Reviews (page 12 of 13)
Just incredible - sound, beats, production, lyrics. So many of their best tracks on this (and, by definition, some of the best of rap all-time). Samples from Isaac Hayes to Slayer, fantastic noise - never beaten
Legends forever just yeah legends.
The energy on this is crazy! Such a sense of urgency and swag project. I just wanna dance tbh 😎
The honour of being my first 1 - Congrats!
HL: “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos”, “Rebel Without a Pause”, “Don’t Believe the Hype” After “Don’t Believe The Hype”, I started to wonder if I could listen to an hour of Public Enemy without getting exhausted. And by some miracle, I did not. The experience improved when I switched to headphones, as all the competing overdubs and samples didn’t sound great on my Bluetooth speaker. Special appreciation to the metal sample in “Channel Zero?!” (It’s Slayer, according to Wiki)
Cool album, not necessarily my style of music.
Not exactly an easy album to listen to but a very important one. The production really hits you, it's overwhelming in places. Revolutionary in every sense of the word, I can't really think of any other group like PE. This is probably my favourite of theirs, and my favourite 80s hip hop album, even though there are a couple of Flava Flav duds on it. It's pretty nonsensical listening to him rant about trash TV on 'She Watch Channel Zero' considering he ended up running his own reality TV show in the 00s! Chuck D is as great as ever though, Particularly on Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos and the second side of the album.
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
Not the best, but not bad
Too Black Too Strong
I had a very difficult journey getting into hip hop last year, since I had rejected pop rap for the majority of my life. When this generator gave me Raising Hell, it was the first step in grabbing my interest. In the coming months, I tried a few other classic records, but I still struggled immensely. 3 months after Raising Hell, I went on a solo backpacking trip for a few days in the Ozarks, downloading a couple dozen albums for me to play out loud throughout the days, and the two hip hop candidates were this and Paul Boutique's, and I absolutely loved them both. This was the more difficult one. As cheesy as the intro is by today's standards, it actually gave me goosebumps because I had no idea what to expect. What followed blew my mind. Chuck D was a powerful rapper. It wasn't about an impressive singing style (as in R&B), or a poetic rhyme and flow (as in Kanye or Outkast), or even the goofiness and fun (of old school hip hop or the Beastie Boys). This was powerful, abrasive, and in your face. Flavor Flav proved to me that a hype man wasn't just a gimmick, and his light and fun voice served as a light and engaging dynamic to Chuck D, motivating audience engagement. In just under an hour, we get 12 full-length tracks and 4 short supplementary tracks that fit really well and keep the momentum going. I played the album twice during the trip, then at least a dozen more times in the past year on drives and other hikes. To this day it's still downloaded on my phone, and I don't plan on removing it anytime soon. To me, this is their best album, among the best samples I've ever heard in a hip hop album. It's incredibly memorable, with quotes and techniques repeated frequently throughout the album. I love the sampling and record scratching to make each track unique and full of substance. They incorporate funk, rock, and jazz samples to make it accessible and diverse. But really, the samples can be so cold and spontaneous it holds a lot of similarities with industrial music. It's busy and loud but the repetition helps us digest what's going on, taking our time to relax and listen to the lyrics but also just appreciating the music in itself. The production is thanks to the famous Bomb Squad, who put so much effort into making such a genuine sounding record. Despite Fear of a Black Planet feeling more polished and complicated with the samples, I still prefer the personality here. By today standards, there are arguments to be made against its position, such as the overused repetition that makes some songs feel dragged on, or the sometimes primitive or dated raps in certain tracks. I could see the issues, but to me it's still a complete listen with no skips. And on top of it, it gets extra points for being highly influential to both American culture and the genre, kicking off gangster and political hip hop of the late 80s and early 90s. Favorites: Bring the Noise, Don't Believe the Hype, Terminator X to the Edge, Caught Can We Get A Witness, She Watch Channel Zero, Black Steel, Rebel Without a Pause
Solid early hip hop album. Mix sounds cleaner than Fear of a Black Planet
I can appreciate the historical and musical significance of this album for fans of rap, but I am not one of them, unfortunately…
Think every single hip hop fan should be required to listen to this
Wow, that was awesome. Terminator X was in his bag the entire album. Every single beat was just incredible. Favorite track: She Watch Channel Zero?!
Take a drink every time you hear “yeahhhh boiiiiii!!” Just make sure you update your will first.
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.
Meh
me gustó jeje 7.5 / 10
Black Steel in the hour of chaos 👌
love it !
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
Awesome and angry. Flavor Flav is like salt though, essential in small amounts but when he overdoes it everything goes to shit.
1988. Don't Believe The Hype, Rebel Without A Pause, Bring The Noise
Loved it, the beat is really cool and I also want to take some time to listen to it more closely so I can focus on the lyrics.
Brutal and brilliant. You can feel the rage and the anger, but artfully packaged with catchy rhythms
Bring the Noise is great, obviously. So this is the first old school rap album I listened to front to back. And it's great. The Bomb Squad production is so sample-dense - the "Wall of Noise" opinion is definitely earned. What should be chaotic really flows and creates a steady groove. Always liked Chuck D, but Flav's contributions make a lot of sense when listened to as part of the whole. Standout tracks (besides the big guns): Terminator X to the Edge of Panic, Louder than a Bomb, Caught Can We Get a Witness?, Party for Your Right to Fight
Better hooks than Fear of a Black Planet. Dig the energy.
Bring The Noise is great. This rap album is incredible. Chuck D's voice is just so damn powerful. Prophets Of Rage is a great song.
Ahh yes, Public Enemy's first masterpiece. Hip-hop's blueprint ever since its release. Not as dizzyingly full of samples like "Fear of a Black Planet" and not as slick as "Apocalypse 91... thr Enemy Strikes Back". This is raw, chaotic, and just monotonous. I mean, I get that the main appeal of this is the lyrics and that the samples are intentionally used to make the tracks more messy. It probably represents the present state of black Americans in their country. That being said, everybody knows how revolutionary is this. Socially conscious rap album that launched hip-hop into the ears of the public and the critics. But listening to it is a bit exhausting. It's not as enjoyable as the next two albums, which of course are just albums built upon this gem. Hell, almost every hip-hop album after this is built upon it.
Sometimes I listen to PE and imagine how much better they could have been if it had been just Chuck D without Flavor Flav. Yeah, boy. Also how much better it could have been without the live call & response stuff. Even with these, it's a still a classic.
Not as polished as Fear of a Black Planet, but when this works it knocks you the fuck out.
definitely a landmark album, just not my style. I'd have to go through it from the lyrical perspective to give it a better rating than 7.5/10
Tea kettle.
good rap stuff
Not for me
YEEEEEEAAHHHH BOOOOIIIIII
Early hip hop, similar to early beastie boys.
Great rhythm and powerful message.
Bring the Noise! Brilliant! Night of the Living Bassheads She watch channel zero?!
Amazing. Loved a lot of songs, they cover many social issues. She Watch Channel Zero?! was so different, like nothing I've ever heard before
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. ✊
i was too busy bobbing my head to the beat to take notes. but seriously, this album's lyrics speak truth to many important issues in society. I'm generally a sucker for angry political commentary backed up by bass and this was not exception. I had never heard this album before today but this was clearly the source of many hip-hop templates, samples, and ideas that can still be found within today's music. There is no higher praise in my mind.
Favorite song: Louder Than A Bomb
Classic, genre-defining album.
Great, aggressive sample and beats. I can't really relate to any of the lyrics though. I guess that's on me.
Killer record.
Yeahhh boyyyyy! Flavor flavor in everything cause everything has flavor!
Солидно!
A really good album, but just not my style.
Once again back is the incredible.
still does
Good
This is classic!
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.
Rap isn't my thing.
This album was my gateway to hip hop. I heard the version of Bring the Noise that PE did with Anthrax and found this album. The great soundscapes and songs led me further into the genre.
I completely ignored this album when it came out. I was fairly clueless when it came to the shifts in music happening, and the fact that it's 2022 and I am listening to it now shows not a lot has changed, I can still be fairly clueless when it comes to music. But listening to it, this album resonates over time...hasn't lost it's power but still, just too many Ya boyyyyeee's on several tracks... but nothing is perfect.
Fuck YES
Chuck had some memorable bars and the overall message of the album was great. I also liked the incorporation of the live sound bits. But oh my god, so many of these beats have the most obnoxious sounds I've ever heard. I also find Flav very annoying, so while I enjoyed parts of the album, other parts were almost unlistenable for me.
Man, Flava Flav is the coolest. Lots of sampled bits I’ve heard in more modern rap, this is a classic album for sure.
i liked some of this which is new for me
The first PE album certainly felt like something fresh and different when it came out, but this second record is where PE really flexed into the iconic outfit that they became. faster, harsher sounding, more political than anyone had been before, this is the Public Enemy that really blew the doors off.
Sadly, I couldn’t get into it.
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.
Nope, I just don't like hip hop. Listened to about half of the first six songs and decided it's enough. For sure not the worst hip hop out there, but I still don't like it at all.
Yeah
020126 12:07 4
I'm no rap fan but I can appreciate the cool beats & grooves as well as the cultural significance of the album. Actually, it was quite an enjoyable listen at times.
So much more interesting than the shite that’s popular these days
Hi class hip hop from my man Terminator X, Chuck D and Flava Flay. The combination of crazy sounds slick beats and the unflinching lyrics make this an absolute classic.
Absolute belter of an album. still works after all these years. Iconic classic
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
Отлично звучащий рэп, но за краткий срок не довелось разобраться с текстовым содержанием, потому острожная четырехконечная 🌟
A stone-cold classic album. Outstanding!
I’m disappointed. Never listened to this group but Chuck D is one of those hyped up figures so I assumed I’d hear something interesting. There was no variety throughout, just all the same tonally. Didn’t live for it, wasn’t impressed by it. Repetitive and dull.
Banging great beats rhyme and poetry
So incredible
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
This is excellent but why do they ruin so many of the songs with an annoying high pitched sample that constantly repeats? Bizarre production choice, otherwise everything else is great. Powerful lyrics, great samples, very influential.
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.
Is it wrong to say that I find the usual big, loud "black attitude" just so tiresome? Today, arrogance and sassy loudness is celebrated, so long as it comes from a black person; people seem to think being "empowered" means being self-obsessed and obnoxious. Every song has this overblown, forced, pompous swagger that just gets irritating. Much hip hop suffers from this. It doesn't feel genuine, it really feels like the whole purpose of the music is to seem cool. I really think hip hop has to be the most pretentious genre out there. The definition of pretentious is: "attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed." Hip hop is all about style and attitude, not about substance or talent. By that I mean that it is usually not musically complex/deep to compose, nor does it take any technical skill with a musical instrument to perform. Sure, the lyrics take effort to write, but that's the only thing it has going for it. Since when was good music about lyrics? You might as well stick to poetry. After all, the music itself is often so simplistic; a 3 second beat is looped over and over for a whole 4 minute song. Wow, so impressive, guys. The music isn't even played by people, it's played by a machine. It doesn't take a musical genius to push buttons on a drum machine. Today a lot of hip hop is performed by computers; the only piece left for a person to do is rap. I'm sure someday soon computers will be able to convincingly rap, and all popular hip hop will be procedurally generated by AI. I love to listen to music that is written by skilled composers and/or performed by talented instrumentalists. Hip hop is the antithesis of this; simple repetitive music, no impressive instrumental work. Usually, anyway. I’m sure it’s enjoyable to many but I just don’t like it at all
Not for me.
Super good and relevant
Excellent stuff from the fathers of Rap.
Flava flav???? Yeaaaah boiiii. I appreciate the flow and lyrics to this, though probably won't listen to this a ton.
There's something about Public Enemy. Their rhymes really sound important, even when it's Flavor Flav being goofy. And they are. I mean, even when they give props to Terminator X (which they do a lot here). I dug this album a lot, it was more serious than Cypress Hill, a bit refreshing. It's weird, knowing that B-Real and Chuck D would be working together in the disappointing "Prophets of Rage." I remember hearing "Party For Your Right To Fight" back in college. I didn't get it back then, but I understand it more now.
Chuck D is a legend. Flavor Flav is a fool. Most of the time, hearing Flavor Flav was like hearing that annoying sidekick in a movie or Newton saying "Herc Herc" in the old, terrible Hercules cartoon. You just want to punch him in the mouth because he has nothing important to say - he's just squeaking. As a sidekick, he's useful on Don't Believe the Hype (and maybe a bit on She Watch Channel Zero) but wasteful on Bring the Noise, Caught Can We Get a Witness, and Rebel Without a Pause. I can barely listen to his lead efforts (e.g., Cold Lampin'). Still, there's plenty of Chuck D and when he's on lead, it's gold. You better listen and get an education. Louder than a Bomb, Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos, and Party for Your Right to Fight are brilliant. There's also a lot of cool beats from Terminator X, though some get a bit repetitive across the whole album.
I can definitely hear the roots of later rappers intertwined in Public Enemy.
05/29/22 Dope as fuck.
Yeeeeeeah booooooi? Naaaaaaaa maaaaaaaan!
This album was a lot of fun and would be great to spin at a house party.
My co judge is a huge fan of this album and reminded me that when it came out it revolutionized rap (we thought it did anyway) with its sophisticated use of samples, political stance and Farrakhan references. Many of their samples and original vocals e.g. “Yeah Boy” have been sampled in turn, many times over the 35 years since its release. The energy level is through the roof, the beat is infectious and it’s chock full of still-classic tracks, including “Don’t Believe the Hype” and “Rebel Without a Cause”, though I must admit I prefer Tricky’s punk-metal version of “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos”. Modern rappers looking for high-impact lyrics without dropping F-bombs every three seconds should check out “She Watch Channel Zero”.
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.
*do believe the hype
Cool but not my sound
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.
I want to start by saying I absolutely love this album, and I respect it for what it represents in the evolution of hip hop. With that said, the a lot of the samples and lyrics really hold up and are amazing still- on the other hand the pacing of the album is somewhat choppy and the lyrics can be pretty corny/dated sometimes as well. Def worth being on this list, but it’s not my #1 choice for old school hip hop. So close to a 5, but alas
Such a great album, so many influences on bands that I love and I do enjoy socio political rap. Fave: Black Steel
The best - perhaps the only rap album without a second of filler. No skits, and even Flavor Flav is kept on a tight leash. The samples are brilliant and the beats unforgiving. A high water mark.
Avais-je mal écouté Fear of a Black Planet? Celui-ci me paraît vraiment meilleur, il y a une plus grande diversité et ça rentre vraiment au poste. Un aboutissement du rap des années 80.
The bside is especially fantastic but overall great
this is one of the best rap albums of all time and i love the lyrics, but it also isnt the most relistenable album.
I actually recognised a lot more songs than I would have expected from myself and had a blast while listening
There's a bit of filler here and there, but the ones that hit are some of the most vital, iconic and just damn impressive hip-hop songs of all time
it was fine to listen, 3.5/5
since JF will give a shit rating
Public Enemy is always great. Awesome & legendary album.
This was my first ever hip hop / rap album and still perhaps my favoeite. like most albums of this genres i wish it were 10 minutes shorter, but its got great tunes. It does sound a bit samey throughout but it still manages to keep me interested to the end. 4.5 ⭐️
Due to copyright law changes albums like this are hard to find. Massive amount of samples with great beats and energy. A classic for sure. Would get a 5 but it suffers from a few too many tracks breaking up the tempo a bit.
It's aight
Yeeeaaaahh, boooooyeee! Props to Chuck D, Flavor Flav, and Terminator X for being the bleeding edge of hiphop just as it was truly breaking wide... but this didn't age all that well. The beats are basic, the rhymes are primitive, and the lyrics are more hype than substance. It feels undeveloped... rudimentary. But, at the end of the day, that's okay because this was the golden age of hiphop. The genre was still finding its feet as a mainstream art form. Every track was an experiment and every album a thesis statement. That ethos is prominently on display here which means that some tracks slap while others flop. Ultimately, it's an enjoyable bit of history that's more than worthy of a listen before you die.
I love boomboxes!
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
Heavy hitting but flavour flav remains extraneous
Demasiado rap para mi. Perdió mi atención en repetidas ocasiones y el sonsonete de la base llegó a ser bastante molesto y repetitivo.
La neta es que fue un poco desafortunado que nos tocaran dos de estos discos seguidos porque me cuesta trabajo distinguir bien entre ellos. Sí, ya sé, n00b. Dejando eso de lado, ahora sé de dónde salio Flavor Flav o eso. Y pos ya, no me dio más.
Terrible. Why make a whole album when you do the same annoying things every song.
Should be mandatory listening in schools.
Not mine but good.
un peu relou crari y a des sonorites un peu chiant on comprends pas trop les paroles fin c’est bien old school quoi
This is an all out celebration of who they are - loved it. The double bill of Bring the Noise and Don't Believe the Hype starts it out strong, and it keeps that level all the way through.
Difficult for me to appreciate
The penetrant monotonous background melodies in many songs were tough
Still a great album. The original hype man "yeah Boy!.
A classic 80's hip hop sound, the beats and samples are awesome. Lyrically masterful, almost like a kind of poetry. Extremely fun to listen to, I really enjoyed this one!
I think I mentioned this in the RUN-DMC review, but this production style seems cliche now. To the point that I can't really get past it and review objectively. But this is a good record. There is so much pomp and circumstance and these guys obviously are tackling some themes that I'm sure the 1980s moderates thought were "solved." Just like we thought were solved again in the 2010s. Also, I love Flava Flave. Or however that's spelled. Overall, I liked hearing this more than RUN-DMC. Seemed to have more of a point.
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.
One of the most important albums of the 20th century.
Yeahhhh boyyyyyy
It's eighties hip-hop, you can imagine the sound of the whole album just from that descriptor.
Listened up until nr 8 for now. Can we get a witness. Mwah not my style but okay. Prob 3 stars
vermoeiend om te luisteren, weinig variatie, beats pakte me niet
The second half of the 80's marked a turn for hip hop. Though Run DMC was the first touchstone group for hardcore hip hop, it would be groups like N.W.A. and Public Enemy that would get especially aggressive in their delivery, effectively popularizing the subgenre. It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back is an undeniable radical energy, with MC Chuck D giving hard-hitting lyrics with a tough-as-nails delivery, alongside hypeman Flavor Flav who elevates the music. While rapping is certainly good on here, it occasionally comes across as a dated and even a bit corny. Rapping has evolved a lot since 1988 and I'll be hones tin saying I'm not a huge fan of Flav's presence. The real shining star is the timeless production. Hank Shocklee, who would go on to be a member of The Bomb Squad producing Ice Cube's solo effort AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (also a great record). We also have the legendary Rick Rubin credited as an executive producer, though to what extent he's involved in the album, I don't know. Either way, the sampling and beats on this album are superb. Overall great album. Holds up well and it's almost all bangers.
4.25
Nope. F
Muito bom.
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.
Controversial opinion: This album walked so Apocalypse 91 could run.
Excellent music Chuck D and Terminator X put together constantly fighting against Flavor Flav. They win, but God damn is it a battle.
Ahh.. wonder what the big clock is about..hmm
So damn good. The beats, the socially conscious lyrics, the talent. They hype man with a giant clock necklace. Great hip hop album all around
To be honest I don't believe the hype, but I think Flava Flave and Chuck D have got it going on.
Intéressant mais redondant, c'est assez rough quand même, le bout du dj est sympa mais on en reviens du sample de sax qui couine à chaque mesure Cela dit c'est plus lefun que Sheryl crow pour la culture musicale
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
Nope
Prima canzone: 'Countdown to Armageddon', bene! Niente di particolare, buon ascolto.
This was my first time listening to a full Public Enemy album and I really enjoyed. Sick beats and lyrics, it was also the first time I heard the original "Bring The Noise". For some tracks it sounded a little repetitive for me (Cold Lampin' With Flavor), but nothing that really bothered. Still an awesome album. Favorite tracks: * Bring The Noise * She Watches Channel Zero?! (super cool guitar riff) * Prophets Of Rage
Classic
Yeahh Booiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
Vraiment pas facile d'accrocher
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.
Historically interesting but not really my style.
Don't Believe the Hype, indeed! Just foundational, a true template for so much to come (for better or worse). Chuck D-Flavor Flav maybe the Lennon-McCartney (or Simon-Garfunkel) of hip-hop. The grit and energy and edge are true and strong after all these years, even if the beats and tech are dated. Fear of a Black Planet even better.
already have! :)
Powerful
Absolutely groundbreaking hip hop album! 4.5/5 stars
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
turns out I like public enemy and I didn't know it
Really liked this one, and liked it even more after going to the Wikipedia link. (Having the Wikipedia link was a great idea... I'm enjoying learning about the albums as well as listening to them, and even for the ones I don't like as much, it's interesting to have the context around them.) I haven't listened to much hip-hop or rap in general, but I'm glad this generator is introducing me to artists and albums that I probably wouldn't have looked up on my own. Would go back and listen to this one again, and possibly pull up the lyrics to read along as they rap.
Classic.
Chuck D is always on point, I enjoyed this album. Falls down a bit the 100th time Flavor Flav says "yea boy!" That is to say it could have been shorter.
Though I prefer "Fear of a Black Planet," as I feel that is where they perfected what they established here, this is the breakthrough. This album holds up amazingly well over time, even when you compare it to other albums that came later in its wake. Chuck D's voice is absolutely commanding, and I even appreciate Flavor Flav for his levity and the contrast of style he provides, but it's the beats that completely floor me. I love the fast paced, noise-filled collage. Skillfully controlled chaos. It's high art.
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.
This is not an album you review in one day - this is an album that forms you and you grow up with - unfortunately I didn’t - I am going to need more time with it I guess - but so far I can see the specialness of it
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAH BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOI 4/5
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa. Muuuy largo el disco.
Some of these tracks sound like demos that were never updated. It still slaps, though. Best track: Bring the Noise
Great original material for the time. Hit tracks are the ones for a reason. Semi repetitive sound but still good.
I have to admit I wasn't in the mood to listen to this during an already stressful and hectic Monday work morning, but surprisingly it fits very well with the chaos of the morning. Separate from my listening circumstances, I found myself drawn in by these tracks. Really cool layering of rhythms and harmonies from the drum loops on up through the vocal mix. Heard some nice influences, samples, etc., from R&B and funk, including some great guitar and bass lines. I definitely want to give a few re-listens along with the lyrics in front of me. I heard some good strong commentary in there and want to dive deeper. Strong, strong album.
I don't even hate rap but this just sucks, sorry. Horrible beats - seriously, what's up with the wacky boing instruments in every song? They're a kazoo away from being actual meme music. "Security of the First World" sounds like video game pause music. An hour of my life that I'll never get back.
8/10 goes very hard
7/10. Sounded a bit like the Beastie Boys but taking themselves a bit more seriously. Which makes it sound like it was bad, but I quite liked it. May return to this for a more thorough listening/rating.
I can understand the importance of this album but the beats were so screechy and the vocals were so shouty. 5/10
לא ממש יכול לתת ביקורת שמעתי כמה שירים בודדים לצערי, בגדול אהבתי אבל קשה לי לשפוט
This album is a Revolution!
I can't listen to music like this because there is no melody, just a beat. It's definitely interesting that this caught on, though.
Birthplace of bands like RATM - high speed, energetic hip-hop. Just a sick listen!
Solid album with plenty of bangers
A classic of the genre. It's simultaneously fun to listen to and thought provoking. I could see some people not enjoying the old school sound, but I love it.
didnt like it
Well, this guys practically invented rap, so...
Brilliant. Lots of clever samples, lyrically magnificent, great flow, politically engaged, clear purpose and aims. I loved it.
Far too much yeaaaah boooy
Nope
A bit too corny for my taste but it's really cool hearing earlier versions of sampling in hip hop
It's a politically and socially charged album that is fast paced with a dense and chaotic production style that relied on found sounds and avant-garde noise as much as it did on old-school funk. Listening to it today, it still sounds fresh and relevant. Best: Bring the Noise Worst: Mind Terrorist 3.5 Stars
6/10
Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Cold Lampin' With Flavor, Show 'Em Whatcha Got, She Watch Channel Zero?!, Party For Your Right To Fight Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: I fuck with the bars and Terminator X certainly brings the noise to a brain busting degree. Not for casual listening and there's not a thing wrong with that.
i liked the themes of social justice :) it wasn't my type of music but i def wouldn't be pretentious enough to claim that it's objectively bad for that reason. the refrain of "burn Hollywood!" reminds me of "burn babylon!" in playing with fire by kings kaleidoscope... although i guess since playing with fire came afterwards, it should be the other way around. UNRELATED BUT JUST A FRIEND BY BIZ MARKIE PLAYED AS PART OF THE RADIO FOR THIS ALBUM AND I HAVE NEVER HEARD IT BEFORE?? I KNEW THE VERSION BY AUSTIN MAHONE BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WOAH
It's aight
Better than some of the other 90s rap so far, but still not great.
To me it sounds like ‘ordinary’ hiphop
Fun album, pretty wild and aggressive for how early it was released. Not quite my jam though.
Understand their impact
First time listening- album is great! Beats are powerful and well mixed. Great rhymes and strong delivery. Will listen to again
Great lyrics, can see why they pioneered conscious rap.
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"
La músiica es parecida al sonido de LL Cool J, pero no terminó de gustarme.
Good stuff
Good and important but repetitive AF. A lot of times the samples are OVERBEARING
I definitely needed some angry political music after the domestic terrorist Kyle Rittenhouse was found "not guilty" today. A must listen for any hip hop fan.
Innovative. 4/5
It has to be 5 stars, if it’s not 5 million. Such an album.
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 have a distinct memory of seeing PE t shirts for sale at the old Toowoomba Target. They kind of broke through as fashion before I could get a handle on their music. Again another album where I've only really listened to the hits. I recommend everyone watching the doco 'Welcome To The Terrordome'
Very late 80s. The rhymes and some of the lyrics hold up, but the beats and flow are exceedingly dated at best, not good at worst.
Very enjoyable. First time hearing the whole album. Lots of sampled bits and pieces, callbacks and references that I have heard in other work relating back to this album.
This is one of the most important hip-hop albums of all time. "Bring the Noice" continues to be an anthem for standing up for the greater good. Chuck D's vocals grab your attention with his aggressiveness, but hold your attention with the message he's providing. This isn't a personal favorite of mine, but it is an absolute pleasure to listen to.
U 3 dana dva Public Enemy-a? Ma mora da se šališ. Nego, ovo je kultni klasik hip hopa, pogotovo krajem 80ih. Ako ovo nisi poslušao dosad, ne znam šta se čeka? Definitivno najdraži hip hop album 80ih.
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...
Do believe the hype
I see this album's significance in the history of rap music, I see their influence in rap music as the 90s, 2000s and 2010s have progressed. But it wasn't for me, and will not be an album I will be revisiting.
cool but not for me 2.25
¿Qué queréis que os diga? Qué grandes y en muchos aspectos qué olvidados. Me encanta cómo suenan, cómo rapean, alucinante lo que consigo pillar de las letras. Imprescindible es poco. Cinco estrellas totales. Bring the noise, Don't believe the hype, Terminator X to the edge of panic, Show 'em whatcha got, She watch channel zero, Rebel without a pause, Prophets of rage y para terminar Party for your right to fight.
once again, 47 white male. Not the target. but I can see how it would be good
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.
Forgot how incredible this album was, and how good it still is! Lyrics are fantastic. Beats are perfection.
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.
Couldn’t get on with it 2*
Not really doing it for me. The 'She Watches Channel Zero' is a banger though.
A great listen! That intro makes it sound like Public Enemy puts on one hell of a live show... I love Tricky's version of "Black Steel" so it was great hearing the original. Fave track - "Prophets of Rage", maybe, or "Louder Than a Bomb". "Don't Believe The Hype" is a massive tune too, of course...
33. It Takes a Nation of Millions - Public Enemy 16 tracks. This was a real blast from the past and other than the memories it triggered, I could hear the influence from this in lots of stuff since. I don't love rap, but there is no doubting how good this is. I really enjoyed it. 4/5
A huge part of the foundation of hip hop, this inspired pretty much everything that came after. I didn't realize Flava Flav could rap but his track is actually pretty good.
11th October 2021 Listened on the sleepy drive back from Cadiz on Saturday. 80s hip hop! Love it!
While there are some great themes explored here, the production is way too busy and at times overwhelms the bars.
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.
two
Seminal album for an genre…. This is politically charged hip hop at its absolute best!
The rappers press on dramatically and paroxysmally in a patchwork of rap noises, casual bandisms, scratch improvisations (Terminator X, aka Norman Rogers, the scratch wizard) and electronic disturbances. It's a classic, an overwhelming and sophisticated sampler of revolutionary music. (7/10) Favourite Tracks: Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
Ok. Bit too rappy for me.
Yeah boiiiiiiii
Bu adam bana cikmasin artikkk
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
Good listen. Favorite track is Louder than a Bomb
Still just as hype as the first time I heard it. Amazing beats and amazing raps. Definitely a classic.
This was my first ever hip hop / rap album and still perhaps my favoeite. like most albums of this genres i wish it were 10 minutes shorter, but its got great tunes. It does sound a bit samey throughout but it still manages to keep me interested to the. 4.75 ⭐️
At the time it took a few plays to make sense but once it hit me it hit hard. Still wonderful.
Fast and hard af… did anyone read that “black supremacy” review? Bruh you write quite well but quite inputting that boomer frustration energy in here
Listen to this album these days sounds a little bit old, but keeping in mind the importance of public enemy for hip-hop history, it's very easy to note the importance of it. I liked to note how much rock samples were used in these early hip-hop songs. For sure, I'm biased, but I believe that more modern hip-hop songs lost this link with rock songs.
For the love of Flavour
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
-"bring the noise" needs no review it is THE public enemy song. It is amazing how much Chuck D is complimented by Flavor Flav. Obviously he doesn't offer much lyrically but it just isn't PE without some flavor. -"don't believe the hype" is still fucking topical today "don't believe the hype, it's a sequel. As an equal, can I get this through to you. My 98's boomin' with a trunk of funk. All the jealous punks can't stop the dunk. Comin' from the school of hard knocks. Some perpetrate, they drink Clorox. Attack the black, 'cause I know they lack exact." My GAWD Chuck D 🥵🥵🥵 -"cold lampin with flavor" is my favorite beat in the album with my least favorite lyrics. Flavor should just remain the hype man. -"terminator x to the edge of panic" God damn does terminator go in on this track show casing exactly why P.E. shaped the east coast hip-hop sound. Long Island was never the same after him. -
Good, not great.
YyyyeaaaaahBuoiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Very nice, will get the album. Quite cool to discover stuff like this
// Favs: – Score: Strong 3 to Light 4
Heard this once or twice before, and I'd heard the metal version of bring the noise first. It's weird listening to it without guitars. Rest of the album is about the same, pretty cool beats and rhymes etc. Doesn't drop off or get old, good album. Flava Flav sure does like talking about himself though lol. Apparently he's a musical genius, like can play any instrument etc. 4/5.
yeeaaaaaahhh boyyyyyy!!! this was great. Angry rap with a message. Great album
“It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back” by Public Enemy (1988) This is another recording that must be listened to in context. From a distance of over thirty years it sounds trite, boastful, and limp. But in its day it was revolutionary. The emphasis on the album is not the music (which is mostly out of a can), but the poetry, which is powerful, and powerfully delivered by Chuck D. (rah-rah comic foil Flavor Flav, not so much). Chuck D.’s diction and elocution are good enough so that his poetry can be heard rather than read. That is a huge plus. Only by hearing can we grasp the anger and the prophetic dynamism. This album is political poetry. The message here is the potent assertion of blackness. And the beats, rhymes, samples, and topics are well selected to serve that end. Whatever one may think of the notion of the ‘blackness’ they are asserting, there is no denying that it has coherence and power. And how is it ‘political’? The German political philosopher Carl Schmitt, in defining the conceptual essence of the ‘political’ said: “[T]he specific political distinction … is that between friend and enemy. [and further], The enemy is solely the public enemy” (The Concept of the Political, 1927, 2007 ET, pp. 26, 28, emphasis added). Then, in favorably noting the famous 1853 dictum of Carl von Clausewitz, Schmitt elucidates: “‘War is nothing but a continuation of political intercourse with a mixture of other means.’ To be precise, war, for Clausewitz, is not merely one of many instruments, but the ultima ratio of the friend-enemy grouping.” (Ibid, p. 34, n. 14). Schmitt became a Nazi in 1933, and was very influential in the actualization of the Nazis’ political aims. We all know how the Nazis treated their enemies. The political poetry of this album is radical and revolutionary in that the poet takes up Schmitt’s political conception, and then, with stunningly innovative boldness, defines himself as the enemy—and a very public enemy at that. It’s a marvelous moment of clarity. Public Enemy is a cultural extension of the black nationalist political philosophy of Louis Farrakhan and Malcolm X, not the nonviolent activist liberalism of Martin Luther King, Jr. If you keep all this in mind as you listen to the album, you will be well tuned in to their artistic purpose, unsettling as it might be. 1/5
Packed to the rafters lyrically and musically. Intimidating, angry and militant, but also funky as all hell with its insane twisting of samples into new shapes and hard as nails wall of sound production that bores into your skull like a pneumatic drill. 58 minutes of pure adrenaline that always leaves you needing to catch your breath at the end. Then there’s all the rappers, beat makers and artists who have built careers off the back of ripping this album off, Dr. Dre being one of the most obvious examples. ‘It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back’ is still the sound of an exploding rap supernova whose impact still reverberates 30 plus years later.
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 think if I was judging this album according to its lyrical content alone, I might have a less favorable impression than I do. Rap lyricism has changed so much since this album was released that it can't help but sound dated. It's good, but it sounds very much of its time. The music, however, still feels revolutionary. It's dated in certain ways because of the technology, but they made so many cool, bold choices in making this album. A true classic 4/5
Niet mijn genre, en het overmatig gebruik van de 'Yeah Boy'-sample stoorde me mateloos. Ik had moeite om dit uit te luisteren 1*
pure raw energy
1. Countdown til Armageddon - Completely an intro. I will never listen to this ever again. Pretty much a tornado warning the whole time. Rate - 1/10 2. Bring the Noise - Nothing special, won't be added to my playlist. Not bad, but eh. 5/10 3. Don't believe the Hype - Don't really like this one either. Pretty irritating noise heard throughout. Won't be added to my playlist. 5/10 4. Cold Lampin' with flavor 5. Terminator X To the Edge of Panic - What's with this rap group and GOD AWFUL screeching sounds? 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. yea boiiiiiiii, didn't like this album
Never thought I'd say I'm a public enemy fan! But there you go
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
Party for your right to 4 stars
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Party for your right to fight
Classic. Great songs. Great beats. I would definitely listen to again.
Classic album with so many great songs.
Fantastic.
This one's not for me, boooiii
What you would expect from a late 80s rap album, which to me is an enjoyable experience
A bit more tolerable than most of the other rap so far on this list.
Great, amazing sampling. The way each sample really mushes together is great. I recognized some from other songs, so when i went to genius to check i was surprised to see how much each track from this album was sampled. I was a bit underwhelmed by the rappers but they were still good. I liked Chuck D but not too much. Flav had a lot of moments too, like in Cold Lampin With The Flavor. They both have very unique and contrasting voices which i do like. Overall it was as much as 80s hiphop as 80s hiphop can get, which I admittedly like but don't listen to a lot of. 7/10 As of July 12th 2021 Best Tracks: Bring The Noise, Don't Believe The Hype, Cold Lampin With The Flavor, She Watch Channel Zero?!, Rebel Without a Pause, Party For Your Right To Fight Worst Track: Mind Terrorist
Its alright, though not for me. Will give another listen soon
boppy
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.
Bonafide, stone cold, 5 star classic!
Not to my taste, only listened to the first half.
While it was a really good album some songs seemed repetitive or samples sounded weirdly placed. Not a favorite but still really excellent.
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
classic rap/hip hop in the 80s/90s. Yeah boyyyyyyy, a classic for flav.
This is one of the best albums of all time.
Excellent early rap album. Chuck Ds lyrics and rap style is among the best. The beats are hard and not overly funky like other late 80s early 90s. This album is far more influential than most other rap albums. Not my favorite rap album but it gets a bump for the legacy. 9.0/10
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.
Great beats, great rapping by Chuck D, and Flavor Flav adds the flavor that makes it all go down nicely! There's no filler on this album every track is good to great.
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.
Great old school Hip-Hop
I like this album so really good songs however a few songs I didn’t like, that stop it being 5 stars it’s an album that keeps your attention from start to finish 4/5
Top old school 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.
The beats are all annoying. I didn’t finish.
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
Dogshit. sry, I did not have a good day lol
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
Still awesome.
Классные биты, интересный текст, немного не понравилось сведение и биты однообразные
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