Reviews (page 11 of 13)
Bangers, slappers and slap-bangers.
okay
YES, finally hip hop
Loved it. Some seriously familiar samples that have been around for decades and still in use today
1. hype track 2. Bring the Noise. ***** star track 3. Don't believe the hype...little bit too long but still solid ***/***** 4. Flavor mumbles too much 5. Term X classic 6. hmmm - too much flavor 7.Louder Than a Bomb - Chuck D 8. zzz I forgot about Professor Griff 9. filler song 10 . Shredding metal guitar. This is the spastic in your face music Public Enemy is about 11. hurts to listen to. The loop is like a car alarm for the whole song. #noskips 12. CLASSIC PE. Great tune. Anti-War + Prison escape song ***** 13. I don't even remember this song and I just finished it. 14. Rebel Without a Pause - ****. Heavy bass scratching. Visceral. 14. muh 15. stereo flow, great headphone track. 16.
Mér finnst eins og ég ætti að fíla þetta betur, en ég hef bara ekki athygli og þolinmæði til að hlusta sérstaklega eftir textunum. Og þá standa eftir raddir D og Flavs, sem eru fínar, og tónlistin, sem er sundurklippt og nær ekki nægilegu flæði. Grúvin sem ég vil heyra eru ekki til staðar.
Hip hop classic and recognizable tracks. Influential for sure in style and lyrics as this was released in the 80s.
Classic Public Enemy album. Nothing to add. Just like Fear Of A Black Planet (which I may like a little bit more).
Another great Public Enemy album, completing the three key works in their discography, along with Fear of a Black Planet and Apocalypse 91.
Overall I could appreciate this but it's telling that I liked the interlude 'Show 'em whatcha got' best.
So many tracks! Bring the noise (I prefer the mashup with Anthrax...so much fun) Don't believe the hype Baseheads Channel zero Witness Rebel
Really liked this album note worthy Bring the noise, Don't believe the hype, Night of the living baseheads
Not much of a hip-hop fan but I enjoyed this
Yeeee Boooy! This is a actually solid album.
MCs have been biting rhymes from this record for decades. "Party for Your Right to Fight" is the perfect phrase and track to summarize this album. The Bomb Squad's production found its balance between abrasive sampling and listenable tracks on this recording.
Flava Flav sounds ridiculous. LOL.
Album 171of 1001 Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back Rating : 3 / 5 Favorite Track : Cold Lampin' with Flavor Just heard this while listening to the playlist a couple of days ago. Listened again this morning. I like this more than some of the others of the genre I've heard. I was even putting together my own fresh rhymes along the way.
Lyssnade inte klart
L’époque à laquelle cet album a été produit demeure facilement identifiable, mais il en transpire un réel plaisir. J’aime que les textes abordent des enjeux sociaux, et non pas l’habituelle bravade hip-hop. Il me semble que Public Enemy a eu une influence sur les Beastie Boys
A healthy dose of positivey and serious intensity still very relevant today. I love how noisy this is and how they decided to include live clips to enhance the participatory nature of the album. This hit a lot harder than when I first heard it years ago.
Powerful beats hit just as hard as the lyrics Also, Chuck D is still one of the greatest MCs in hip-hop Favourite tracks: Bring the Noise, Don’t Believe the Hype, Louder Than a Bomb, Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos, Rebel Without a Pause, Prophets of Rage
The revolution will not be televised! From this iconic start comes a classic that is a must listen, not only for any hip hop/rap fan but for music lovers in general. Historic album
Great album. Chuck D. is a force.
Classic but nothing spectacular
Just the usual classic hip hop, like so many other albums before
Þetta er fínt stöff. Gott fönk oft undir rappinu.
Just that sound, the sheer onslaught of the whole thing. Surprisingly compact for a hip-hip album too.
never heard of these guys -i do like this so far -i like the chill moments from the beats -LOVING cold lampin with flavor a lot -LOOOOOVE TERMINATOR X -night of the living baseheads pretty sickkkkk -i have listened to other hiphop/rap albums that i personally like better than this one, but its still pretty good
What can I say, I’m not into hiphop, but happy to listen to something different. Didn’t enjoy much though.
Yeeeeeaa boiii. Classic
Weird first listen since I've only heard of Public Enemy and never heard anything from them. Good album but some tracks kinda drag on and the album itself is a bit too long imo. Favorite Tracks: Bring The Noise, Don't Believe The Hype, Louder Than A Bomb, Caught Can We Get A Witness?, She Watch Channel Zero?!, Prophets Of Rage, Party For Your Right To Fight
LP
ayo chuck... teikäläinen voi alottaa ....ei meikä osaa räppäillä... meikä vaa kimiä ääninen... saatana voisi muut olla hiljaa... kattilan pihinäesque albumi 80luvun hippi hoppia MITÄH??? hippi..........prkl.....prkl..... ei sellasia.... bring the noise
Heittämällä ulos mukavuusalueelta. Muutamia tuttuja sampleja, molempiin suuntiin (joo, mulla oli muksuna ABC:n eka levy). Tämä meni taustameluna kun kuvitteli pelaavansa Tony Hawkin skeittipelejä. ps. El Scorcho on hieno biisi.
not gonna go back to this
Simple and straight forward delivery of complex thoughts on complex social issues. Chuck D plus Flav is a classic recipe for cold medina. This album is the root of much of the hip hop to follow.
Fundamental album! definitely interesting to listen to in the morning
Rating: 2.8
The first track was a live concert which reminded me of a time when people used coaches' whistles to make noise. The music is a mashup of mixed 90s music with rap, and lots of record scratches. It is interesting to hear how rap has evolved to its current form.
didn't listen. not into it.
Pretty cool. Normaal hou ik niet van hiphop en ik moest er ook wel in komen. De beats zijn heel simpel met erg aparte geluiden maar ze zijn heel relaxet om op de achtergrond aan te hebben.
Believe the hype!
Not my cup of tea, but definitely good for the gym!
Biiseillä on hienoja nimiä ja tykkään boiiiiista. Hyvin edelläkävijä aikanaan. Nykykorvilla vain itseään toistavaa ja raskas kuunnella tunnin verran.
Rap tekee usein jazzista sulatettavampaa, koska se tiivistää sen parhaita variaatioita toistuviksi melodiapätkiksi. Tämä duo sen sijaan toisintaa jazzin mukakekseliään kakofonisuuden yksitoikkoisen rapin muotoon. Oliko tämä nyt kolmas yritys ymmärtää? Toivottavasti ei enää tarvitse yrittää uudelleen.
"It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" by Public Enemy is a revolutionary album that redefined hip-hop's political and artistic potential. Released in 1988, it's a sonic manifesto that fuses Chuck D's powerful lyrics with Bomb Squad's innovative production. Tracks like "Bring the Noise" and "Don't Believe the Hype" showcase the band's unapologetic social commentary and aggressive delivery. The album's production is a dense collage of samples and beats that create an urgent and chaotic atmosphere. "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" remains an influential and vital piece of hip-hop history, a testament to Public Enemy's unparalleled impact on the genre's evolution.
It’s absolutely fantastic, although I prefer Fear of a Black Planet which is a bit more glossy and better produced. The passion and energy of this one though is immense.
I hate this
8/10
Just sound the same on every track 2.5
It's okay...I like some of the rhyming.
The chemistry between the duo is the records biggest highlight. Chucks rhymes are really good and memorable. I think this LP is honestly overrated, the beat selection is not that good, especially on a track like 'Rebel Without A Pause'. I cannot focus on anything other than the annoying squeals in my ears. The songs are not diverse enough to run almost an hour long, I started to just hear this mesh of the same song again and again. It was a good record, I probably will revisit this, I would have definitely given it a higher rating if it was shorter, and if Chuck decided to switch up his flow... Oh and also if the beats were not just a 3 second sample on repeat for 5 minutes, TX is lacking here. Favourites: Don't Believe The Hype / Louder Than A Bomb / Caught, Can We Get A Witness? / Show Em' Whatcha Got / She Watch Channel Zero?
Je zou nog eens een keer goed naar de lyrics moeten luisteren, dat lukte nu niet echt tijdens werk. Verder klinkt het wel aardig, maar niet heel bijzonder. Gezien dat dit in 1988 uitgebracht is snap ik dat het revolutionair was, het klinkt meer als mid-jaren 90 hiphop. 3 sterren (voor nu).
Piti nopeesti kuunnella - 1 h 40 min myöhemmin tajuan kuuntelevani jotain deluxe-editionii, missä puolet kappaleista ei oo orggis albumis. 2/5.
Kuulostaa siltä, miltä 90-luvun alku kuulosti jenkeissä.
"yeah boiii"
not for me
Nah, nao consigo ouvir esse tipo de musica que o meu vizinho curte
Yeahhhh boy
Loved listening to this for the first time. Yeeeaahhhh Boyyyy! I didn't realize Flav had so much rapping to himself, I thought he was a hype man before listening to this. Samples were great and funky. Some of the lyrics are just lyrics for lyrics sake and don't hold much, but some are really excellent.
As a white boy from canada that doesn't get US black culture... can i just say this album is fucking awesome. Lyrically it still hits, Chuck D's flow is simple and sounds great, Flavour (sic) Flav is amazing, Terminator X's beats are fucking great.
kinda whatever hip hop, sometimes more of an elevator music. Its decent, but besides three songs its so very forgettable
can you guys see my review? Most of us didn't listen to it LMAOOOOOOO Sam said it was boring
This is such a crazy album for 1988. Fuck yeah.
I enjoyed it but need to revisit it before bumping my rating up. Nothing really caught in my head but that might be just because I had a rough day at work.
Least favourite hip-hop band off that bunch
I actually like this one a lot. Easily the best of the group that we got. Probably the most interesting thing here to me is the chaotic and noisy beats as well as the inclusion of guitars like on she watch channel zero. The noise plus the political bombardment of the rapping surely made a huge statement at the time. First album of theirs I believe truly deserves to be on this list.
I mean I was going into it exhausted of tbh wit sound but…they’re consistent. They’re good. I appreciate that each song they have something to say. The dedicated terminator X track was dope, I appreciated that. The rock rap was interesting, makes sense they collared with beastie boys around this time.
BL: Public Enemy to me are one of the most iconic and provocative rap groups of all time. While I don’t know many cuts off of this album and “fear of a black planet” has always been more in my rotation I cannot wait to hear this one AL: got everything you could want from a public enemy record. Socially conscious lyrics, excellent chopping, sampling and production, and a general apocalyptic and political feel that never stops being provocative FT: “don’t believe the hype”, “she watch channel zero?!”, “black steel in the hour of chaos” 4/5
This is my second Public Enemy album that I've gotten on this list, the first being Apocalypse 91. Apocalypse 91 is great, but It Takes a Nation is better (but not better than Fear of Black Planet, but whatever). This album has all of the things that I love about Public Enemy: Chuck D's powerful voice, hard-driving beats, and lyrics that evoke the most eloquent anger I've ever heard. The songs here are serious, angry and sincere, and in my opinion, Public Enemy is the best in the business at railing against social injustices and systemic oppression. Chuck D makes the listener take an incredibly uncomfortable walk in his shoes when he raps, and it's a talent that I've yet to see be duplicated. In the aughts, when I wasn't familiar with Public Enemy's music, I thought that Flava Flav was kind of a weirdo, and that his personality was a bit cheesy, but I can see now that he was the absolute perfect hype man for this group. This album is fantastic, and it's getting added to my regular rotation. Favorite track: "Party for Your Right to Fight." What an unbelievably awesome final track.
I thought this was obviously influential but felt a bit dated. Decent, with good lyrics, but the beats and music didn't do much for me
Eh
Highlights: Don't Believe The Hype, Night Of The Living Baseheads
Dobry niegangsta rap
This is great. I really loved it.
Skyhögt över det mesta jag hört i hippetihopp.
Classic 80s / drive into the 90s style. Flav giving hype and pull, Chuck D spilling the tough thoughts from the early morning and late night journal entries, and Squad with great production.0 I personally have to be in a particular “Head space” To sit and listen to Public Enemy, as the lyrics always outweigh the rhythm/beat/music. Nevertheless, they never disappoint, and I feel this album (known as one of their bests with many classics) was a great collaboration of the group; we are looking at just Chuck and Flav on the cover, but it’s whole Bomb Sqaud effort that is heard and felt with the entirety of the album “ black steel in the hour of chaos “ in hindsight, rings even better Good vibe
I may have been buzzed off an overpriced flight of beers on an empty stomach, but It Takes a Nation was a great album to stomp around Berkeley to. “Countdown to Armageddon” sets the expectations high, and there are a number of head boppin’ numbers to work with over the next 57 minutes. “Don’t Believe the Hype” almost sounds like Homer Simpson on a turntable, but it establishes the group’s lyrical prowess in their sophomore album. I half-wondered if Michael Dukakis would have tried to use “Louder Than A Bomb” in a campaign ad to make up for his tank blunder, then I realized that was a silly thought. Of course he would have. After a satisfying first half, “Show Em Whatcha Got” throws a sax-infused curveball, but I’m not mad about it. From a storytelling perspective, “Night of the Living Baseheads” and “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos” are the pinnacle of the record, and the piano of the latter perfectly ties in a heart-thumping chase and a race against time. I appreciate the variety of intros throughout the record, and while the album is longer than it needs to be, Public Enemy does bring the noise here. It’s classic late 80s hip hop, and its influence can be heard throughout the early 90s. Maybe they’re right. Who gives a fuck about a goddamn Grammy?
Chuck D: "The FBI is tapping my phone because of my anti-establishment views." Flavor Flav: "YEAHHH BOYYYYYYYY" My biggest critique of this album is that I don't know what Flav brings to the table. Half of the time he is on a track, the tone feels discordant with the rest of the record. He's got a fucking food verse on Cold Lampin' With Flavor while Chuck D is holding court over the legality of sampling. Flavor Flav's antics aside, I enjoyed the album. Chuck D is really that guy. I'm only giving it 4 stars because stylistically I didn't completely fuck with it. An aside, in 2016 Chuck D and members of Rage Against the Machine formed a band called Prophets of Rage in response to Trump winning the election. Y'all should check out their version of the song Prophets of Rage, the last track on this album. I prefer it to the original.
Normally I would downvote an album this length, but really I cant get enough of Public Enemy
Very classic, love this old school stuff, though my knowledge of rap/hip-hop is extremely limited. "Party for your Right to Fight" was parodied by Beastie Boys? Or vice-versa? I've definitely heard some of these songs in passing.
Great Album with a lot of nice moments Beats lyrics etc...
5 star solid album
Not my type in general.
Not my favorite, but didn't mind it. Interesting to think back to when Flava Flav was more than a meme
This was a fun listen but it didn’t leave a big impression on me!
I love the sampling and DJ-ing on this
old
Better than average hip-hop/rap. No glorifying gang violence, drugs, sexism, etc. Flavor Flav is kind of annoying with his yeahhhh boyyyy and cold medina (whatever than means).
YEEEAAAHHH BOYYYYYY! This album was awesome! Sick beats from Terminator X with Chuck D spittin straight fire, and Flavor Flav as the ultimate hype man. It was pure fun to listen to and has become one of my all time favourite albums.
Yeah boyee! This is a super album. I remember having it on cassettes. And yes, a real time commitment to sit down and listen to the whole thing. I'm not sure I ever did that, instead usually opting for one side or maybe two of a tape. But it was a walk down memory lane to hear all these tracks once more. The album still stands as one of the greatest rap albums.
One of those albums that defined youth and created important moments in time. This album opened eyeballs, forged relationships and built bridges to places that would've been difficult to discover on our own. Was good to rediscover this, but considering all that has and hasn't changed in the past 35 years, left me feeling disappointed by the future that materialized.
I love Chuck D's voice and flow. For about two songs. I love Flava Flav's energy. But he's annoying. I love the way Public Enemy pull diverse musical influences in to push rap music forward, wrapped in a bow of rage and discontent. But I can't do a whole album of it.
Well damn. This sounds old but somehow the message is still relevant. That is depressing.
Historical 5. The social and political oriented lyrics make me think. They also help me realize the roots of the hip hop art form as a way to protest conditions for black communities and that hip hop ≠ gangsta rap. For my personal enjoyment, the beats sound too primitive but I still very much appreciate this album.
4/5! Yeah Boy! Some classics! Don’t Believe the Hype, Bring the Noise, Terminator X to the Edge of Panic and Rebel without a Pause The rest of the songs, I dont know quite as well, but they have that Public Enemy sound!
A mix of politics and inner city repression. Credit is due for the creative mixing on top of real street lyrics to bring relevance to topics of misogyny, race and violence. Not sure I’d listen for pleasure, but more an idea of inner city living from the late 80s. 3/5
Bring The Noise, Don’t Believe the Hype, Louder Than A Bomb, Show Em Whatcha Got, She Watch Channel Zero, Night of The Living Baseheads, Black Steel, Rebel Without A Pause (best song) and Prophets of Rage. Too many samples and Flavor Flav talks too much. Needs more of just rapping. 9/10
it's mostly bad but i enjoyed it the same as peter gabriel and more than reggae and common. Louder than a bomb has mildly relatable lyrics, She watch channel zero has nice instrumentals.
Better than FOABP, still feels like the exact same song over and over though. FS: The Noise, The Hype, Bomb
nothing but hits
I appreciated the message of this album, but I don't think I'll ever want to listen to it again.
This was not a hip-hop group that I was into back in the day. I think that I was missing out because this is a top notch album for that era of the genre. Really great!
Outstanding.
Fierce politics Fierce samples Fierce beats Fierce
Felt like a beastie boys album sometimes, with violence, with emergency - a record with a lot of sirens, a lot of repetitiv sounds, alarms.
I think Fear of a Black Planet was a better album but this one isn't bad. It's got a "live feeling" sometimes and doesn't annoy like other rap records. My biggest problem here is that I have the feeling that the sound is very inconsistent and sometimes not well thought out. 3/5
Aye pretty undeniable. Used to be a staple on my Walkman
This album is pretty good. Rap isn't my very favorite genre, but I did enjoy this.
If you took hip hop and reduce it for a couple of hours this album would be the result.
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa. Muuuy largo el disco.
idk nothing special tbh
First time I've heard flavah flav mentioned with frito lays. Awesome. I love that they had the cure for Covid back in 1988 "some drink the Clorox"... They reference themselves almost as much as Jason Derulo... but it works. Love this album.
Rap and Funk meshed together so well. Though i would probably prefer about 75% less Flavor Flav on it, i understand that he is a great contrast to Chuck D's heart attack serious delivery and style. Very good.
It’s pretty alright.Interesting sampling.Mot super amazing or catchy.It’s kinda long.
cool
Teveel beats op dit album bevatten een irritant hoog geluid. Eigenlijk zijn vrijwel alle beats op dit album op hun eigen manier nogal vermoeiend. Daardoor kan ik er niet echt van genieten. En dan ook nog een uur lang. Als album is het niet prettig. Ik kan hier onverwacht weinig mee. Ik wilde het eigenlijk zelfs afzetten, maar heb het toch doorstaan. 1 a 2 sterren.
It's just the beastie boys?
very good but just don't big fan of genre
I've been meaning to listen to this. This being very early hip-hop/rap it's very simple in it's production and the flows they use. While it is simple the content of what they are saying is much more important and holds more weight. Flava Flave is a really good hype man. He's got a good chemestry with Chuck D. This definetly has a hippity hop trpe flow. Kida like that Hannable Burres clip on T-payn's podcast. It's not bad, but I feel like these guys would make much better music if they had come up even 5 or 6 years later than they did. This is still very good and a extreemly important and influential album/group. There are so many lines and samples/sections from a lot of the songs on this album that get used/referenced in songs not even 10 years after this album came out. It's crazy how influential this group was to hip hop A low 4/5
I don't think I was in the right mood for this one as it just didn't hit right.
This will be the second Public Enemy album I’ve listened to. I enjoyed Fear Of A Black Planet, so I’m hoping for more of the same today! Let’s listen and find out. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Prophets Of Rage I can’t but my fingers on why, but this just didn’t really click for me. There were a few songs that I enjoyed, but for the most part I would find my attention drifting elsewhere because most of the songs just didn’t hook me in. The lyrics and the rapping was good, and the beats were mostly fine, although I did find Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic to sound quite annoying. Overall, this album was fine, but it’s not one I’ll be returning to.
Hip hop with rage, passion and a strong political message. A fairly long album, but with very few misses.
Which is best, this or FoaBP? Noone knows. But I think it's this
Bring the noise!!!
Too many artificial repetitive noises. Had to skip a few songs because of this. Did not enjoy this album.
Very good, no dull moments and catchy
Some of the songs sound a bit corny, but this is cool for its time.
Great politically charged rap, beats bang
politically charged lyrics along with flavour flav’s signature nuttiness. samples a plenty. very high energy throughout. an unapologetic celebration of blackness. stone cold quality.
Didn't listen to much of this one, just skimmed through a few songs. This genre of music (I think especially in this era) is overwhelmingly lyrically driven and I don't have the bandwidth right now to comb through lyrics. I heard some good beats and sampling from some tight 70's era brass, and I liked that. If I had grown up with this, it would probably have been a jam but I don't have any emotional connection to it.
I like some of this but that squealing technique they do in a lot of songs gets old fast.
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)?
Nty
What a trio, Chuck D bringing the wisdom, Flavor Flav bringing the energy and DJ Terminator X bringing the amazing beats. Excellent fun here, the DJ work on Night of the Living Baseheads was so great. 4 stars
Strong, powerful music. Both the lyrics as the music, stimulating 4 mind and body, Bring the Noise, Don't Believe the Hype, Louder Than a Bomb, She Watch Channel Zero? Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos. PE fights the power!
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.
I was introduced to Public Enemy by another white kid at church youth group who exclusively listened to them. It was 1991 and the hardest thing I’d ever heard was Mc Hammer so uhhh that was an eye opening experience.
This was actually really good
Damn solid album, need to listen to more Public Enemy. Crazy samples too.
This PE album isn't as good as the one we had a few weeks ago. There's just too much going on in every song and it loses coherence because of it. Lots of droning repetitive accents over the beats that range from distracting to annoying and draw too much focus away from the lyrics, which are generally strong from PE, though a couple of tracks are just nonsense.
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
Yeaaaaahhh boiiiiiii. Just didn’t hook me. Ground breaking none the less
Great message but hard to listen to old-school hip-hop like this
Unfortunately this was not for me 😭
I like sociopolitical rap.
I really liked this, it was a cool & unique album. Best track: Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
Hip hop del duro-horrible.
Cool sounds, good vibes, but not a lot of standout tracks. Good for chilling in the background, 3
4.4/5
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.
Just a classic rap protest album. It's got explicit lyrics, of course, but the lyrics are well thought out and planned. This isn't lightweight rap about partying and squeezing a message in to the album, as this album is the message. Great one.
Classic album. Dope beats, great verses, even a few dips in rock and metal! I love their music, but this record felt a bit too long. 8,5 out of 10
In a time where disenfranchised black kids were turning to gangs for a sense of pride, identity and camaraderie, albums like 'It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back\" provided an alternative sense of belonging to a nation. The group's image was relatable from the perspective of gang culture, but the message and methods being advocated were far more constructive, empowering and positive. The icing on the cake? It also made a bunch of tight-assed old white people uneasy. This album is remarkable on its own for its hip-hop and rap caliber. The fact that it takes aim (and succeeds) at making a positive difference in the world, puts it over the top in my book.
I thought this was really great actually. Some songs aren't as strong but overall this was fantastic old school hip hop. I will say though that I think the album is a bit too long. 7/10.
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
Alright, I could do some rap today. Feeling in that mood! Lets get this. Once again, an album I've never heard. Heard of them obviously. And maybe I'll recognize a song here and there. We'll see. Meh
Yeeeeeeeeah boy
3.5
Yeah, boyeeeee!
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
I liked this album and its shtinkin words and grooves YEAAAA BOIIIIII
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.
The peak of 80s hip hop. Even today this still holds up against some of the best hip hop albums and has aged a lot better than a lot of 80’s/90’s hip hop including NWA in my opinion maybe due to political rap being more relevant than gangster rap. A true Hip Hop Groundbreaking masterpiece.
Chhyyeeaa boooiii
Some strong beats and lyricism from Chuck D, brought down by the second half which wasn't for me.
Each track is undeniably great, I just found it a bit of a struggle to get through. 3.5/5
Hard to deny the power and energy that Public Enemy put out. The lyricism is similarly impressive, often incendiary while being catchy and exciting. I took this album in chunks, and my major drawback is that an nearly an hour I can see the boom-bap production and lack of vocal dynamics getting a little wearisome for me. Track for track its a classic, but as a cohesive listening experience I don't know that it's for me. Maybe a strong three and a half, but could grow with more listens. Fave track: Bring the Noise
On the pulse and high temperature - yeah boy! Explosive and dense lyrics from Chuck D in one of the greatest rap performances of all time. Bold social messages through genius diction, pertinent sampling, and a dynamic energy that makes for an entertaining listen. A benchmark for the genre and a through-and-through classic album. Fave track - Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos
Sangen hvor de samplede en Slayer-sang trækker op, da den ellers kun er til to stjerner.
The beats were great, the lyrics were incredibly powerful and is overall a great album. Not much to dislike here.
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
Groundbreaking. Chuck D’s rapping and the top notch production keep this album relevant over 30 years later. Even Flava Flav’s hype man antics add a layer to this that somehow holds up well. If they set out to create the hip hop equivalent to What’s Going On, they came pretty close. I’d call it a 4.5 and round down because although I really enjoyed and appreciated this, I don’t know how often I’d come back to it.
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.
1989 was the best year for hip-hop. Fight me
ok-ish
Liked it
A protest record for the hip hop era, full of absolutely banging Bomb Squad beats, quotable and meaningful lyrics from the one and only Chuck D (I shook his hand after a gig, amazing with the fans) and the ridiculous stylings of the greatest hype man ever to do it, Flavor Flav. Influential, enduring and a mesmeric album which pushed the boundaries of what hip hop could be.
Klassiker des Conscious Raps
I bought this on vinyl back in the day and have always loved everything about this. The dense almost industrial sampling, Chuck D is a fantastic lyricist, Flavor Flav is the perfect foil for him. And they are talking about big issues.
Absolutely adored this.
Great album. Loved a couple tracks but much of it sounds the same.
Awesome samples
Most influential rap album of all time
Super heavy stuff. Some moments of brilliance but too long and heavy for me. I’ll keep on listening about once a year.
Incredible energy. The coolest sampling. The cleanest rapping. This is a good fucking album.
Amazing. Legendary.
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.
Not my preferred kind of genre but it is certainly head-bobbing inducing.
Great look a the culture in the 80s and 90s with a perspective that I never had.
A lot of great tracks in this one. Not every one is a masterpiece, but damn when it goes hard, it goes hard.
I've seen the numbers. Not only is this album on the 1001 Albums list, it is also at #15 (!!!) on the RS Top 500. Some consider this to be one of the most important and influential albums of all time. Chuck D's voice booms and thunders and commands attention from front to back. I know "Bring The Noise" and "Don't Believe The Hype" (and the hype is very real, by the way) but I enjoyed every track on this album. The lyrics are sharp and socially conscious and long lasting. The production is seamless and incredible. I knew Public Enemy was important, but I hadn't listened to this particular album much, and suffice to say, I'm absolutely blown away! 5 stars, easily.
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
It's good. Really very good. Looking back it's amazing what an influence it had, and how sampled it was. Took me on a tour back through Tricky's albums too as I remembered Black Steel was actually a cover on Maxinquaye.
so huge, so powerful - it would be 5 ⭐️ except two or three tracks are filler - still this is a quibble - fuck it i’m giving it 5 ⭐️ anyway
Second album by Public Enemy on this list, and for the second time I think there has been a generational gap. Lyrics are as relevant as ever, which shows not much positive change has happened since late 80s in (american) society. If you would release the lyrics to the whole album as a poesy tome, then we have a bestseller on our hands (with exaggeration of course). When it comes to music, beats, tempo, flow or whatever else, unfortunately it doesn't hold that well. I had a real problem to keep my focus on the song, on the lyrics or anything else. Every time it felt dragged, unnecessary, and just simply tiring. I'm not saying that it is worse than modern hip-hop, which is not true, by the way, but from my perspective the music just has nothing in common with the message, and that makes it really hard to swallow in one sitting. I really tried, gave few chances to couple of the songs, but I just couldn't do it. I'm sorry, but Public Enemy is just not a group for me.
Не собираюсь даже слушать, первых песен хватило. Щас не 1988 и олд скул хип хоп не трогает
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.
I love any excuse to play this is a good excuse. The Gold Standard, not just in hip hop, but music generally. It has it all, energy, noise, great lyrics, dynamics. It's playful, smart and serious all at the same time. It sounded like nothing else at the time, and this is a set that has really stood the test of time. Yeah Boy! Bring The Noise indeed.
This is relentless. It doesn't pause for a breath from start to finish. I bloody love it. I tried to listen whilst working. This didn't work. I had to save it whilst out on a walk. My pace picked up and I was walking with a purpose. This probably wasn't the stated aim of Chuck and pals whilst making the record. Hip Hop Hikers is a thing. (And yes, I accept that this album wasn't made for me, but it doesn't stop me from enjoying, if not quite feeling the message and the importance to the black community. Especially so in 2023.)
Enemmän oon kuunnellut Fear of a Black Planet:ia, mutta tämä lienee se tunnetuin platta. Diggailen suuresti! 4/5
Haastavampi kuunneltava kuin länsirannan räbä, koska puuttuu se letkeys lähes kokonaan. Aika jatkuvaa paahtoa. Toisaalta teksteissä on ajatusta ja tarkoitusta selvästi enemmän. Ei siis kauhean usein tule kuunneltua, mutta tämä kestää tarkastelua niin hyvin, että sanotaan 3.5/5, joka pyöristyy 4/5.
Anarkistiset beatit ja hyvä flow! 4/5
Public enemy kicks ass. Didn’t know flavo flavor came from this group
2/5
my 98
Creo que el contexto de este álbum es muy importante a la hora de escucharlo, especialmente las letras, pero a veces el sonido tan hip hop 80/90 es demasiado para mi
Didn’t age well. Bad samples. yyyyeeeeaaaaaa booooyyyyy gets old real quick
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Not at all. Very repetitive and I almost stopped listening because of the constant use of ‘yeahhh boiii’ which almost became infuriating. I’m of course open to all their music and won’t judge harshly but yeah, very repetitive Favourite song: didn’t have one
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
Listened Before? N This brings me back to the late 80s in a big way. Amazing, intelligent rap. Perfect. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Bring The Noise
I always struggled with some of the politics, especially the antisemitism that developed (we know who!) but this is still a vital piece of work.
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.
Ces petits trous du cul de Public Enemy nous ont offert 1h de rap des plus originales: en effet, le beatmaker du groupe, en panne d'inspiration, a décidé d'utiliser exclusivement sa théière pour produire cet album. On peut donc entendre tout du long de l'"oeuvre" une théière en ebulltion accompagner les flows absolument ringards de Public Enemy.
There was a song about different milk shake flavors and I'm like what the fuck is this shit and I looked closely at the album cover and noticed the big clock chain. Is that flavor Flav! From flavor of love?! Terminator x and the production were decent, but flavor Flav made it dumb
Brilliant.
Rap sin contemplaciones. De la antigua usanza. Pioneros por su espíritu y reivindicaciones. Para amantes del género. Canciones un poco parecidas entre sí.
This is it. When people want a hip hop and rap suggestion you name this album. This is a 5 star album and in a list that is rife with questionable choices, this one stands above the rest.
A classic, and still just as timely.
I liked the live show samples
Brilliant!
Solid
cool
This is a great foundational album. Really shows we're more modern hip hop originated from. Raw and cool
This album gave me anxiety in a lot of spots
Classic, one of the best hip-hop albums of all time, still so influential, and unfortunately still so relevant. I also listened to this the same day I started watching Chuck's series "Fight The Power" about the history of hip-hop, including the background, development of the four elements, and (in episode 2) the golden age of which this is a major part.
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.
I didn't listen to this in the 80s despite knowing the singles. Listening to it again 34 years later I'm reminded why.
Not my thing
Fica evidente a maneira impactante que constroem o discurso da banda combinando elementos de funk e soul. Apresenta músicas que precisam ser ouvidas novamente.
Interessante. Hip-hop raiz, outra sonoridade, muito diferente do que é produzido hoje em dia. Dá pra perceber com muito mais clareza as referencias do soul e do funk, os metais, percussões e guitarras.
the fact that a rap album from the 80s has aged as well as it has is proof that this album is great. also, "she watch channel zero?!" is very funny now knowing that flavor flav went on to get his own reality tv show but it's still a good song.
Des samples hyper accrocheurs, une énergie dingue, l'envie de tout brûler après coup. On sent l'influence que ce disque a pu avoir, le travail de dingue, l'approbation privation du passé pour en faire autre chose d'unique. Assez épatant.
Another excellent Public Enemy record. It's aggressive and the lyrics are well written. Give it a listen.
Never listened to Public Enemy much, was probably a year or two too young for it to hit, but this is awesome. Pure sampling genius with lyrics on fire.
Great album but repetitive
Better than expected
No logro acostumbrarme al Rap todavia
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.
Not my favorite type of music. If I do have to listen to rap or hip hop, I do prefer this old school stuff, but I just don't enjoy it overall. 2 stars.
doesn't really hold up against. the beats are neat but the flows are one-note. and flav's voice is pretty grating. 2.
Classic 80s rap, the music isn’t the greatest by 2023 standards but it’s all about the lyrics
rocks men flava flav e lite störande
Tika INTE på mig för denna… de va int så bra
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
this album goes real hard thumbs up
Ohhh man I remember liking this album forever ago but struggle to get through it now... Mainly cuz Flav and the high-pitched, grating, repetitive samples of sirens, whistles, fireworks, and helium being released from a balloon. Maybe I’m just getting old but overall this was kinda headache fuel
How bout “No Boyeee”.
Makes me feel nostalgia for an era of hip hop I wasn’t even around for. Lots of energy, lots of ‘yeaaa boiiiiii’s from flava flav which is exactly what I needed. 3.7/5
This style of old school hip hop is definitely not my favorite genre. But I did enjoy certain elements. 2.4/5
Public Enemy is erg bekend, zelfs bij iemand die geen liefhebber van rap is. Veel lyrics komen terug in andere muziekstromingen. Dit album zelf? Toch weer niet mijn ding, al kan ik "Bring The Noise" wel luisteren. **
If beastie boys was bad
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
Monumental in every respect. A true landmark of not only hip-hop but music in general. Indeed, the black CNN at the time!
Ура наконец то хороший альбом Я довольна Поднял настроение
классический для того времени рэп с социальным подтекстом и скитами для атмосферы, вышли они со straight outta compton с разницей в одну неделю, альбом паблик энеми вышел раньше. у чак ди и флейвор флава какая-то своя магия, даже сейчас не очень распространены группы из двух человек (привет мигос 🙊🤐) но тем не менее это действительно увлекательное путешествие для меня по истории хип-хопа, я нахожу в этом какую-то романтику, что 35 лет назад, люди называли свою группу public enemy, записывали альбом с названием it takes a nation of millions to hold us back. и звучали на ней так, как ты себе все и представляешь по названию и обложке, проще говоря - все это и есть концептуальность
This is some hard core rap. A lot of anger that I cannot identify with.
Good music and lyrics.
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...
An undeniably brilliant album filled with justifiable anger and frustration tempered with a hopefulness rooted in confidence and righteousness. Released less than a month and a half before "Straight Outta Compton" (which that should give everyone a clear picture of how things were going for Black Americans back in '88), its message is far more relevant than one would have hoped after 30+ years.
Another one of those "eye opening" albums for a white kid in Northern Ontario. Definitely changed my world view on a number of things. Been a fan of PE ever since.
Ok beats and noises. Excellent deep voiced authoritative rapping from Chuck D. Some iconic raps. Political, racial and angry, but none of the ugly sweary aggressive nonsense that proliferates gangster rap.
Worth coming back to. Not the genre I would choose to listen to. Great lyricism, could be fun to memorize.
I really like this album. Honestly i’m unsure what to say about it but I just thought it was good fun and actually impressive.
BASS! The album that woke me to rap both in terms of music and lyrics - it was the natural progression of rebellious r&b rock and roll. And as much as I love Chuck D - the best rapper/lyricist in history don't even question it - it's the beats and music that make this album essential - e.g. "Don't Believe the Hype" is as funky as possible with the James Brown samples - it's an immediate groove. Flavor Flav is less annoying on this album than he'd be soon afterwards - he's a great foil for Chuck when his adlibs are interspersed amidst a song but I still maintain he doesn't carry a song on his own. Having said that, it does almost provide a perfect break in the relentless album (e.g. "Cold Lampin'" brings a silly levity between "Don't Believe the Hype" and "Terminator X to the Edge of Panic"). Impossible to pick a favourite track or two off this since it's almost a non-stop aural assault, but "Bring the Noise" is among the all-time GET THE HELL *UP* opening tracks in music history. "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" might be my favourite with Isaac Hayes' music propelling the mid-tempo fury of Chuck D's rap. Or no, it might be "Louder Than A Bomb" ... Eh words words words - greatest rap album of all-time and one of my favourites of any genre. 10/10 5 stars
I get the cultural significance of this album and how important it was at the time but the production is so shit. There isn't a single beat on this album that I enjoyed. I am a fan of Public Enemy's rapping but the production completely ruins this album for me. 4/10
Terminator X, Bring the Noise etc. are classictracks, but the album is overlong and repetitive (that scratching noise is used a lot)
Leipe beats waarin nog gescratched wordt, en goede flow. Aan het einde wel klaar mee omdat de beats toch wel lastig luisteren, vandaar geen 5 sterren
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
Good stuff. As rap goes, this is a cut above. I'm told Kanye West is supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread, but I Don't Believe The Hype.
Enjoyed the mixing, too much flavor flav
det är bra men det är för långt alltså
Profound lyrics delivered with anger and emotion, hidden behind some funky tracks - that's the coolest thing about this record. This might be one of the better hip-hop albums I've gotten on this list. Still not entirely my thing to be frank, but I can definitely appreciate.
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.
Classic album. Amazing production and Chuck D's vocals flow with a smooth yet commanding tone. 5/5
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!
The music in this left something to be desired for me, but the poetic lyrics were spot on; I definitely felt like this album succeeded in making strong political commentary. That said, I think this project has ultimately taught me that I'm not a big fan of classic hip-hop and rap, because I tend not to be too crazy about any albums that fit into that bucket. No doubt this album is impactful and important, though!
I've heard of Public Enemy, but never delved into their stuff before, so I am looking forward to today's listen. I do enjoy some 80's hip hop. Chuck D's rhymes are smooth and powerful, and Flavor Flav makes a great hype man. Terminator X is a great DJ, mixing samples and beats flawlessly. I enjoyed this album quite a bit. Especially because, unlike other 80's hip hop records, this one didn't have skits every 2-3 songs. It didn't have any skits at all, just music. I like that, beause I always found the skits took away from the album flow. Overall, I really enjoyed this album, and will probably listen again. Favourite songs: Bring the Noise, She Watch Channel Zero?! (interesting note: this song samples Slayer's song Angel of Death), Don't Believe the Hype, Prophets of Rage, Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos, Night of the Living Baseheads, "Caught, Can We Get a Witness? ", Louder than a Bomb Least favourite songs: Terminator X to the Edge of Panic (there is a looped squeal throughout this song that just grinded on me the wrong way) 4/5
Worked for me way less so than the last Public Enemy album. Production veered toward annoying, Flavor Flav veered toward annoying, and it went on too long.
Verjaard album, lastig om naar te luisteren, maar toch een klassieker. Top track: caught, can we het a witness?
Nice choice. I love the anger
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.