard music whether or not that was a good thing is probably up for debate. Sooooo 3/5 liked a lot of it but would rather listen to other albums that are similar.
Hressilegt stöff. Mig langar alltaf pínu til að hrista hnefann í áttina að yfirvöldum þegar ég hlusta á Public Enemy.
Fun listen and cutting edge at the time it was released. Chuck D solid. Flava gimmicky at times. It can get repetitive.
Lyssnade i Gif-Sur-Yvette
Not my favorite genre of music. Just can’t get into it. 2 stars.
Good listen. Great production. Content is still relevant today.
Classic 90s political and social activism rap. Not one my favorite of the rap groups, but I'm definitely wanting to explore their discography and learn more about them.
Not a fan of the language.
Standard rap disclaimer: not a rap person. This was fun and really great beats. The issues discussed didn't feel dated and more than 30 years later it felt as relevant today as it was back then. The production didn't feel dated either and it has aged really well.
De va helt cheeeling
Well produced throughout, the occasionally aged sounds are offset by instances of forward-thinking production. Also politics
Gillar denna...
Best Song: Can't Truss It. Chuck D's performance here is the best on the album. Worst Song: I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo Niga. Why? Flavor Flav. Overall: I fucking hate Flavor Flav. I know it's not exactly a hot take, but his presence diminishes the value of everything he touches. I get that's he's supposed to be like a comedic counterpoint to Chuck D, but that would require him being funny.
Yet another that maybe I would 'get' if I listened to the lyrics
Last album of the imperial phase? Maybe. Still feeling every note and word of it? Yes.
I think I’ve probably said what I had to say about hard core hip hop, so I’ll just observe that I hadn’t known before that Terminator X retired from music to run an ostrich farm in North Carolina.
Was probably wild in 91 when this came out
very cool
Best hip hop album I've heard from this list so far. Great tracks with something to say.
Love the energy. The N word is used quite liberally. Like Django Unchained, would it carry as much heft if it was left out? It's definitely a statement album.
Still holds up well... very focused and cohesive. Bring tha Noize is an interesting experiment, but seems to be the least successful here. Solid.
This is another of that cases where is pretty hard to rate. While this is classical and influenced almost everything, it's also a little bit repetitive. I need to give it 4 stars, even knowing that it should be 5.
The first four PE albums are all great (of course numbers 2 and 3 are super-classic). This one is number 4. It is a little too long perhaps - the first half is 5, the second half is 4 star.
Yep, still love it.
I actually strongly disliked this album. It was mostly annoying repetitive beats with no entertaining qualities at all. I just wanted to skip through most of it. 2 stars only because I was able to finish it all.
It wasn't long since I heard "Fear of a Black Planet". The mentioned album is driven by a rich multilayered array of samples. Released right after that, "Apocalypse 91" creates an immediate impression that Public Enemy used much less sampling here. It wasn't intentional probably, because they apparently lost a bunch of tapes that they've been working on for years. The stripped-down sound reveals Public Enemy in it's purer, angrier form. They still delivered complex and timeless political commentaries, most of the time looking inwards into the violence and other problems in America's black community. As a listen, it's not as exhausting as their previous, but personally, it's less enjoyable. Very '90s gangsta rap despite the social consciousness not usually incorporated in the subgenre. But again, it's Public Enemy and they put political awareness in the usual gangsta rap fad of their time.
I didn't like so much how I expected, but is OK.
Not much I can say here, as I'm really not well-versed in hip-hop music. However, I think this album is fantastic! There's a lot of really biting political lyrics on the songs, and I think it all works well together as a full album. Favorite song was probably Bring Tha Noize, because I really love the guitars behind the vocals, but as a whole this was a really good dip into the genre for me I think.
4, boom BAP
Crazy samples
I bought all of the first four PE albums as they were released, and listened to them incessantly. This album is the bookend of their imperial period, when they were unarguably one of the most important bands in the world. Maybe not the masterpiece level of It Takes a Nation of Millions or Fear of a Black Planet, I have a massive love for this record. Reading about it now, they had lost all their data for what was supposed to be this album. This explains the slightly more straightforward production of this record, which is not quite as overwhelming a barrage of sound collage as the previous two records. But necessity is the mother of invention, and we have instead a more direct, though no less powerful, production. It is pretty abrasive, noisy and assertive, enhanced by the aggressive scratching of Terminator X. It draws heavily on funk and other black forms, and even their own previous records. It is a new thing, and yet stands on the shoulders of giants. It plants itself firmly in the history of black music. Chuck D has never sounded more authoritative, leavened by Flavor Flav, humorous but not a clown. Flav is angry on this record, and in a way, his number s(especially I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo N.) is the angriest song on the record (disguised with humour). The political message of this record is mature, thought out, and undeniable in its logic and emotional intensity. It is hard to think of a political band of the past 40 years that is both this eloquent and musically powerful. I was going to rate this 4 (for maybe not being on the level of Black Planet and Nation of Millions) but the more I write about it, the more I realise how much I love this powerful, focused, and forceful record. (Favourite song: By the Time I get to Arizona; the funky power of this song is really unique).
Another fine Public Enemy album. It does have a bit of monotony in the pacing and the music but still very compelling and listenable...maybe their most listenable album I've heard yet. Plus when Chuck D raps you know it's thought provoking stuff. 4 🌟 🌟
Listening to Public Enemy is disturbingly relevant to our current moment 30 years later.
There are some great individual tracks on here such as "Can't truss it" and "Shut Em Down" but overall I don't think it holds up as an album in the same way that "It Takes A Nation..." Or "Fear of a Black Planet" do.
It's fine but doesn't hit as hard as "It Takes A Nation" or "Fear Of A Black Planet".
Wish I could give more than five stars. Lyrics, Chuck D’s voice, mysic/sound… all iconic. Love this album. I remember growing up in Arizona when this album came out and us kids saying “yep, we banned MLK day and now Chuck D will never come here.”
Everything you'd want in a Public Enemy record. I didn't listen to this at the time, crazy to think it came out the same year as Nevermind. I knew the Anthrax track from back in the day but that's all. Some of the beats are a bit one-note, but the righteous indignation in the lyrics is palpable.
As I wrote in review of an N.W.A. album: A lot of anger and pain went into making this. Lived, real, and if neither, the art is greater for their ability to convey the imagined. In the case of this album I felt less shouted at, as it seems more conversational and theatrical, perhaps in part to the levity brought to the mix by Flavor Flav.
Just a rock solid early 90s rap album
first half goes CRAZY feels super long towards the end super influential to 90s rap and protest music
- old school rap - now i will go back to the beatles
An ok album. Love Chuck D
Un sound troppo esasperato e violento.
Not really my jam, but not too bad either.
Kann und will ich nicht hören, hatte schon nach 10 Sekunden kein Bock mehr. Habe der Unlust gerne nachgegeben.
Not my thing
Revolutionary in every meaning of the word!
Probably the best Public Enemy album.
like it
Meh
Bring the noise carries this album for me
This was a great listen. I loved the mix of the hard drums along with the repeating samples in each song. The occasional rock guitars were also a nice surprise. Plus the hard vocals blend very well with the mix, and they were stating things that still hold value even to this day. Songs like “Bring Tha Noize” also showed that there can be a nice blend of hard rock and rap. Standout songs were “Bring Tha Noize”, “Nighttrain”, and “Move!”.
the last song goes hard
Some good classic hip-hop! A cool album concept, though became a little repetitive sounding as the songs went on
Great old school hip hop album. Not my usual genre but it's was a good listen.
The beats are heavy but repetitive. I found myself getting bored with this album somehow. I will not however take away from the fact this album is a foundation of hip hop.
I knew "Bring the noise!" (Thanks tony hawk). Anyway, I'm really not a fan of early 90s hip hop.
Kan det vara topp 5 hiphop plattor ever? Maybe? 4,5
Höll på att stänga av vid första låten. Mad obnoxious. Sen blev det bättre
Ja gillar!
åter igen old school hip hop är the shissle
Hip hop. Coñazo, como todo el hip hop
Meh. Not awful but would not listen again.
Politically and socially charged lyrics describing a reality that needed and still needs to be understood.
Zelfde vibe als vorige album, ook dikke prima dus
Nog steeds niet mijn smaak. De samenwerking met Anthrax op het laatste nummer vond ik dan wel weer geslaagd
it's fine
Classic Hip-Hop from 1991, hard core maybe but very listenable to this untrained (In hip-hop terms) ear. I liked this and can see it's place in this list. A good mix of Rapping, Mixing and background rock from live musicians. Apparently they had their master tapes they were working on for years stolen and this led to a mixed approach. To this ear it is a positive mix. Favourite tracks "Can't Truss It" "Nighttrain" "1 Million Bottlebags" and "Bring The Noize" Good Album rightfully on the list in my opinion.
All the vibes you expect from this era. Rap has changed so much since this
Wel geinig album, maar zal het niet nogeens luisteren
Love P.E. wish I saw them more than 1. Listened like 20x .
Not heard PE for ages. Loved the movie quotes. Decent.
Chuck D why did you Start hanging with flava flav? You didn’t need him
classic
I don't super know how to break this one down. It's a decent political commentary about issues that still persist today. Then Flav comes in with some homophobic bars and makes light of beating his partner. At the time maybe it was a really heavy hitting album, however listening to it now. Hasn't aged well at all.
PE was never amongst my absolute favorite rap groups, but I consistently enjoy them. Chuck D has such a commanding presence and Flavor Flav brings so much personality. Beats are great. Lots of stuff that creeps onto running playlists for me here...
Some good beats and social commentary, but it just never clicked properly for me. I'm just not a big fan of this kind of hip hop/rap.
I think probably the best hip-hop I've had on this so far. Still not my genre of choice, but very listenable
4 stars for the superb Bring Tha Noise
Well, if the title doesn’t warn you of the approaching storm that is Public Enemy then the air raid drill-sounding siren that opens up this LP sure will. The prophets of rage are back in black, P.E.’s in the house once again. Firstly, this ‘white devil’ (P.E.’s words, not mine) is actually a fan of P.E.’s first three LPs, which I found to be not only an important voice to be heard from a segment of the African American community, but also an enjoyable genre of music in its right. I’m a fan. I like their sound. I appreciate and sometimes even agree with their expose of racial injustice in America, the roots and consequences. On a purely musical level, Chuck D’s authoritative, passionate bass voice only makes the listener listen even more carefully. Likewise, Terminator X scritch scratches the records on his turntable with the deftness of any skilled instrumentalist. Flavor Flav? Eh, a little goes a long way; but, he’s not overdone. And, his goofy ass does add a certain humorous counterpoint to the intense seriousness of Chuck D’s rapping. My concern is that the first three LPs were so strong, so tight, that in comparison, 'Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black' was just ok. Even Chuck D seemed to be off his rhyming game. According to The Bomb Squad’s Hank Shoklee (producer), the original recordings were stolen and never recovered. In retrospect, he believed the loss ‘stunted [Public Enemy's] growth. We never really recovered after that. We was on a roll—I was on a roll, and to lose that material set me back so hard.’ And, I’m sorry, the collaborative re-recording of ‘Bring the Noize’ (originally on the searing, 'It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back’) with thrash metal’s Anthrax was just awful. Peanut butter and anchovies do not work well together. Rather than complimenting one another, they just clash to the extent that neither one can be appreciated. Anthrax’s thrash metal beat just doesn’t match Chuck D’s funky groove. Its too fast, for one thing. (In fact, much of the LP sounded too fast, as if the music reflected P.E.’s rush to make up for all the lost time redoing everything after the unfortunate loss of the originals.) ‘Bring the Noize’ also sounded too ‘straight’ 4/4, if that makes sense. Chuck D’s 4/4 is more funky. Anthrax just threw his whole meter off. Lyrically, though, it’s still P.E., whether you agree or not with their assessment of Black America: that everything wrong about America’s race relations is the direct result of slavery. And after much thought over many years, I’m not so sure they’re wrong. ‘Can’t Truss It’ is the best number on this LP, and speaks to this very thing. Two things though, Chuck- and remember, I’m pretty much agreeing with your premise- it’s not helpful to refer to me and all white Americans as ‘crackers’ and ‘devils.’ Some of us hold similar opinions to yours regarding racial injustice. And secondly, I think Jews would take great exception to your suggestion that Blacks are still being persecuted, while post-holocaust Jews are not! You can’t tell me that in your hometown of NYC you do not see daily evidence of anti semitism continuing to abound. Jews and African Americans should be uniting to combat white supremacy rather than fighting one another about who’s been treated worse. I think everything one needs to know about Public Enemy’s sincere evangelism for racial justice (again, whether you agree with it or not) can be summed up in the sample from Malcom X at the very beginning of ‘Can’t Truss It’: ‘Being non-violent in the face of the violence we’ve been experiencing for the past 400 years is actually doing our people a disservice. In fact, it’s a crime.’ There is hard truth there for whites to just take in while resisting the immediate need for rebuttal. Non-reactive listening often assists in healing. It wouldn’t hurt for us (whites) to show a little more humility with regards to both the history and the ongoing present unjust suffering and prejudice that beats down our black brothers and sisters right here in America, where it is professed that ‘all are created equal… (and) endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.’ But Chuck, from the bottom of my heart, I hope you’re also making room in your heart to consider that other Black American, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, who before both his and Malcom X’s assassinations, were actually beginning to find common ground in their previously incompatible core values and identities. Rev King, adding to the conversation said, ‘Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.’ I want to be your friend, P.E. Help me to be your friend.
Oh no.. how did this ever come about
Fear of a Black Planet was peak for PE. A91 lacks the excitement of the previous album the loops and beats are hard loops that grate on you, they're stale and the album lacks a musical focus. I believe this was recorded after Professor Griff was kicked out of PE for his stand on Jews and gays. And could've been hastily put together to capitalize on their successes of FoaBP. I bought this when it came out and really tried liking it, but the two standout songs (Bring tha Noise, Shut 'em Down) didn't hold a candle to the magic that FoaBP provided.
The message: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The music: ⭐️⭐️ The social commentary is biting and on point, but the rapping and beats are hit and miss. There are a few three or four star songs, and less random yelling from Flava Flav (see my “Fear of a Black Planet” review), but this still falls short of its potential. But, damn, they pulled no punches, especially at the end of “Shut Em Down.”
They turned up the political and social commentary ("I Don't Wanna be Called Yo Nigga" is particularly interesting considering the pervasive use of the word in later hip hop). I actually like this better than It Takes A Nation.
Public Enemy is pure, unadulterated hip hop. This is no shit, gangsta rap. These guys are using their art to bring awareness to the conditions of their community. It’s not quite my sound in particular with the beats being fairly basic, but it’s pure and I respect the craft.
fav songs: Nighttrain; Can't Truss It; How to Kill a Radio Consultant; By the Time I Get to Arizona; Shut 'Em Down; Bring tha Noize (featuring Anthrax).
Listened to 2 tracks, even then I didn’t listen to the end. Not for me
I couldn't listen to the entire first cut - nothing really musical about this. Did skip through the rest trying to find something worthwhile to listen to but not really successful.
Nojoo, menee ehkä tonne wutangclan-kastiin, virassa biisissä oli kyllä ihan ainesta.
Good classic rap album. Not their best but it’s hard to top one of the best rap albums ever. This album has some great songs and chuck d always brings great bars. I think the thing that keeps this album down is some of the lackluster beats and some of the songs aren’t as catchy. Still solid. 7.3/10
Good but old
Not as good as the debut but still vital and fascinating
I admit I’m probably not the intended audience, and I can see how it was important in context, but I don’t think I’ll want to listen to this one again
Notes: I turned it up, they brought the noise. Really enjoyed this one. Does more than just hold up. Its gotten better.
I love everything by Public Enemy. There's just something about the sound.
I loved 'It takes a Nation" but this is pretty much a continuation of the whole sound and nothing new? It just made me want to switch to the earlier album.
Everything PE do is quality… this is no exception!
Eine Mischung aus vielem und auch ein bestimmt sehr solides und für die Zeit auch wichtiges Hip Hop-Projekt, aber es macht mir einfach nicht wirklich viel. Solche Alben sind eben textlich auch sehr aus der Zeit heraus. Positiv sehe ich die Produktion, die ziemlich frisch ist für über 30 Jahre alt. 6/10
Besser als die letzten paar auf der Liste, paar coole Beats aber halt auch echt schlecht gealtert irgendwie, da gibts schon geileren scheiss aus der Zeit 🤔
bis auf ein paar tracks vollkommen an mir vorbeigegangen, öde
Bin leider kein großer Public Enemy fan, die sitzen für mich immer bisschen zu sehr zwischen den 80ern und den 90ern ohne wirklich die stärken von einem von beiden zu haben. War damals bestimmt krass aber gibt mir iwie heut nicht mehr so viel
Viel Killer, viel Filler.
Solide aber hab mich textlich nicht drauf einlassen können. Der Anthrax Song hat mich richtig geflasht irgendwie auch wenn raprock oft cringe ist.
Kann zum Inhaltlichen wenig sagen, weil ichs gestern echt nicht mehr aufmerksam gehört habe. Man muss auf jeden Fall positiv hervorheben, dass dieses Album im gleichen Jahr wie Cypress Hill Self-Titled released wurde, aber dem Album einfach um Längen vorraus ist. Die Instrumentals abwechslungsreich und einfach gut zusammengebaut, sie rumpeln unaufhaltsam vor sich hin — wie ein Elefant in der Abstellkammer von einem Musikgeschäft.
These guys are like a black Beastie Boys, which is to say more legit, talking about real issues, and straight up gangser. I'm not a rap fan overall, but they're the real deal.
Flavor FLAV!!! This album has a swag and level of menace that may be overlooked, but it really shouldn't be. Aside from the OG Hype Man spitting some great bars, this album has a lot to say on the state of the urban community at this point in time.
Powerful as ever.
Listened to on 2/10/22 2/5 Favorite song: Can’t Truss It My earlier statement that I might like hip hop was questioned in this album. While Public Enemy paved the way for later albums, I didn’t really enjoy any of the songs individually. The overall beats and social commentary were great though
Very political and cool album but no individual song standouts for me
2/10/21 Very politically charged. Less cohesive as an entire album. I appreciate it but don’t love the hip hop genre as a whole. The N word song really threw me for a loop at first! Favorite: Shut Em Down
It's a solid album, Public Enemy couldn't miss in these days, but definitely the weakest of their early albums.
Chuck D’s lyrics are insightful and hit at the root of social issues with surgical precision. His critiques of the effects of advertising and mass media on the black community still ring true over thirty years later. There is some filler on this album but overall, it’s accessible and instructive
Was good 90s hip hop, liked the anthrax track
Not nearly as outdated as I expected it to be based on my experience with other Public Enemy albums. This one's awesome and everybody's at the top of their game here. Severely underrated in Public Enemy's catalog.
3,5! Really good one, interesting dirty vibe, really interesting collab of the thrash metal and 90's hip hop in the last song with the Anthrax; good east coast shit
Not for me
I liked this a lot, especially the anti-arizona parts, and I’m uhhh better understanding now the roots of my middle/high school teachers in the midwest being so scandalized by rap, lmao. Also something interesting to me is that because I’m very bad at passively picking up on lyrics, I really had to focus in while this was playing. Like the album really demanded my attention in a way I’m not used to.
Absolutely here for it
I've picked up a trend with a lot of the artists that make it onto this list 3+ times: All their albums sound exactly the same. I don't dislike public enemy. A lot of their rhymes are great, and their social commentary still feels prescient 30 years later. But, gun to my head, I could not identify a single song from a single album even if you played me a 30 second clip and gave me liner notes. Like, why is this album also worthy of inclusion in addition to It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back? How do these two albums differentiate themselves from each other, as well as the other 999 album? Why are they both so representative of the last 70 years of Western Music?
Holy shit, what an album. This is the template for half of my favorite albums ever
Flava flave and bring the noize along with the original grunge hip hop. Iconic
Average early 90s rap
Chuck D is great in his own right but the anthrax feature is worth four stars alone
Not a bad album, generally don't care for Public Enemy but this was good. 7/10.
As rap goes, this is a cut above. Not my thing, but I can see how it probably shook things up a bit at the time.
it's so bad I couldn't go past 4 tracks. records like this remind me I couldn't be a music journalist.
YEEEEAAAHHH BOYYYYY!! This one took me back. This isn't my favorite PE album, but it's a really good listen.
Not the greatest PE album, but it's still Public Enemy. Shut 'Em Down is among the finest from the group, and the I love the way the beat and the lyrics flow from the beginning to the end of this album. You can dip in and out starting with any track, but it also benefits from being played right through from start to finish. The production is super heavy and I love this album a lot.
You can't can't pigeon hole this as hip hop. PE sound like nothing else that has gone before. It's pure noise with a ferocious rhythm holding it all together. And that's before you even pay attention to the militant lyrics that are decades ahead of their time. Thirty years old. Blimey.
I don't really like Public Enemy. Maybe it's the annoying horns and high pitch bullshit they loop for all eternity on a lot of their tracks
Très bon By the time I get to Arizona Shut em down I don't wanna called Yo Nigga
ok
Suffers from some of the same problems as other 90s albums like this, but the skits here aren't as in your face as some. Kinda boring samples and I don't think the rap sections carry it.
no.
Again my deep lack of knowledge will likely handicap my understanding and enjoyment of this album. The album cover, title, and indeed the very name of the band immediately locates this music in a universe well outside my personal experience. Looking through the track listing I don't think I've ever heard any of these songs before. No, I take it back, I was a bit of an Anthrax fan back in the day, so I do know Bring Tha Noize and remember it fondly. The opening track, Lost At Birth, has a synth (presumably) repeating a descending riff, essentially acting as the baseline, but pitched to sound like a siren. Makes the song stressful to listen to, which I think is the point. Sets the atmosphere for the whole album. Building from there we get a variety of sounds, beats, styles, with I Don't Wanna Be Called Yo Niga very much reminding me of some of the funky albums I listened to earlier in this project. Setting aside the content of the songs for a moment, the music is interesting and layered and (to my uneducated ear) drawing on the best of past soul music and rap traditions to generate something fresh that remains quite listenable. The production is top notch. But you can't set aside the content, the quality of the music is just an aside; this is a band with something to say. I regret that I didn't listen to more hip-hop in my teenage and college years. Songs like By The time I Get To Arizona would have helped me get a more realistic grip on the world. Sadly the issues being discussed so poetically are still salient issues today. Clearly an important album, still relevant, and completely engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I love 80s/90s hip-hop, especially albums with something interesting to say (though it doesn't have to be political). For some reason, I've never been a big Public Enemy fan, though on paper I should be. Terminator X has some great, unique production that hits harder than almost anything from this era. Chuck D is eloquent and mostly enjoyable to listen to. But for some reason the combination just isn't pleasant for me. It's too monolithic or something... All I know is: I want to hear a turntablist album from Terminator with no vocals, and I want to hear Chuck rhyme to some chilled/jazzy golden age beats. Did either of these thing happen? If not, it's a crime to culture. Finally, I understand that Flava Flav's goofy high-pitched nonsense makes him the ideal hypeman to balance against Chuck D's seriousness. But I just find him really fucking irritating. I never want to hear another YEAHHH BOI ever again. Overall, this is probably their best album, despite the first three being more famous. There is no way in hell this list should include three Public Enemy albums. I'm giving 4* to this one, and will say mean things about the others when they come up.
Bring the noise is great.
I don't listen to a great deal of old school hip hop, it's basically NWA I listen to. This is fine though, I've head some Public Enemy before, and definitely Bring Da Noise, due to being a metal head. You could argue that song was the precursor of Nu Metal. I might give this another spin in the future.
Not bad
Still bringing the energy on this.
A brawling, churning album with capital 'p' politics - and it's a great listen. Everything explodes out of the speakers - but highlights include the buzzsaw grind of 'By the Time I Get to Arizona' and the bludgeoning 'Bring The Noise' (possibly the best thing Anthrax ever did, incidentally).
I’m gonna be behind on all of this from now until 2022, most likely. But I listened to most of this and I really enjoyed what I heard. As much as I criticize this list, their hip hop picks have been pretty solid overall.
RAP fundamental que chegou até no rock.
Quite a bit of funky and strong energy here, especially in the first handful of tracks. A bit frenetic and noisy for my personal taste, but some solid rhythms in the delivery of the lyrics kept my attention on some of the songs. Got a little repetitive sound-wise for me, though.
hiphoppone storico che ci piace tanto tanto
I enjoyed. Classic.
Not for me, but still some good music
UN CLASICO DE LA INFANCIA
Shit slaps
Solid but no standouts
It was okay. Not really my style though.
An extra star because Anthrax.
Great album, fully engaging. Favorite track is Bring tha Noize
Pretty classic Public Enemy Noteworthy track: How To Kill A Radio Consultant (only becuase it samples Run DMC's Beats to the Rhyme)
Maybe their best? Hard to say as I am incredibly biased towards Bring The Noise.
YO CHUCK-D, WHERE ARE YOU? Typical PE album, not their best but still a solid 4.0.
Fantastic raw energy
Iconic, but not my fav
Super punchy with an intense attitude. Loved this album, definitely needs a revisit.
Ekki minn tebolli.
Pp
Great album classic
This album was pretty intense - as expected. It's not bad though.
Pretty good. Very busy, but overall enjoyable.
Surprised Fear of a Black Planet wasn’t in the list instead of this album. But this is good none the less
Di si bio '91? Ma nema meni veće sreće nego kad mi uleti album žanra reperskog. Uglavnom, album je dosta dobar, čak je i Flava Flav okej i ne uništava solo pjesme (što bi samim time uništio rejt albuma). Shut 'Em Down, Can't Truss It i By the Time I Get to Arizona su najjače. Iako mi paše i ova obrada Bring the Noisea sa Anthraxom, svejedno bi mi bilo draže da je neka bonus pjesma, a ne da je na albumu, ali okej, može i ovak.
*insert di si bio 91 joke here*
Great songs great noise. The political weight and intellect brought by chuck D contrasted with Flavs craziness still sounds fresh now. Mad noises too
Fav Songs: - By The Time I Get To Arizona
Another notable album from a very influential band, paved the way for so much great music in the coming years such as RATM and more rock oriented hip-hop etc
Got the feeling from listening to this (then reading about it) that this is a good rather than a great Public Enemy album. The very 90s production is a bit relentless - makes it hard to pick any standouts after the first couple of listens. Also, some of Chuck D's verses seem to go on for about 3 minutes... which is impressive, but again, a lot to take in in one day.
It was pretty good but didn't grab me in the same way a lot of 90s hip hop does. Their Spotify description makes it sound as though the 80s albums are the real records to get into so I'll give them a go at some point. Also, that clock is far too big to be worn as a necklace. What is he thinking?!
Spicy hiphop. Grooves og alt muligt skørt.
90'er hop
90’er hiphop, vigtigt, indflydelsesrigt, politisk, hænderne op
Bring it! Bonafide classic, still sounds fresh and relevant
Bring Tha Noize!
Public Enemy and NWA transcended rap music from the OG's, after them it became diluted crap. What more must be said. The message may be uncomfortable but it was raw and honest.
Huh, I had not heard this before, but this might actually be better than It Takes a Nation and Fear of a Black Planet. Maybe those are more widely acclaimed because they have iconic album covers and this cover looks like a high school stage adaptation of Anansi Boys.
2/5 naaaah
Old school hip hop, pretty much what you'd expect from that era. Good combination of political/cultural relevance for the time period without being too focused on the violence/money/bitches side of gangsta rap though that is still there. Great beats and backing tracks throughout, lots of energy.
I like this album a lot. I believe this was my first full listen. Not their high water mark, but a solid record.
Another one that hits hard! I’m reading they lost their demos prior to this, but the sound is more organic and better produced than on their previous albums. Upon completing this list, I’m discovering I don’t like synths as much as everyone does, I prefer samples and live instruments
Can't do it. No way I'll get thru this whole album. I'm annoyed after the first 2:53 of the 1st song.
2/5
Not a fan
Not my favorite Public Enemy album but still really good! I loved their sampling of their own songs from prior albums in some of the earlier tracks and I really enjoyed Nighttrain. Also it was a great surprise to have the Anthrax Bring the Noise at the end of the album which was used in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2.
Our second from Public Enemy. Solid, but lacks the spark that made me love Fear of a Black Planet. I think the production overall was less interesting. I was also trying to listen while dealing with some work stuff and the combination made this a bit stressful; not a good energy match today. But there's certainly value here, and I love that the Anthrax version of Bring the Noise appears on this album. I suspect once we get their debut (which is also on the list), this one will seem like a fairly unnecessary inclusion. All due respect to PE, but do we need three albums from them, when there are less than 5 post-2010 hip hop albums on this list? Favorite tracks: I Don't Wanna Be Called..., Shut Em Down, Bring the Noise. Album art: Pretty cool. Again, the bold stencil font is part tough and part funny. The picture is really cool though, especially what appears to be a cyborg Flav. Busy in a good way, but not as enjoyable for me as Fear of a Black Planet. 3.5/5
Liked it quite a bit. Hope to hear more in the future.
Again not my preference. Some interesting lyrics / stories
influential
Aged terribly, the skits especially. Shoulda skipped.
Very dated and only a couple of tracks stood out. Not quite sure what I see to see in this album as a struggle to make it to their song that anthrax covered ;)
240921 16:45 3.5
The opening minutes of Apocalypse 91 filled me with dread and not because of harsh and scary content. No, the beats on the opening cut, Lost at Birth are reductive, the lyrics are a nothing burger, and the only thing that distinguished the track at all is some reasonably creative scratching that also incorporates spoken samples, bouncing from speaking to speaker. Fortunately, things improve. On Night Train, yes the beat is as basic as they come, but the dense web of well chosen samples elevates the track and gives it some urgency and swing, and more importantly, since this is rap, the poetry isn't just the usual mysoginistic, homophobic, dumbass gangster fantasies--it actually has some content and relevance and shows a functioning, restless intelligence. And thus, the pattern is set for Apocalypse 91. The beats are basic, the expert and creative use of samples consistently elevates the material, the scratching is hip, and Chuck D's raps, while rhythmically remedial, are at least lyrically sharp, which is enough. Taken all together, Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black is actually invigorating. A lot of this is down to the samples, but someone had to choose them and arrange them, and they do so beautifully. Also, the record sounds good, which again, has a lot to do with the samples, but the vocals, scratching, samples, and beats are all well balanced, which also takes skill and taste. Honestly, for this style of rap, it doesn't get much better than this, but I'm reluctant to give this a 5 or even a 4.5 because this something like Apocalypse 91 isn't even in the same universe as something like Electric Ladyland in terms of quality, imagination, etc., but then again, I really should be evaluating this against the genre it's in, not by some imaginary universal standard.
Ust uste guzel albumlerin bedeli mi bunlar