Reviews (page 10 of 12)
I liked that the whole album was high energy while still getting their political message across. I really like Chuck D as an emcee, but I didn't really get what Flavor Flav was doing (besides being a hype man)?
This is the 3rd Public Enemy album I've gotten so far, and while they definitely embody the feeling of late 80s early 90s gangster rap, I'm surprised to see them 3 times. I feel like no one ever talks about them any more. All to say, another heavy in your face album, fat bars on fat beats.
Fun. Could've done with being 15 minutes shorter - remove some of the filler and keep the actual range that the album shows, and it'd be an easy 4, but what we've actually got is a bit lazy in places. It reverts to the same sounds, the same injects, and you lose a bit from that. Could benefit from being a bit rawer in a lot of places - there seems to be a conscious effort to make it stand out from every other album of rapping over a beat, but that's what these guys are really good at. Rebel Without A Pause the most egregious example, where you've got a really decent, varied song, that has this high pitched wavy drone over it for no real reason Bring The Noise is a stone cold classic though. 3/5.
Didn’t finish, some good songs but a lot of it was v repetitive and very early stage mixing, missing some more modern production. Meaningful and insightful lyrics too
Great message but hard to listen to old-school hip-hop like this
Cool sounds, good vibes, but not a lot of standout tracks. Good for chilling in the background, 3
important historical document. iconic songs and music. still has that old timey rap style that gets me laughing instead of taking seriously. so happy this happened so rap could grow and flourish. still has relevant lyrics just feels cornball and goofy at times.
Bring The Noise is a classic but all of the yelling had me exhausted by the 4th track. Not a lot of variability in cadence or rhythm. Lyrics were cool
Clearly important and a with a couple of great tracks but not really my thing.
3/5 for me, but worth a second listen since it's being seen as one of the greatest/most influential albums of all time..
Very atmospheric and the message is clear, but not exactly "easy listening". Quite bombastic
3.5
sun 23 april 2023 "BASS FOR YA FACE LONDON... ...I WANT EVERYBODY IN THE HOUSE TO SAY OOOOOHOOOH!" *im jogging the mx11 to london goes mega startling HOOOOOOONK* AAAAH my weak heart v surreal waowee --- this album is groundbreaking concious and unique. the musical apotheosis of this style is obvious rebel without a pause. unfortunately the rest usual fails to arrest me in the same way. --- ps. right now, at this very exact second, somewhere, laura rintoul is furiously practising smash
Best Song: Bring the Noise. Upper lip stanky. Worst Song: Mind Terrorist. Fitting title. Overall: Another Public Enemy album, which means another conflict between the brilliance of Chuck D and the everything of Flava Flav. I can understand the utility of a hype man, but to me he's not even good at that. He's just obnoxious and it sounds like he raps all of his bars through his nose. And Flava Flav is way too present on this album.
Some strong beats and lyricism from Chuck D, brought down by the second half which wasn't for me.
Sangen hvor de samplede en Slayer-sang trækker op, da den ellers kun er til to stjerner.
Not bad
Energy, lyricism, beats, power. As far as old school hip-hop goes this is pretty strong. Sometimes the loops are too obvious/loud and that becomes grating. Could definitely do without the NOI references but I guess that’s where they were at. Best song: Rebel Without a Pause
As hip hop albums go, I did enjoy moments of this one. But over an hour was a bit too long for me. Felt very repetitive after a while.
3.5/5 Best: Bring The Noise Worst: Mind Terrorist
Did not love it quite as much as I wanted to (sonically, anyway), but still pretty cool
Cool album. A classic.
Memories of my house mate in student days listening to this. Not my bag, but some decent tunes here and there so not a stinker. Influential in many ways ups it to three.
ok-ish
Great album. Loved a couple tracks but much of it sounds the same.
Super heavy stuff. Some moments of brilliance but too long and heavy for me. I’ll keep on listening about once a year.
I rated the last Public Enemy album I listened to 3/5. I thought this one was just as good, so I'm giving it the same rating.
My first listen. The style of delivery is so out of fashion now that it is almost funny at points. The samples are cool. Avalanches esque
Fucking insane sampling - horns in particular. Love the lyrical and character dynamics between Chuck D and Flavor Flav. Still relevant lyrics about US social/economic systemic pressures and class warfare. Should be played loud.
While I can't justify giving this a 4, this was one of the more enjoyable hip hop albums I've gotten so far. Close to a 4, but not quite there for me. I'm excited to see how their other albums are. I'm hoping one of those will be a 4 star. This album was a bit too long for me. I like Chuck D's voice, so that made the raps on here pretty enjoyable. I appreciate the messages that are present. Also, that last song was an awesome way to close out the album. My favourite songs were Party For Your Right to Fight, Bring The Noise, and Show 'Em Whatcha Got.
80s rap similar to nwa this group has the best name of all time 3.5
The confidence and vibes from this album are kinda fantastic and the message was so important culturally for the time that it was made. My only complaint is that it was too long, but only because this genre of music is not one I prefer for my personal listening
This is a really high 3, almost a 4. I really enjoyed the old school hip-hop feel of the album and it portrayed it's message well without jamming it down your throat. It would have been a 4 if there was a bit more variety between the songs as they all started to blend to get a bit after an hour. I still very much enjoyed it.
I almost gave this a 4 if the beats within each song had more variety but they did get a bit redundant. However, this is a really cool album. I think it speaks to racial injustice in America without yelling constantly which for me is a more pleasant sound, while still getting a point across. Great beats, a tad long. Terminator & Party For Your Right to Fight were standouts.
Un album composé à l'aide d'une théière si l'on en croit les propos de mon ennemi publique à moi, j'ai nommé eltrapeze. Rien d'étonnant que ces propos soient si à côté de la plaque, tant eltrapeze a subi un véritable choc émotionnel ces dernières semaines, en essayant de se lancer dans le stand up. Toute cette séquence pathétique a été enregistrée et je vous copie avec plaisir le script que l'un des témoins m'a transmis par mail : Eltrapeze se tient devant le public, un sourire nerveux sur le visage. ELTRAPEZE : Bonsoir tout le monde ! Vous savez, j'ai longtemps été critique musical, mais j'ai décidé de me lancer dans une nouvelle carrière. Je veux faire de l'humour, de la blague, de l'hilarité. Le public le regarde avec scepticisme. ELTRAPEZE : Et pour commencer, j'ai un petit roast à vous proposer. Vous connaissez tous Robbandoulière, le célèbre critique musical. Eh bien, j'ai quelque chose à vous dire à son sujet... Le public commence à siffler, mais Eltrapeze continue, aveuglé par sa jalousie. ELTRAPEZE : Vous savez, j'ai toujours été jaloux de Robbandoulière. Tout le monde l'adore, mais je suis sûr qu'il y a des choses que vous ne savez pas sur lui. Par exemple, saviez-vous qu'il a conquis l'une de mes ex-compagnes ? C'était un véritable traumatisme pour moi ! Le public est de plus en plus consterné. Eltrapeze essaie de rattraper la situation, mais c'est trop tard. ELTRAPEZE : Oh, allez, je plaisante bien sûr. Robbandoulière est un grand critique. Mais sérieusement, qui est prêt à voir le vrai Robbandoulière ? Soudain, Robbandoulière apparaît au fond de la salle, sous les applaudissements du public. ROBBANDOULIÈRE : Oh, Eltrapeze. Toujours aussi mauvais dans tes critiques, toujours aussi mauvais dans tes blagues. Le public se met à rire, mais Eltrapeze est terrifié. ELTRAPEZE : Robbandoulière ! Je ne m'attendais pas à te voir ici ! ROBBANDOULIÈRE : Je suis venu t'arrêter avant que tu ne te ridiculises encore plus. Tu essaies de nuire à ma réputation, mais tu ne fais que te ridiculiser toi-même. Le public applaudit, et Eltrapeze essaie de sauver la situation. ELTRAPEZE : Oh, allez, Robbandoulière, ne sois pas si sérieux. C'était juste une blague. ROBBANDOULIÈRE : Ah, une blague. Alors laisse-moi t'en raconter une. Pourquoi les poulets traversent la route ? Pour se rendre chez Eltrapeze, le seul endroit où ils sont sûrs de ne pas finir en nuggets ! Le public éclate de rire, et Eltrapeze se rend compte qu'il a perdu la bataille. ELTRAPEZE : D'accord, d'accord, tu as gagné. Tu es le meilleur critique, le meilleur humoriste. Je suis nul. ROBBANDOULIÈRE : Tu l'as dit, Eltrapeze. Tu l'as dit. Le public se met à rire de plus belle, et pour couronner le tout, ils asseoient Robbandoulière sur une chaise et le font tourner comme dans une bar mitzvah. Eltrapeze quitte la scène, honteux. Sa tentative de se lancer dans l'humour a été un échec cuisant.
Rap sin contemplaciones. De la antigua usanza. Pioneros por su espíritu y reivindicaciones. Para amantes del género. Canciones un poco parecidas entre sí.
I liked the live show samples
This is a great foundational album. Really shows we're more modern hip hop originated from. Raw and cool
Politically and influentially, this is an important album of hip hop and rap. Musically, the beats and the sampling are fine, though overall it doesn't move me or make me want to hear more. I acknowledge this is essential for some and I don't dislike it, but it's not for me.
Up-tempo classic hip-hop. Chuck D is an original! Michael Franti owes everything to Public Enemy. It's listenable and a balanced use of samples, rock, rap, and R&B. The messages are front and center. Reminds me of Beastie Boys as well. If you're in the mood, this is textbook Hip Hop, but their later work is where they hit the societal sweet spot.
Fica evidente a maneira impactante que constroem o discurso da banda combinando elementos de funk e soul. Apresenta músicas que precisam ser ouvidas novamente.
Great album but repetitive
I appreciate the message, but none of it really commanded my attention. Don't know that I would choose to put any of the tracks on, but I think the message is important and the vehicle is effective. Rating it musically I'm going to go three stars. On a philosophical rating system it would be higher
Je sais que c'est l'un des albums les plus importants du hip hop et il y a des très bon bangers là-dessus, mais les constants sons high-pitched à répétitions sont vraiment drainant.
Despite being, or maybe because the album was made as a statement on the music of it’s time it has remained a product of that time. Regardless, the musical (and lyrical) edge is still palpable and the album remains essential to understanding hip-hop history
J'ai pas beaucoup suivi les paroles, mais dans le genre à cette époque, il y en beaucoup que je préfère et de loih, Les beats sont bons mais le flow est difficile pour un album de 1h. 3
Unbelievable how recognizable a lot of the tracks were. This is a blueprint record in so many ways. It does get a bit monotone, but the storytelling (and social commentary!) is great. Would have been a 4 if not for Flava Flav insisting on his "yeah boiiiiiii"…
There are few, if any, voices as powerful, raw and at the front as Chuck D. The man is an absolute powerhouse, his technique is perfect and at times it seems as if he’s on a mission to include the entire dictionary on this album. The beats are mostly insane as well and especially the idea to sample “Angel of Death” on “She Watch Chanel Zero?!” gets me every time. But - and it’s a big but - if I have to listen to Flavor Flav yell “yeah, boyeeeee” one more time right now I will lose my shit. Everything starts to blend a little too much for me on Side Black and my mind slowly starts drifting; I mean this is extremely dense lyrically. But most of I I’m just tired to the bone of listening to Flavor Flav. Who thinks this would’ve improved drastically with just half the amount it Flav? This boyeeeeee!
not my genre...
Worth coming back to. Not the genre I would choose to listen to. Great lyricism, could be fun to memorize.
Terminator X, Bring the Noise etc. are classictracks, but the album is overlong and repetitive (that scratching noise is used a lot)
I'm pretty sure I've listened to this album, or songs from it, before. None of the beats stood out to me. If I listen closer to the words, maybe I'll like it better
det är bra men det är för långt alltså
This one is ok. I’d definitely pick FOABP over this tho. The instrumentals are a bit too 80s for my taste.
70/100: This was a good album. I'm not sure I have much more to say than that. It kinda scratches the itch most late 80's early 90's rap scratches but doesn't do much more than that for me. I'd listen to it again but probably won't go out of my way to do so. There are a number of albums I'd listen to before resorting to this one, if that makes any sense.
i'm not sure if i've ever heard a studio recorded album contain such a concert environment. so many songs contained enough hype to impact the listener! several songs were created with that explicit purpose. several transition songs introduced certain group members, too. i love it! the goal of this album was, per public enemy, to mimic the level of social and political observation of marvin gaye's what's going on album. they certainly succeeded! their songs are filled with so many messages and thoughts, much of it about blackness. this could have easily been just as powerful of an album in 2022 as 1986. these two lyrics grabbed me: "five-o said, "freeze!" and i got numb/can i tell 'em that i never really had a gun?" (from "bring the noise") and "j. edgar hoover and he coulda proved to you/he had king and x set up" (from "party for your right to fight"). as a side note, as a result of their frequent samples in their songs, several songs contained beats that were just too repetitive. i do know i'm sensitive to sounds and find that sort of music unpleasant to the ears, and it did impact my overall listening pleasure. but hey, how interesting that a song on side B samples a song on side A!
Verjaard album, lastig om naar te luisteren, maar toch een klassieker. Top track: caught, can we het a witness?
Another classic early hip-hop album that I felt a little underwhelmed by - I’d say I enjoyed it about as much as Apocalypse 91. The production didn’t do much for me (with some exceptions, like She Watch Channel Zero?! and Show ‘Em Whatcha Got, it all sounds pretty similar), and this probably stopped me concentrating on the supposedly political verses a lot of the time. But I do respect that both the lyrics and the music were considered game-changing when the album was released.
Cool album, not necessarily my style of music.
High energy and combative. The live excerpts add to the energy and Chuck D and Flava Flav's voices combine pleasingly. Altogether this is an engaging listen and easy to see how it was ground braking and highly influential with broad appeal. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: Date listened: 11/10/22
Energy was great, samples ranged from good to hmm to unpleasant, and the lyricism was definitely meaningful when it wanted to be. I don't know how much I enjoyed it, though. The second half was definitely better than the first, I think. Lies somewhere in between a 2 and a 3, but considering I actually saved a few songs to my library, I'll go with a 3.
me gustó jeje 7.5 / 10
Black Steel in the hour of chaos 👌
Original for its time, and very thought provoking. Doesn’t hold up to todays standards and not an album one can just throw on. 3/5
Not as polished as Fear of a Black Planet, but when this works it knocks you the fuck out.
Tea kettle.
Not for me
Early hip hop, similar to early beastie boys.
Bring the Noise! Brilliant! Night of the Living Bassheads She watch channel zero?!
Revolutionary, aggressive and unapologetic. This is the hip-hop equivalent to Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey. 16 tracks was a little too long for a single listen, but I did enjoy it. ✊
Yeahhh boyyyyy! Flavor flavor in everything cause everything has flavor!
A really good album, but just not my style.
Good
Seems like the lyrics are much more interesting and with a message than most hip hop, but again. Not my kind of music at all, I gave half of it a go.
Man, Flava Flav is the coolest. Lots of sampled bits I’ve heard in more modern rap, this is a classic album for sure.
Amazing energy, Chuck D has the flow and the lyrics. Some dope beats and samples. The influence of this album must also be acknowledged. On the downside, it does sound a bit dated 30+ years later, some of the cuts are redundant, and Flav doesn't always carry his weight alongside Chuck D. I would have liked to see a KRS-One album included on the list instead of 2 Public Enemy albums.
Insipid, middle of the road and dull. Oh, no, sorry that was 90% of the albums thus far. This is quite cool and a bit more interesting. I'm not sure if listen that often though.
When this came up, not being familiar with the album, I wasn't really in the mood for any hard attitudes and aggressiveness. What I didn't expect is that while it's full of that, it's accompanied by many great beats! Ended up enjoying it. Though suffers from a bugbear of mine, I can't understand why most tracks end on a fade out. 3.5
I get it, I don’t mind it, I can appreciate that it was pretty groundbreaking. There are a whole lot of hip hop albums that I’d listen to first though
3.4 + Nice to revisit a rap touchstone. There are some good tracks on this (“Don’t Believe the Hype”, “Bring the Noise”). Chuck D and Flava Flav are perfect foils and play off each other amazingly. Some of the elements get repetitive: e.g “yea boyyy!”, the screechy siren sounds.
Flava flav???? Yeaaaah boiiii. I appreciate the flow and lyrics to this, though probably won't listen to this a ton.
Gotta acknowledge the ground-breaking beats and lyrics and how influential this album was when it was released 30 yrs ago. However, I'm not a huge fan of hip hop so I found it overly repetitive. But again, this was a biggie.
I found Terminator X to be fantastic, but Flavah Flav was not the best. I enjoyed this more than I expected to, but less than I wanted to.
it was fine to listen, 3.5/5
since JF will give a shit rating
It was decent. A breath of fresh air compared to the other rap albums that I had to listen to. The beats were good, some great lines, Flavor Flav could get a bit annoying with his voice and always saying "yeaaaa boyyyy" (uhh...). But other than that, I would say it was good, maybe even worth a second listen
Not mine but good.
The penetrant monotonous background melodies in many songs were tough
It's funny how many people were scared of this "Gangsta Rap" album back in the day. It's so tame compared to the how it was billed at the time. But, it's a solid early rap album. And it is a transition from the "fun" rap (Beastie Boys, RUN DMC) to more of a direct affront to "the system" - which, unfortunately, hasn't changed much.
Listened up until nr 8 for now. Can we get a witness. Mwah not my style but okay. Prob 3 stars
Public Enemy brought aggression to rap/hip-hop and easily incorporated hype into the genre. Simple beats and easy to hear rhymes coupled with social and political statements make for a compelling listen. Things take a strange twist though with "She Watch Channel Zero?!" and this album starts to hit differently, because 1988 should not sound as hard as it did here. It was though Tom Morello traveled back in time, and then in 2017 we somehow ended up with Prophets of Rage the supergroup. In terms of why this album makes the list, we hear Public Enemy confront issues as broadly as government, racism, accusations of sampling, etc. making their contribution to a much wider conversation, or perhaps in 1988, trying to start one. Overall the album certainly gets points for being culturally relevant, and is one of the offerings from the late 80s that still can be heard today. Public Enemy has that appeal to be heard, and it compels the listener to do just that.
To be honest I don't believe the hype, but I think Flava Flave and Chuck D have got it going on.
Le breakthrough de Public Enemy! Du rap avec une attitude rock. C'est revendicateur, dénonciateur. C'est un peu répétitif par moment, mais il y a d'excellentes pièces sur cet album. Le flow de Chuck D est fantastique. Pièces préférées: Bring The Noise et Rebel Without A Pause
Prima canzone: 'Countdown to Armageddon', bene! Niente di particolare, buon ascolto.
Classic
Enjoyed part of the tracks. Songs with a revolutionary message packaged with lots of energy. I can see why this album is here.
They really feel the rythm.
Bumpy beats, record scratches, boisterous rapping. It's a good time. The whole album feels very in-your-face, which kept me engaged with it. My main complaint is a lack of variety, though. I could see myself going back to listen to it still. 6/10
Classic.
I wanna like it overall more than I do. I think some tracks are very strong like "Bring the Noise", "Rebel Without a Pause", "Don't Believe the Hype" but a bunch don't quite meet that caliber of quailty. The album feels like it could be trimmed down by at least 5 songs, but from what I can see they wanted no dead air space between sides of the cassette so opted for 30 mins each, I get it but... it definitely shows.
im struggling to see the greatnes of it, but its ok. some nice beats and samples.
The power is undeniable, as noted in previous Public Enemy reviews. But it's not really going to be an everyday listen.
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa. Muuuy largo el disco.
I can understand the importance of this album but the beats were so screechy and the vocals were so shouty. 5/10
didnt like it
Well, this guys practically invented rap, so...
A bit too corny for my taste but it's really cool hearing earlier versions of sampling in hip hop
6/10
It's aight
Better than some of the other 90s rap so far, but still not great.
To me it sounds like ‘ordinary’ hiphop
The sample choices are awesome (loved the Slayer pull). I enjoyed it, but it can be intense in a tiring way at certain points. The energy never really dies, even when Flav has his own song. Chuck D's rhymes can be basic, but also great at certain points. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Cold Lampin' With Flavor", "Black Steel In The Hour of Chaos"
Did you know? Security of the First World was sampled in Madonna's 1990 hit Justify My Love, which was written and produced by Lenny Kravitz. That drum loop is unmistakable Stand out track: Rebel Without A Pause
I'm pretty sure I've heard this album at some point in the past 30 years. It's not a favourite - Fear of a Black Planet spoke to me more. Nation of Millions is good though - iconic and its influence is clear. So many moments of "Oh, that's where that was from". But maybe there's too much of the same sound. Maybe I'm spoiled by the musical diversity of the modern age. Still, individual tracks really stand out. "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" remains a defiant highlight. Also! The album starts with a dramatic opening from a live show. But that reminds me of a friend's story from the early 90s. He was picking up his brother from a PE show. He arrived at the venue, the show hadn't totally ended. He walked in and Flavor Flav was pacing back and forth, chanting the chorus hook from Suzanne's Vega's song "Tom's Diner" (which was in the charts at that point with a dance remix). Duh-duh DAH-dah duh-duh DAH-dah...
I had a giggle when this popped up. There are a few hip hop lines I use in the everyday and this album has one of them. Cold lampin with the flave. I'ma going to be rapping all night long. But that is just another tale from the dark side. I feel the basic beats have aged a little. I ♥ Chuck D and the Flave but find myself reminiscing more over A Tribe Called Quest. I played Fear of a Black Planet and Apocalypse 91 more as a teen. Still a fun listen.
This is a definite gap in my musical experience. Somehow it passed me by back in the 80s. I really enjoyed the samples, the lyrics, the beats - but overall not quite for me. I did like hearing a bit from Queen's 'Flash' in there somewhere. Wish I could give a three and a half, not quite a four for me.
An incredibly important album... that hasn't aged incredibly well sonically. It's not a bad album at all... but while this might have been a four or five star album upon release on many metrics, time has not been kind to it and now it ranks... three? A high three? Yeah, a high three.
Ok. Bit too rappy for me.
Yeah boiiiiiiii
Between this and the Tupac album from a couple of days ago, I think I'm beginning to warm up to old-school rap. This felt like the second generation of NWA, with even sharper political commentary and better production. Fav songs: Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos, Party For Your Right To Fight
incredibly solid and influential album, and sadly Flava Flav kinda takes me outta it I don't know. His ending lines on Cold Lampin really took me out of it I don't know. Also flavor of love was a thing. I wanna give it two but Chuck D and the production is strong throughout just a couple tracks don't click
Good, not great.
// Favs: – Score: Strong 3 to Light 4
My first album of the project, and one I previously owned on cassette tape but never really got into. On listening today, I now wonder if this is because my preferred tracks are very much loaded into the second half of the record, what would’ve been “side B”, so maybe I rarely made it that far. Interesting to read on Wikipedia that the sides were initially intended to be the other way round. Format affects enjoyment more than I realise. Anyway, this isn’t a usual go-to genre for me. I can appreciate how exciting it must have been at the time. There are just so many ideas packed in (and so much sampling!) that it often feels too frenetic for me to really enjoy. I like the album best when it finds a groove and settles into it for a while - standout highlight being Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos.
I dunno. I can appreciate what they are it's just not my thing. Don't know if I can get through all of this. Not a big fan. Three stars
What you would expect from a late 80s rap album, which to me is an enjoyable experience
So much energy! The lyrics deserve another review - I’ve been looking them up but it’s hard to focus on that and the music. The biggest problem I have with this is the repetitive sampling (it that what it’s called?) some of it is screechy and quite annoying.
muy buen album
Really not my thing.
some of the instrumentals were surprisingly modern i guess, a lot of old rap is hard to listen to because the rhyme schemes are so on the nose
While I appreciate the album's main message, the message is somewhat blurred by songs seemingly about their dj and other musical guests. The sound design is out there, but that is obviously by design, and I like that they were pushing the boundaries even then. It is a bit of a weird experience listening to a song about bass while the bass is a bit lacking, but I get the impression that that is a sign of the times. I think I need to listen to it again to appreciate it more, maybe on some bass-forward gear.
After listening to this I realized how many hip-hop artists today reference this album. I'd hear lyric after lyric and say "oh that's where so and so got that line." It was pretty cool to hear, even though this isn't my style of hip-hop.
Good old-school hip hop
This came out in an era when I didn't have much time to appreciate any music, let alone rap. When this came up on 1001 albums, I cringed a bit. I was wrong. The lyrics were for the most part a decent poetry. I still am not a big fan of the instrumentals background/scratching.
Eh
Pretty decent with slight funk and political message
Fan of "Don't Believe The Hype", I guess the media in 1988 was just as bad as it is now. Lots of repeated phrases, super catchy, can see why its on the list. I enjoyed listening to the album, lots of pop culture-y things in there.
Hip-hop is not usually a genre I spend much time listening to, so I can't really compare it to anything. What I do know is that I enjoyed the soundscapes in this record w some powerful ass lyrics. Rebel Without a Pause and Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos were the highlights for me
6/10 This was a fun listen, consistent all throughout. Flava flav got annoying at parts but his solo track was probably the best track in the album Fav: Cold Lampin’ With Flavor
бляяя, если я услышу ещё один трек, где главной музыкальной идеей является какая-то ебучая свистулька или дудка, издающая один и тот же трахающий уши звук каждый такт — я начну убивать заложников
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, a record that rewrote the rules of what hip-hop could do.
Way too many yeahhhh boiiii’s but still a cool album. Bring the Noise is a straight banger but honestly the original is probably only my third favourite version.
Brilliant in parts but has dated and Flavor Flav takes away from things at a number of points
Not going to be my longest review due to a lack of knowledge and exposure to the genre, so I’ll also keep it simple. I more than enjoyed the singles released from this album. The rest of the tracks were also a pleasure to listen to. Whilst I doubt I’ll go back to it often I still give it a healthy and respectable... 3 Stars!
I do really like some of the tracks on this, I enjoy this style of hip-hop. As a whole album its a bit much, almost an hour long and the live snippets are a little grating. 3.5
3/5 interesting songs, but nothing to die for
Beetje veel Public Enemy voor deze maand. Dit album vind ik wel leuker en minder onderhevig aan de tand des tijds dan dat vorige album
Don't believe the hype. Scott scores this 5 stars...as he does with every hip hop/rap album...because he's so punk.
Some bangers
Good early rap. Lyrics still resonate.
No soy muy fan del rap, pero me gusta mucho cuando un disco suena auténtico
Clock man
Was fine
Not as strong as I remember. The flavor flav songs are pretty weak. When I'm in the mood for public enemy, I out on fear of a black planet, better songs and a stronger message. Standout songs: channel zero, prophets of rage
Hmm, not a big fan tbh
It's a'it.
Pretty good
So there are parts of this album that I like okay and other parts that annoy me.
Not my particular cup of tea, but it is undeniable the impact this album had on hip-pop in the 90s. After one play through, many tracks evoke similarities to other tracks by groups like Kris kross and sir mix a lot. The track "rump shaker" by Wreckx-N-Effect blatantly used the exact same horn line from a public enemy track in their chat topping single. Ultimately, I likely won't listen to this again, but you can see why it was included in this list. It's not an album that anyone outside of the hip hop will particularly enjoy, but it's a for sure "know your roots" Album for those that flirt with that genre in any capacity.
yea boooiiiiii
Yeeeaahhhhhhh boooiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
Despite the frequent use of 4 bar repeating high pitched sounds, I love this album. There's some great jams and nothing beats Chuck D.
ggod
Solid!
i mean yea..
flava flav was woke
Hauskaa hoppia
Nothing that stuck out to me, it's ok.
Closer to a 3.5. Some very cool samples and a lot of agressive energy.
Public Enemy is a bit frustrating. Some tracks really work for me, but then others that are similar, just grate on me. High 2 low 3
Not my bag
rebel! ok...
Bonus points for having one of the best album names of all time. Sadly the music does not live up to it, for me.
Ehh
production is what i like the most and flavor flav reminds me of westside gunn, however i feel the chuck d raps feel dated. production inspired el-p.
5/10 - I wouldn't say it is hip hop at its finest, it's alright but too long,
COmo não é minha praia, escuto por interesse histórico e curiosidade. Achei divertido, mas não me ganhou pra ouvir de novo.
Qsy, para ser hip hop que no es mi favorito ni mucho menos, estuvo bien.
Itäinen maku-flaawin räppi ei oikein kolahtanut. Yeaaboiii vähän odottelin levyn loppumista.
Don't believe the hype, this album is mid and too long. The title goes hard though. I was in the middle of listening to "Run the Jewels" when I switched to this album which only highlighted the difference in quality.
Favorite songs: Bring the Noise, Don't Believe the Hype, Show 'Em Whatcha Got (Interlude), Party for Your Right to Fight
80s/90s hip hop with lots of social commentary. I wasn't really enjoying the beats on this one very much. It sounds a bit plain and dated to me, but I can see why people might like the vibe.
Not a fan of this one at all, there's a few tracks I could get into but just not for me
I find 90s hip hop to be endearing in ways. It’s fun but I don’t love it. The YA BOIS on every track grow stale pretty fast and knocks a full point off.
Not my thing
I don't understand how an album can feel both good and interminable, but that's this. It took me over a week to get through it all because I just got fatigued. On a track to track basis, there's a lot to like, but as an album to be listened to front to back, it's just too much. It's a high 2/5 because it was a struggle.
Føler igjen jeg burde like det bedre enn jeg gjør. Fete, sinte tekster og god rapping, men gammal hiphop har ikke helt holdt seg musikalsk. Ukul lyd. Men bra budskap og slik.
I strongly appreciate what this album did for hip-hop and the community behind it. For that I could never say it's bad. However, if I purely have to go off of the music, this sadly isn't my kind of hip-hop. I don't think it's bad at all, but I just don't resonate with the feeling they're trying to give off. Again, incredible album for what it did for the scene, but not something I enjoy listening too all that much.
Driving up to the hood in my old timer bmw. About to play some tennis and golf with my fellow crackers. Listening to Public enemy, because I know I am the number 1 public enemy. Pigs about to get me for pirating the first season of friends.
Not the fan of this era of rap beats with the heavy record scratching, but the raps are great and its fun listening to the members play off of each other. It also feels like there is always a point being made, largely about empowerment, which is sick even though its hard to follow with the record scratching. Appreciate it, but not my thing
The music is a bit annoying in certain ways. High pitched noises, one of the vocalists rubs me wrong, and the sheer amount of repetition within the tracks. But there's some good here. The social messaging is important. The underlying beats are generally quite fun and energetic. I had some fun, picking where the samples were taken from, and some of the base beats are a fun time. But unfortunately, I keep getting pulled out of it by over stimulation and high pitched noises.
It all sounds the same, not my thing
it was kinda fun to listen to while i work but i didn't love it
iets te oldschool. yeah booyy
Nahhhhhhh boiiiiiii
The creativity and energy in this album is great and to be respected. I just couldn't get into it. I can see how this album dropped my an H bomb back when it was released, but sounds fairly crusty by today.
Quite boring unfortunately
I could not finish this album. It’s not that bad musically, the energy is actually kind of fun, but I am so uninterested in this kind of hip hop. The problem is that all the songs sound so similar to each other, that this album just became a boring slog to listen to.
As the saying goes, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks". And so, on Public Enemy's latest album, Chuck D and Flavor Flav spend a solid hour complaining about the heavy fate of blacks. Unlike their next album, things become less monotonous toward the middle of the second side; the samples are more interestingly chosen, and at one point, even fragments of Slayer's "Angel of Death" are heard. Overall, this album can be used if you want to get drunk, and on different levels: - Easy: drink while you hear "BASS"; - Medium: drink while you hear "TERMINATOR X"; - Hard: drink while you hear "YEAH, BOYEEE!"; - Unreal: drink while that nasty sample plays, sounding like either a mouse or a whistling kettle. "Our main goal was to make an album that would stand the test of time," Chuck D said. Dude, you failed.
힙합 시끄러
Kind of blurred into one after a while. I didn't hate it but not really my thing
not for me
A: Minns int så mycket. Ikonisk hip-hop? Lowkey irriterande som bakgrundsmusik men respekterar genren för mycket för att säga det. Borde läsa orden och läsa in mig i det sammanhang som musiken vuxit fram i. 2/5 D: Stor respekt för det de gör och meddelandet de för, men kanske det lite mina öron stör. Uppskattar gärna från en hälsosam distans. Skulle kunna spela det ifall jag vill imponera på lägenhet 6. 2/5
Great vibes but everything sounds the same even on my second listen.
641/1001 2026.06.22 OH NO! NO MORE HIP HOP, PLEASE. PLEEEASE... 😓 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑
Inte min stil på hiphop
This is well executed, but it’s not for me.
tiene cosas safables
01) Countdown to Armageddon - 1,0 02) Bring the Noise - 6,0 03) Don't Believe The Hype - 6,0 04) Cold Lampin' with Flavor - 5,5 05) Terminator X to the Edge of Panic - 5,5 06) Mind Terrorist - 5,5 07) Louder Than a Bomb - 5,5 08) Caught, Can We Get a Witness? - 6,0 09) Show 'Em Whatcha Got - 5,5 10) She Watch Channel Zero!? - 6,0 11) Night of the Living Baseheads - 5,5 12) Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos - 6,0 13) Security of the First World - 6,0 14) Rebel Without a Pause - 6,0 15) Prophets of Rage - 5,5 16) Party for Your Right to Fight - 5,5 TOTAL: 5,44 (54/100) Current ranking: 831/948
Rap ist nicht meins und eher noch RunDMC
I appreciate Public Enemy, but his album sounds a bit repetitive, especially in conjunction with their other album on this list. A lot of recycled samples and beats. Highlights: "Bring the Noise" and "Louder Than a Bomb"
You can't make a good album and also have annoying shit all over it, I'm sorry, that's just the rules.
This is an album with a strong political tone. And came out in an era when rap music was in its infancy and was gradually prevailing among a wider audience, Public Enemy created an album that wanted to be heard and leave its mark. Favorites: she watch channel zero, show em whatcha got, don’t believe the hype with a highlight in bring the noise … they made similar albums tha followed and preceded it!
(3/7) byeeeee boiiiiii
This kind of hip hop with a hype-man coming in constantly has never been my favorite and this didn't change that. An ok album if it weren't for that. Very of its time.
i definitely understand the significance of this album , the lyrics and the time period it came out. the Dj created amazing mixes but tbh it just wasn't for me .
Me doy cuenta que no me gusta mucho el hip hop. Mira que pueden haber temas buenísimos, pero prefiero infinitamente melodías vocales a versos rapeados que no buscan aportar al tema más allá de lo lírico. Creo que deben haber excepciones, pero por algo el trip hop me gusta tanto (ej: Portishead) y el hip hop no tanto (ej: Eminem). Sin embargo, los discos que estuve escuchando fueron bastante pasados. Quizás aquellos que todavía no escuché (los relativamente actuales) me gustan más, ya que creo que pueden tener una búsqueda mucho más conceptual y melódica (creo).
When to listen: block party. I wish I loved this album. Parts were awesome but the relentless beats and siren-like sounds really stressed me out. Appreciate the art, the craft, and the history.
Not interested.
Not for my ears
Not my cup of tea. I must be getting old. Lively beats, lyrics a bit hard to understand to these old ears. Younger generation's music, they are obviously enjoying it!
I did not enjoy it much
It suddenly clicked while listening to "She Watch Channel Zero?!" that Public Enemy were a huge influence on Rage Against The Machine - it's like a prototype for a RATM track. I was expecting this album to be more gangsta rap, but it's actually more political rap, which I have to say is more meaningful to me, and obviously feeds into the RATM connection. I think what really interferes with my enjoyment and appreciation of this album is the sampling; too many of the effects used are just purely grating to the point that it makes me want to skip the track. The repetitive beeping sound from "Night Of The Living Baseheads" is going to haunt my nightmares. Ultimately, I appreciate the fact this has clearly had influence, but I'd much rather listen to the resultant influences rather than the source. I just can't get into this album.
Incredibly fatiguing over a full multi-track listen.
cool samples pero siento que matchee la energia, 2.5
It was nice of them to let a 2 year old press random buttons on a soundboard in the background of every song.
HipHop, 1988 -> 2
I wonder if anyone ever told Flavor Flav to cool it on the "yeah boyyys". Imagine they did, and this is the result. Like, how many yeah boyyys were there before?!? This is one of those records you gotta respect because of everything that it inspired. But I don't really love it. Or like it. Gotta give it a 2.
imma need my babble translator for dis one
I'm not particularly fond of Flava Flav's voice. Really wanted to like this one because we've been going through non-stop prog rock the last few days (which I'm not big on) so I owed Public Enemy for giving me a break. Chuck D was a highlight for almost every track! It's a shame because Cold Lampin' With Flavor was really good instrumentally. Probably would've been my favorite track (aside from She Watch Channel Zero?! which was awesomesauce) if not for Flav (he says flavor 28 times). Mind Terrorist may be the worst thing I've ever heard. Impressive being under a minute-and-a-half. Some really good stuff here, but not enough for me to not want this album to be over ASAP. 2/5.
I was not impressed at all. The music is silly, the lyrics are corny and the production is outdated. It's not totally rubbish, so 1 star would be unfair, but I expected so much more than this.
yYYYEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHH BBUUUOOOOIIIII
Bekende muziek, niet mijn stijl
Very annoying sounds
1988. Praised its production techniques and its socially and politically charged lyricism.
2026.05.06.
High highs but overall pretty forgettable
not my genre
Not for me
I want to like Public Enemy. I find their image cool, and they have great energy. Flavor Flav is iconic. But their beats are so damn annoying. Repetitive irritating sounds.
Deels geluisterd, niet echt mijn ding of smaak.
Not bad, but not my style of music, and in all fairness I didn't listen to the whole thing
Not my thing.
It's most prominent features, besides the layering of funk samples, are its chaos and political lyrics. I can see why this is revolutionary and admired; but its not for me...
Muchas partes molan pero hay partes muy guineo y repetitivas que te explota la cabeza, no es agradable a veces.
Gillar inte public enemy :( Deras musik passar bättre där man brukar höra den.. Samplad i andra låtar
Фигня полная
Old school Hip Hop but I miss technique and flow.
Just too dated
I know this album is widely hailed as being amazing, but it really just felt like one long song. I feel bad for disliking it lol
Respect to the OGs but this sounds woefully dated
Malo mi je više ušao u glavu od prošlog njihovog. Ništa posebno opet.
not really into hip hop
I know how influential Public Enemy were when they first found success with their albums. While listening, I looked back at anecdotes from that time, and it was fascinating to see how people described the music as something completely new. The creative sampling and strong lyrical messages were unusual for the rap scene, and many praised the imagery and how it expanded their worldview. Now, almost four decades later, I can unfortunately say that the album doesn’t fully hold up for me. It feels like a contemporary piece of art that had its moment to shine and pave the way for music that would later influence my life. With the risk of becoming a Public Enemy myself, I found the album to be a slog. The vocal delivery felt repetitive, and I had to take a few breaks along the way just to get through it. I really liked "She Watch Channel Zero?!"
honestly don't know the history and didn't listen to the lyrics enough to enjoy it. just on the sound, melody, and rapping itself, it wasn't very satisfying to me. definitely need to dedicate some time to understanding the context and i think I would appreciate it a lot more.
More 80s rap that sounds dated, muffled, and soulless. I grew up around hiphop so I know how hyped or “classic” this album for its political essence and brazen style, but it’s just a bunch of funky, poorly mixed, noisy samples with angry, choppy flows.
Really didn’t like this one. Too long, singer sounded like he was coming from Sesame Street and the yeah boiiiiis just totally ruined any vibe they had going.
Is this better than Dr. Dre? Yes. Could I get through the whole album? No. Not the worst music I have ever heard and I like the idea of learning the lyrics to one of the songs, just to confound expectations, but not my thing.
there’s a loooot going on
Can't deal with Flavor Flav, literally ruins the album.
Too many skips
In the scale of all the rap albums I’ve heard so far, this wasn’t the worst; it just didn’t really do much for me either.
There were some interesting early hip hop sounds on this record. However, a lot of the beats were not mixed very well, and it was hard to hear the lyrics over them. Additionally, several tracks had loud screeching and squealing sounds over them which was very distracting and devastating to the listening experience.
Ugh I wanted to like it but it was just kind of noise to me. Maybe needs another listen in a different mood
Interesting, but not 100% my style, I'm more like melodic samples etc... This got a lot of scratches etc... I did find songs worth revisiting. 1. Don't believe the hype 2. She watched channel zero?! 3. Black steel in the hour of chaos
There’s a few songs on here that are classics and do you like in this album but there are few and far between a lot of noise not really my style of hip-hop. I do love me some flavor flav he met my mom wants at a party city so I wasn’t enough songs. I like to give it to three and then I have to give it to.
every now and then i'll venture into hip hop from the late 80s, 90s, and early 2000s, but it's never usually my cup of tea. this was decent fun, and Flava Flav was entertaining, lol. it's just i can imagine my dad enjoying this more than i did. a lot of hip hop generally sounds the same to me; political messages (though relevant, feel repetitive) mixed with good beats. and that's the point! i know that's what the foundation of this genre is built on, but for now, this was a bit of a miss for me favorite track: Rebel Without A Pause. i can definitely see myself coming back to this one however.
Yeahhhhhhhh boiiiiiiiiiii
Not too big a fan, it's not my taste, but I appreciate the overall album from an 'objective' lens
There is something I like about this but I can't put my fin=ger on it. I can listen to it in the background and find myself engaged in the beats but up close I don't alwyas like the lyrics. Some of the shrill noises added in production are annoying too.
I got my fill of "Yeah boyeeeee's" pretty early on. This is better than a 1 which for me is very complimentary for a rap album. I didn't hate it but rap fatigue quickly sets in. 2.5/5
This Public Enemy’s album is a product of its time to my ears. I didn’t put a lot of attention to the lyrics though, which I’m sure gives it a way better experience. This album is a product of its time, a great time-capsule before the greats got on the scene. It came out 2 months before N.W.A.’s album, which really paved the way IMO of hip hop’s sound. There’s a lot of disc scratches and glitchy effects, which can be annoying at times. It’s not an album for studying, but a great one for some outdoors running. I’d give it a solid 4,5/10, with Cold Lampin’ With Flavor and Night of the Living Baseheads as my personal highlights
Yeaaaaaah boiiiiii, absolutely atrocious production. It’s just not that good, not sure how people like this. Was cool hearing where the sample comes from in Show ‘Em Whatcha Got, only reason I’m rounding this 1.1 to a 2
Time capsule of classic hip-hop.
very 80s-90s rap. not something i would listen to again 🫤
I really don't fuck with 80s hip-hop, the beats are always filled with scratches or screeches or whatever and it ruins it for me. If it wasn't for that, I'd be way more into this album.
It’s a no for me
1.5
Schwierige Bewertung. "Bring The Noise" für mich ein großer Hit, ewig nicht mehr gehört. Der Rest fällt für mich deutlich ab und einige repetitive Elemente stören auf Albumlänge. Insgesamt reicht es knapp nicht für 3 Sterne.
Noyz
Todas iguais Intros engracadas
Rate this one later 2
Every song kinda sounds the same. Definitely among my least favorites of rap from the 80s-90s. A lot of the beats sound like someone spamming stuff on a soundboard and the yeah boyeees get really old
This is definitely of its time. This should be up my street but just feels disjointed
Le rap US c’est pas pour moi
I get this is an important, historic album. But it wasn't something I'd look forward to revisiting.
I couldn’t wait to get this one over with. If I can go the rest of my life without hearing “yeah booooy” again I’d be happy. It would have been better if it wasn’t so obnoxious. I get it’s important, wierdly my kids liked it because I guess it’s stripped back and in your face and kind of funny, even if the lyrics are so serious. Must have had to be there; it’s not for me
Y.. no lo disfrute tanto porque en si no me llama el hip hop, aún así entiendo que sea un álbum importante.
Didn't really impress me all that much even though some songs were super meaningful. Going through it felt a bit like a chore even though there is decent musical production every now and then. I can see that it inspired a lot and the tracks were groovy but I didn't vibe too much with it.
I get the influence of Public Enemy, but I'm not much of a hip hop person. All flows over beat tracks with little or no hooks just kind of drones on and on in my ears.
Another Hip Hop album, but this album with its emphasis on Politcal Rap is better than most, although I'm still not a big fan and wouldn't buy the album.
Lyrically very good but it all felt quite samey by the end of it.
Annoyed me
meh 2/5
Hip hop is not my vibe apparently
Little bit old school for me, not a fan
May be historic but man is this an annoying album. So fucking same all through.
164/1089 a cool hip hop project. very of it’s time but not in a bad way at all. A lot of it did end up sounding quite similar, based on the repeated samples at least. faves: Caught, Can We Get A Witness?, She Watch Channel Zero?!, Night Of The Living Baseheads 49/100
Hhm...I wanted to like this more, but it was too shouty and abrasive. Maybe I was in the wrong mood to listen...
2.0 RYM