Reviews (page 4 of 13)
i would be such a good hypeman. they gotta get me on the next public enemy record...
Big Tony hawks pro skater 2 vibes. Very listenable
Loved the one sampling Slayer, how is that not as big as the Anthrax one 3.5 rounded down
Number: 80 Date: 03/23/2026 Artist: Public Enemy Album: It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back Year: 1988 Genre: Conscious Hip Hop Rating: 3 Notes: Before: The is my second Public Enemy album. It looks like they have three on this list which is 2 too many, imo. They should definately have one album here but I don't think any artist should have more than one unless they are very different from each other and/or masterpieces. I don't see that with Public Enemy's work. They have some great songs but most of their music that I like has pretty much the same sound. During: 3 Countdown To Armageddon 5 Bring The Noise 4 Don't Believe The Hype 4 Cold Lampin With Flavor 3 Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic 3 Mind Terrorist 3 Louder Than A Bomb 3 Caught, Can We Get A Witness? 3 Show 'Em Whatcha Got 4 She Watch Channel Zero?! 4 Night Of The Living Baseheads 3 Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos 3 Security Of The First World 4 Rebel Without A Pause 3 Prophets Of Rage 3 Party For Your Right To Fight ----------------------------------------------------- 3.50 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After: 4 my personal rating 2 suitability for this list 4 impact ----------------------------------------------- 3.3 composite rating
Standouts Bring the Noise Don't Believe the Hype Party for Your Right to Fight
I thoroughly enjoyed this. It's not my area at all - I'm a skinny white Northern Irish man - but I can relate to the rage. There is nothing throwaway here, it is a really well-crafted album and the production values are very high. These days, when I hear rap, it appears boastful and more concerned with bling and 'look what I've got' - and perhaps there is a deep reason for that - but "It Takes A Nation..." is revolutionary in all senses of the word. The music is funky and jazzy and hits as hard as a metal band. The lyrics are angry and confrontational. It's scary and political. I am not suddenly going to become a hip-hop expert but I can relate and I know art when I hear it.
First hip-hop album I got from here. And this is how I discover where the "my longest yeah boi ever" meme came from lol Favourite tracks: "Cold Lampin' With Flavor", "Caught, Can We Get A Witness?" "Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos", "Prophets Of Rage", And I especially love the rock-inspired beats on "She Watch Channel Zero?!" & "Party For Your Right To Fight" So overall, this is some good oldschool NY rap that I want more of!
Mythic album pull, glad to have it.
This is such s good record, delivering on good beats and strong lyrics. I’m not sure i appreciated som of the meaning behind the lyrics as a ten year old kid growing up in Yorkshire, but i loved it then and i love this now. You cant deny that an album that opens with ‘Bring the Noise’ and ‘Dont Believe the Hype’ is not here to play and the quality is maintained throughout. It is however difficult for me to hear the opening refrain without expecting James Dean Bradfield to come in screaming’repeat after me fuck queen and country’ I spent most of this album, thinking was a good strong 4/5, but at the end i realised this couldn’t be made any better and comfortably deserves to be a 5/5
In the scale of all the rap albums I’ve heard so far, this wasn’t the worst; it just didn’t really do much for me either.
Second Public Enemy album during this project and another album where I got to enjoy playing spot the sample. I particularly enjoyed Fame by Bowie, the Flash Gordon theme and Son of Shaft turning up. And the intro being from a BBC DJ was a surprise. And sampling Slayer! I keep saying it, but sampling is such an impressive skill to me - creating a completely new thing from disparate scraps of other songs and it sounding like it always should have been like that. I really appreciate the topics and Chuck D's style of rapping too. As a whole, I think I liked it a tiny bit less than Fear Of A Black Planet, but it's still very much worth: 3/5
Respect but didn’t care for
drum and sample loops. got it. Would I listen again: no Deserves to be on this list: nah 3.1
Very good Album
There were some interesting early hip hop sounds on this record. However, a lot of the beats were not mixed very well, and it was hard to hear the lyrics over them. Additionally, several tracks had loud screeching and squealing sounds over them which was very distracting and devastating to the listening experience.
Ugh I wanted to like it but it was just kind of noise to me. Maybe needs another listen in a different mood
Corny
Ich komme einfach nicht an diese Musik ran. Für die damalige Zeit sicher genial, aber heute einfach nervig.
Interesting, but not 100% my style, I'm more like melodic samples etc... This got a lot of scratches etc... I did find songs worth revisiting. 1. Don't believe the hype 2. She watched channel zero?! 3. Black steel in the hour of chaos
Public Enemy is the perfect hip hop group. This one might not have quite the highs that "Fear Of A Black Planet" has but it's damn near close. 9/10
not my style! loved to listen to some rap but i need some more melody and stuff.
From a midwest-born middle-aged white guy's perspective (take that for what it's worth), hip-hop has never been better or more meaningful than this.
I was lucky enough to see these guys back in 1992. Unfortunately, they barely registered with me because I was there to see U2 at the Astrodome, and I had zero appreciation for anything outside of mainstream rock at the time. All I remember from their set is that there was a lot of very reverberant bass (like I said, the Astrodome), and at one point, the lights dropped and there was a spotlight on a KKK effigy hanging above the stage. Pretty intense.
This is a seismic album in my life. I forget how I came across Public Enemy as an adolescent, but this was their most recent release at the time. To hear everything they talk about on this album (and the liner notes, which I read cover to cover) as a 12- or 13-year-old middle-class white kid from Texas? It blew my goddamn mind. It was provocative, kinda scary, and thrilling, and I can still hear why when I revisit it. "Louder Than a Bomb" remains my favorite, and this album has so much good stuff on it (and a relatively light amount of filler). In short, this rules. What DIDN'T rule was seeing them perform this album in full at the Pitchfork Music Festival in 2008. Chuck and Flav rapped over full backing tracks with vocals. Flav wasn't even there for the first song, but his vocal track was. After he finally showed up, he was booed when he plugged his supremely awful sitcom. Years later I would go onto work with the guy who created it, and he too was supremely awful.
Classic album! Loved it
Not my cup of tea as a 39 yo white woman, but I can hear that they were ahead of their time.
There’s a few songs on here that are classics and do you like in this album but there are few and far between a lot of noise not really my style of hip-hop. I do love me some flavor flav he met my mom wants at a party city so I wasn’t enough songs. I like to give it to three and then I have to give it to.
Not my fav style/era of hip hop but I respect it and appreciate it. A banger or two on here, not a bad album whatsoever!
Iconic
every now and then i'll venture into hip hop from the late 80s, 90s, and early 2000s, but it's never usually my cup of tea. this was decent fun, and Flava Flav was entertaining, lol. it's just i can imagine my dad enjoying this more than i did. a lot of hip hop generally sounds the same to me; political messages (though relevant, feel repetitive) mixed with good beats. and that's the point! i know that's what the foundation of this genre is built on, but for now, this was a bit of a miss for me favorite track: Rebel Without A Pause. i can definitely see myself coming back to this one however.
Yeahhhhhhhh boiiiiiiiiiii
Absolute classic. Sounds good today, but in its time it was mind blowing. Sadly some of the things talked about are still issues today. First album so far in the project where I’ve added the album to my vinyl wish list.
*1988 *Unfortunately I know Flava Flav exclusively from Flava of Love, which is like only knowing Ozzy from the Osbourne Show and then listening to Black Sabbath for the first time. It’s not pretty. *Many songs sounded vaguely like Rebel Without a Pause, which is the only sound I know. *Way too much silly, distracting late 80s/early 90s noises that were often really annoying. *Chuck D is a talent though, and he carries this as far as he could. RATING- 6.5/10
Sadly, the lyrics are still all too relevant. Never understood Flavor Flav’s overly comical persona paired with the serious messaging. Favorite song: “Black steel…”
i listen to this every fourth of july if only to scream the line from Louder Than A Bomb. truly punk in how it seems to shatter the myth of the american conscience. as cathartic as it is dangerous. deserves to be one of the 1001? duh
A little dated but the energy is great.
funky fresh for suresies. not rlly my style of rap. it kind of gives me joey valence & brae vibes but like older school. the og
funky ahh music, loving it
Para no estar muy aficionado al hiphop, me ha sorprendido mucho. Estoy realmente enganchado y me parece muy nostálgico, ya nadie habla de estos ritmos, así que resulta en una gran bocanada de aire fresco.
I enjoyed this for the most part. It got a bit repetitive, but I was expecting that. I was only familiar with a couple of the songs. Chuck D has a great voice, however, Flavor Flav is annoying.
One of the best hip hop albums ever made
It was an interesting time. Rap went hardcore and political Has lost much of its impact
More music I heard in video games growing up that blew my mind; Bring the Noise in THPS2 and Rebel Without a Pause in San Andreas. This is a classic for a reason, Chuck D is a killer. Black Steel would have been the best song on Straight Outta Compton.
Solid album with some classic tracks on it. Massively influential on both hip-hop and metal. She Watch Cgannel Zero?! Clearly influenced a lot of the rap metal/nu-metal that came in the 90s. 4/5 again I feel that some of the hip-hop albums from this era just go on a little too long with some tracks having repetitive features.
I love the meaning of this album, and the grooves and rock elements are infectious. Really impactful and quotable lyrics as well. Unfortunately, Terminator X repeats high pitch squeaky noises waaaay more than is needed which brings this experience down a bit. Still very good, though. 4.3/5 -> 4/5
Preferred this to FOABP in pretty much every way Cold Lampin' With Flavor was my favourite track
some high peaks but id take enter the wu tang anyday over it
I can see why it was impactful. Recognized a few samples.
Not too big a fan, it's not my taste, but I appreciate the overall album from an 'objective' lens
This was a nice listen. I forgot all the boyeeeeees, Public Enemy and Flava Flav was really fun. Great energy , great lyrics
What a duo, enjoyed learning about “chuck D”Carlton & William “flavor flav”! Sounds a little similar to Beastie boys.
Highlights: Bring the Noise, Don't Believe the Hype, Cold Lampin With Flavor, Terminator X to the Edge of Panic, Louder Than a Bomb, Night of the Living Baseheads, Propthets of Rage Yeeeahh boiiii!!1!1 Hippity hoppa with nice beats. What more can you ask for? Well actually it would be nicer if wasn't all very formulaic, but it's still great. By formulaic I mean the monotonous vocal delivery, constant use and repeating of vocal snippets ("yeeeah boiii") and looping beat (most noticeable on Caught, Can We Get a Witness). The record is often too predictable on a track to track basis to be a masterpiece. However there were interesting switch-ups, like the metal fusion on She Watch Channel Zero, but it was ruined by the awful looping of the vocal snippet. Lyrically it's exactly what you would expect from a late 80's hip-hop record, so it wasn't all that revolutionary in that regard. I especially enjoyed listening to Flavor - his delivery was the most interesting part of the record and I missed him when he wasn't on a track. As the first third came to a close, he was noticeably absent only to make a return by the very end. The style also kinda felt familiar and they deadass confirmed it at the very end by referencing the Beastie Boys.
I'm not a rap fan at all, but this early stuff isn't actually too bad. It has a nice beat to it and I can understand what they are saying, so that's nice.
still hits as hard today as it did in 1988
Frantic beats an 80s hip hop classic
It is clear that this is not intended for a white audience when the hypeman says "everything you eat has got flavour." And, yet, interweaving this second album with concert footage from London suggests that they were seeking to communicate beyond their immediate community. The Manics obviously responded, borrowing the beginning of Countdown to Armageddon for their debut album. The comparisons between the two acts are obvious enough: socially conscious lyrics that are often provocative, ungainly, and, on paper, unsingable. Public Enemy, at least, is free of the early Manics' nihilism. It is positive and cynical and polemic, but there is some suspect endorsement of Louis Farrakhan - Richey Edwards disappeared before he could become full edgelord, but we all know what happened with Professor Griff. Still, even when the targets are legitimate, the rhetorical devices aren't the most persuasive - I think we can count She Watch Channel Zero as negging. The challenge for both acts is to find a musical framework for their agitprop and Terminator X exhausts his kit of scratches, sonic swoops, and sirens very quickly. No doubt this more aggressive style of mixing from late 80s hip hop is historically significant and, on the whole, more enervating than the smooth 90s style, but it is relentless and unremitting over a single record. What so many people say about The Holy Bible is true of It Takes A Nation of Millions... It is abrasive, it is grainy, it is unpleasant to listen to. But, then the mire - if not the message - of The Holy Bible was bleak. The message of Public Enemy is more intricate than that, although not necessary more accurate. I think it is in the live sections that the social element of It Takes A Nation of Millions... is most significant. Unlike the record itself, the live sound system sounds like a lot of fun. Not as fun as Three Feet High and Rising, but more fun than Richey Edwards cutting himself. S1W, their dancing paramilitary outfit, looks more sophisticated that the Manics wearing balaclavas on TOTP. However, it must come down to the music in the end and, while Public Enemy is laudable in many ways, I'm a simple man who wants a decent guitar solo, like James Dean Bradfield might play. Public Enemy know that themselves - they teamed up with Anthrax to rerecord this album's Bring the Noise. I understand it was Scott Ian's idea, so maybe Public Enemy is not that interested in communicating beyond their community, but there clearly is something that does regardless. 2 Was it on one of my birthdays you presented me with the cd of this album as a gift? I did listen a couple of times before depositing it in the Box of Shame and felt quite guilty when you spotted it lying in there some time later. Even with all the goodwill extended to it as a present from a dear friend I couldn’t get on with ‘It Takes a Nation…’ The other day we had Metallica’s ‘…And Justice For All’, released the same year as this, and I made the point that the abrasive production choices could be positively reframed (if still not ‘enjoyed’ exactly) as a conceptual feature - it’s an album of anger, aggression, despair and, justly thus, tinnitus. Well It Takes a Nation… is also an album of that sort of thing or something like it, so when I found myself wincing at some of the noises on It Takes a Nation… this weekend it wasn’t without this additional unpleasantness; a mild sense of my own hypocrisy. Nonetheless I am excusing myself. I read some of the universally rapturous criticism about Public Enemy’s second album as I relistened - a common theme is the celebration of its idiosyncratic sound world; the product of an (allegedly) innovative sample-collage approach to record making and the vision, principally, of the ‘Phil Spector of Hip-Hop’. The horrible recurring treble assault of the looped noises on several tracks, along with the peculiar, God-given cuttingness of Flavor Flav’s voice, must be understood as Expression rather than arbitrary noise-making. It ‘goes hard’ as the young people would say. Well what can I say? I just don’t buy it. If some of this racket has been transubstantiated into the Iconic via the mystery of Pop Music Consumption, it still doesn’t make it good music or good art. It isn’t just a question of intention - happy accidents is most of pop music, probably most of all art - it is a question of craft. As with(almost) every hip-hop album we’ve listened to so far It Takes a Nation… can only go so high and so far because it is shackled to electronic repetition and the demand for the rappers to project essentially the same puerile core personality - ceaselessly loud-mouthed, self-aggrandising, streetwise, contemptuous of authority, proudly ignorant and at the same time proudly smarter than everyone else, suckers that they are. What’s distinctive about that? That’s not to say that these aren’t nice fellas once you get to know them - the various hat-tips to Louis Farrakhan notwithstanding. 1.5/5
There is something I like about this but I can't put my fin=ger on it. I can listen to it in the background and find myself engaged in the beats but up close I don't alwyas like the lyrics. Some of the shrill noises added in production are annoying too.
TIL I don’t like Flavor Flav.
Flava Flav try not to say “flava”, “flavor” or “flav” challenge: level—impossible Political, funky, high tempo, creative genius!
Great record
Me encantaron las baterías creo que siempre Creo que en otra epoca hubiese disfrutado mas, me mayo que sea tan largo, bo estaba en el mood, pero esta bueo los samples y eso tambien.
7/10
I got my fill of "Yeah boyeeeee's" pretty early on. This is better than a 1 which for me is very complimentary for a rap album. I didn't hate it but rap fatigue quickly sets in. 2.5/5
so it’s all the same song
YEAH BOIIIIIIIIIIIIII. Too many annoying sounds.
Revolutionary
> the Beatles
Who among us does not love public enemy?
Solid.
I liked it more than expected. Songs were different from each other w/diff music and patter.
If I could rate it 0, I would
I liked the political messaging
I’d rather listen to this than any hip hop music produced today. Sure, it sounds a bit dated now, but the social commentary is still sadly relevant.
Muy interesante con sonidos hip hop
Despite sounding quaint by today’s standards, it’s still relevant. As evidenced by the racists idiots who tried to chat me up today.
Solid Public Enemy. Exactly what you expect. Upbeat. Kept my attention.
Hot damn! I loves me some Public Enemy! I had this on cassette and burned it up. Going back to 1988 with this one, and after the little hype track, the album opens with Bring the Noise. A straight-up jam. Fun fact for those who didn't know, the thrash metal band Anthrax covered this song with Public Enemy and released it as a single. The video was on MTV seemingly 24 hours a day. Too black, too strong. Too black, too strong. As much as I disliked The KLF yesterday, today is the complete opposite, as I’m filled with a nostalgic joy as Chuck D is spitting fire. Yo, Chuck, they chillin’ and we dealin.' Track 3 is Don’t Believe the Hype and man, this album had some hits. They probably weren’t Billboard Hot 100 hits, but I remember hearing all the singles as a kid. This was a big single. I realize there were some controversies with Public Enemy, but who knows how serious they were or if it was just fear that caused these controversies to bubble up. As we’ve seen over the years, the establishment gets very afraid of entertainment people and music groups who come to some sort of power. Plus, we didn't have the internet to help debunk conspiracies, or as we see today, to not debunk conspiracies and believe them as gospel as long as the conspiracies support "your side." But I digress... As Chuck D says, don’t believe the hype. I think that’s pretty smart to remember in all cases. Track 4 is Flavor Flav’s turn to shine with Cold Lampin’ with Flavor. I realize Flavor Flav is a bit of a clown, but Chuck D is so serious, the two of them together really work. I always wondered if Chuck D got a little fed up with the clownishness of Flav or if he liked it. You know, some groups have the moron in the group who does ridiculous stuff, but the group loves him so much that they overlook the nonsense. The one thing I really respect about Public Enemy that I don’t get from some of these electronic groups, they can be serious as a heart attack and touch on very important social issues, but the beats still make you want to dance. It’s like, you wrap anything in a pretty package, and people are going to accept it a little better. Though, maybe not in PE's case in 1988. Track 5 is Terminator X To the Edge of Panic and it's just a showcase for Public Enemy’s DJ, Terminator X. In the day, every rap album had at least one song that showed off the skills of the group's DJ. I guess all the music is made on computers these days, so there’s no need for DJs to scratch records and all that comes with being a DJ. This song is great. It also gives Chuck D a break from being so serious. I love this album. Track 7 is Louder Than a Bomb, and it’s about how the FBI and other government agencies are keeping an eye on Chuck D. I think these days, we can see how his paranoia likely isn’t just hyperbole. Plenty of stuff has come out about the FBI keeping files on John Lennon and other socially conscious entertainers. Oh, Track 8, Caught, Can I Get a Witness, is about sampling and how rap steals beats for their songs. I don’t remember this song as much as others. Maybe at that age, I just didn’t understand. I know I wasn’t as informed on the old R&B, soul, and funk songs most beats were taken from. Heck, I hadn’t even heard Aerosmith’s Walk This Way before their collab with Run DMC. I thought both groups wrote that song together. “Caught, now in court 'cause I stole a beat This is a sampling sport But I'm giving it a new name What you hear is mine P.E. You know the time And later, “I found this mineral that I call a beat I paid zero I packed my load 'cause it's better than gold People don't ask the price, but it's sold They say that I sample, but they should Sample this, my bit bull We ain't goin' for this They say that I stole this Can I get a witness?” I like how Chuck D compares sampling to him mining for beats and finding "minerals" he turns into gold. Brilliant. This was a time before sampling really got hit hard by the music business. One of my favorite albums is Paul’s Boutique by the Beastie Boys, and I think it’s all samples. You can’t really do that today, well, I guess you could, but all the publishing would go to other people. Track 10 is She Watches Channel Zero, and it’s about a woman watching nothing but soap operas and living in an imaginary world. This is a brilliant song that can be updated today about social media. People follow and see how these “influencers” live and think that’s something to aspire to, when in reality, it’s all fake. This song was ahead of its time. It’s also got a great guitar riff throughout. I can’t place it, though. Track 11 is Night of the Living Baseheads and is about crack and how it was destroying the black community. It’s a powerful song and had a powerful video. Track 12, Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos, is the most gangsta rap-like of PE on this album. Chuck D is a prisoner on death row who is planning and executing a jailbreak. Chuck D, for as much as he is a social poet, is a great storyteller. He’s still just as great today, almost 40 years later. The fire still burns inside him. Track 14 is Rebel Without a Pause and I listened to this just last night, before knowing this was my album for today, which is weird. It’s a perfect example of PE, Chuck D spitting the rhymes about how radio and record stores are afraid of Public Enemy and Flavor Flav hyping him up. It’s like Chuck D is already angry, and Flavor Flav keeps firing him up. I love this song. Track 13, Prophets of Rage, just a badass title and I’m sure you can guess what it’s about. You’d think you’d get tired of PE after 13 songs, but I’m still just grooving along. I like angry music, always have. The song title is also the name of the supergroup made up of Chuck D, B-Real of Cypress Hill, and Tim Commerford, Brad Wilk and Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine. The last track, Party for Your Right to Fight, is, of course, a play on the Beastie Boys hit Fight for Your Right to Party. It’s funny how the Beastie Boys started out as a frat rap parody group, but no one really understood that they were being satirical. They later became important social rappers themselves, if not in lyrics, then in actions. This is a great album and helped a young, dumb, country boy like me learn about other cultures, social issues, and how other people experienced life. It helps you realize that everybody doesn't have the same experiences or help you did through life. This album truly is one you need to hear before you die, and maybe it's just the nostalgia talking, but I think it still holds up today.
One of the best albums by the greatest hip hop act of all time. Chuck D has always been my single favorite rapper, both because of his demanding voice but also his flow is practically unmatched. Flavor Flav might be considered a joke nowadays but he's the perfect loose hype man to Chuck D's more serious presentation. An album that's still just as relevant today as it was when it was first released.
Review - a classic hip-hop album. Political while still managing to havea fun, partyable sound to it. Modern conscious hip-hop could learn a lot about being instructive without being avant garde. Rating - 7.5/10 Need to listen? YES
Being familiar with Public Enemy, I knew what to expect, but was surprised at how fresh a lot of it sounded. Very cohesive album.
Great timing on this one (sometimes it feels like the list isn’t random). Super infectious energy on this one, the flow and interplay between Chuck D and Flav is great, and most of the beats hold up despite its age. The lyrics and themes are, again, still sadly relevant today. There were a couple tracks where the beat was kind of annoying and drowned out the vocals, but the album as a whole still holds up. This is socially conscious rap at its best and I wish there was more like it today. Very strong 4/5
This album sounds like an upgraded version of Run-D.M.C., with very similar production style of early sampling. Just more politcal urgency mixed into the lyrics and Chuck D's authoritave vocal delivery. Beats wise, it's what I expected for an 80's Hip-Hop album with that very distinct whirring sound in some songs. I liked the track "Prophets Of Rage". Great beat composition and vocals lead by Chuck D with Flavour Flav adding nice backing/interjections. I can see why this album is influentinal for its revolutionary production and politcal commentary. However, it isn't something I'd listen to again entirely. Solid album otherwise.
An album for the ages, I love the fact ‘Bring the Noise’
So old school. Definitely an album from a time, looking at roots for sure. Not exactly my thing, but I was head bumping through all of it. Rebel Without a Pause. Solid 3/5.
I really enjoyed the production in this record. Favourite Track(s): Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic, Rebel Without A Pause Least Favourite Track(s): Cold Lampin' With Flavour
Of its era and of today. Fantastic. Yeah boiiiii.
dang I really wish I could dance
This Public Enemy’s album is a product of its time to my ears. I didn’t put a lot of attention to the lyrics though, which I’m sure gives it a way better experience. This album is a product of its time, a great time-capsule before the greats got on the scene. It came out 2 months before N.W.A.’s album, which really paved the way IMO of hip hop’s sound. There’s a lot of disc scratches and glitchy effects, which can be annoying at times. It’s not an album for studying, but a great one for some outdoors running. I’d give it a solid 4,5/10, with Cold Lampin’ With Flavor and Night of the Living Baseheads as my personal highlights
All I can say is ENERGY. These guys rock and know how to party
Hip hop used to be, for lack of a better word, geeky! I admire the in-your-face politics of this record and the way distinct personalities both compete for time and find balance, which surely inspired my beloved Beastie Boys. Louder Than A Bomb is my favorite track. Some sick rock sampling as well.
I love hip-hop mainly 90s but still some of the 80s stuff, but honestly, they need to cut the high-pitched whirring sound effect, it was really distracting and stole the focus from the vocals and other beats and just didn’t go in my opinion. When it wasn’t playing the music sounded so much cleaner and I could get into it a bit more. This was present in my standout song ‘Louder than a bomb’ it didn’t contain that sound effect. I’m a bit disappointed tbh I expected something better from Public Enemy but maybe it’s just not for me. I can appreciate the lyrics and that they helped paved the way for 90s hip-hop, but just wasn't too keen on this album.
Though I think Welcome to the Terrordome is a superior albums, Public Enemy really showed they had staying power with A Nation of Millions. More than that, they also showed they had something to say, addressing politics, racism, and politics.
A classic of its genre. Havent listened to this for a while and was surprised that i could "sing along" to everything! Memories!!
Yeaaaaaah boiiiiii, absolutely atrocious production. It’s just not that good, not sure how people like this. Was cool hearing where the sample comes from in Show ‘Em Whatcha Got, only reason I’m rounding this 1.1 to a 2
Pretty good
Time capsule of classic hip-hop.
Bring the Noise is a banger track. The album is a great representation of that era of rap/hip-hop. Chuck D is amazing, and Flav is just the right amount of weird to wrap it all together.
Classic late 80s rap.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
very 80s-90s rap. not something i would listen to again 🫤
høydepunkt: Don't Believe The Hype, Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic, Caught Can We Get A Witness?, She Watch Channel Zero?!
Beats and flows are fine. Too long.
Listening to this album for the first time in 2026, I feel like someone who’s never seen The Wizard of Oz, all like “ohhh now I get that reference”. You mean to tell me charming social media personality Flavor Flav really does say “yeaaahh boyyyy!” just like that, over and over??
When this record hits, it is tough not to get swept up in the passionate delivery of both Chuck D and Flavor Flav's message. Sometimes the music production can sound a little dated; other times (Black Steel, for example) it sounds like the foundation of a still-developing art form. I do think this album drags a bit, though, which is often true of albums on CD, where length and content were pushed to the limit by the new medium. This group's message is important, representing a militant, unapologetic stance for its members being exactly who they are, street philosophers and court jesters alike. There's a lot to like on this powerful record, but its message would have had more impact in a tighter package. Four stars.
I'm not really into hip-hop. I can handle the occasional song, but 57 minutes of Public Enemy is way too much. Chuck D always sounds pissed off, Flavor Flav is just irritating, and everything feels excessively chaotic.
5 because it’s a classic and 5 because it was my first time fully listening and loved it.
I'm not overly familiar with rap, it's never quite been my thing. I get why this album is important but it definitely feels dated.
I got a letter from the government The other day I opened and read it And said they were SUCKAS Necessary music that maybe didn't need Flava Flav very much but it hits hard.
Countdown to Armageddon 2/5 Bring the Noise 3/5 Don't Believe the Hype 4/5 Cold Lampin' With Flavor 2/5 Terminator X To The Edge of Panic 4/5 Mind Terrorist 2/5 Louder Than a Bomb 4/5 Caught, Can We Get A Witness 3/5 Show'Em Whatcha Got 2/5 She Watch Channel Zero?! 4/5 Night of the Living Baseheads 4/5 Black Steel In the Hour of Chaos 4/5 Security of the First World 2/5 Rebel Without a Pause 5/5 Prophets of Rage 3/5 Party for You Right To Fight 3/5 Overall Album 3.19
I could see the reason this was so shocking and refreshing at the time but now it kind of feels lost. But I think being one of the first mainstream artists of a genre that is inevitable. I found it quite repetitive as an album but it had some great sample choices, lyrics and sounds.
Enjoyed this, but I found it became a bit repetitive towards the end. Maybe that's the point but it didn't really make for an effective album for me. I probably wouldn't listen again.
Mandatory listening. Your intelligence and ability to appreciate music will be judged by me harshly if you even think of downvoting or dismissing this album OR this band.
very bold and distinctive
I was genuinely surprised when I found out this was the 80s. The beats and energy was unbeatable. Great consistency with a couple songs that just went on a little too long.
The rap verses being exchanged between Chuck and Flavor make this a unique album. Some great samples too. The flash one used in Terminator X was amazing. Will definitely be back to this one
Why would there be a Brit. Why would a Brit be there?? Let's see what's cooking. Seems interesting. Funky start. Sirens. Is this a live album?? Starting off with a little skit ok fair nuff. What do we have going on here. There are a lot of these political rap albums. I wonder if there's something to be said in the way that a lot of the rap and hip hop is political or pushing a message whereas the other genres don't really have to have that kind've agenda and are chosen on merit alone. Who knows I'm only 5% through I'm probably just spitballing. You tell em lowkey they're speaking on it. I do like this but I don't like the little skits with the crowd I'm not a fan of skits in general usually I understand they serve a certain artistic purpose but I don't enjoy them. Oh man I was on fuckin shuffle that's why it sounded weird. Why does Spotify put albums on shuffle bruh Adele didn't die for this. There are a lot of Black American 80s references in here as well that are going way over my head so I just don't think I'm the target audience of this. Some very interesting choices in some of these tracks. Picture me giving a damn indeed. Instrumental track okay. I would really give this a 2.5 Favourite: Prophets of Rage Least favourite: Countdown To Armageddon
I really don't fuck with 80s hip-hop, the beats are always filled with scratches or screeches or whatever and it ruins it for me. If it wasn't for that, I'd be way more into this album.
I think your enjoyment of Public Enemy comes down to whether you like sample music or not. They're admittedly very hit or miss, and sometimes end up way too repetitive, especially on this album. Honestly, I might give this album too high of a rating since I have a lot of respect for Public Enemy, but even I get kinda sick of the instrumentals.
I actually love this album. 5 stars. Chuck D is so fricken great.
A great old-school hip-hop album, driven by politically charged and confrontational lyricism from Chuck D. While very well crafted, I personally found the repeated use of the sliding, screeching siren sound to be overdone, ultimately distracting from the album’s overall brilliance. For that reason, I’m giving it a 4.
Classic. One of my all time favourite Hip-Hop albums ever.
In grade 7 we were assigned a music project. We needed to play a song for the class, read the lyrics out loud, and talk about what the song meant. The song I chose was Cold Lampin' with Flavor. I remember having to pause and rewind the tape so many times to try to get the lyrics right. And they still didn't make sense or were indecipherable to me. No idea what I said the song was about. Though it's an album I know well, I hadn't listened to it for many years. Funny that the song I liked best as a kid is still the song I like best. Louder Than a Bomb
While I know a lot of these songs I’ve never listened to this album in its entirety. It’s still so relevant today - unfortunately. Great album, some songs go on a bit long so 4.5 stars rounded up in this case.
Pretty sick. I appreciate the passion they bring to this album, beats are old school in the ideal way, lyricism is good.
Liked fear of a black planet pretty significantly more
They use some really annoying samples.
Good
ci sta, nel suo genere è sicuramente un ottimo album
It’s a no for me
Proof that hip-hop can be more than mumbling boasts. Powerful words and killer beats, without outright theft of others music.
this is what was scaring white people in the late 80s huh? and to think it brought us the best reality tv show ever.
This was one of the great albums that brought hip hop to everyone. Still seems to holdup for me.
Just a loud and fun album
It's ok
Boring grandpa rap
Best Track - "Don't Believe The Hype"
Beyond the first shock, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back reveals itself as a chaotic but fascinating experience. The beats hit hard, the bass feels alive, and everything sounds sharp and crispy, almost like the album is yelling at you on purpose. As a first-time hip hop listener, it can feel like trying to read subtitles while running a marathon. Still, even when you don’t fully catch the lyrics, the energy and attitude come through loud and clear. It’s demanding, a bit overwhelming, but never boring. 7/10
0.5/5 People who like rap & hip hop would probably love this but for someone who doesn't like this genre, this album honestly felt like 1 continuous song. Nearly every song sounded the same and you could switch half the lyrics and put them into another track and no one would realise
Solid early hip hop album. You can tell that this one really sent waves out into the industry with how much it influenced. The samples kill it, the beats kill it. It's raw, it's aggressive, it's everything you'd expect from a behemoth of late 80s hip hop.
Loved it. Always had a passing interest. But this list has made me a fan.
pretty good
Not bad.
Decently enjoyable without being too self-interested
Public Enemy is undeniably cool, but I just don't enjoy their deep cuts that much. Too much record scratching and Flava Flav's off tempo interjections start to get old after a while.
Undoubtedly one of the most impactful hip-hop albums to ever be released, it really is (almost) the full package). The only thing that stops this from being 5 stars, for me, is some of the production choices across the album. Still, it's about as close to a 5/5 as one can be without crossing that boundary.
Digger denne. Sykt forut sin tid.
Primo album hip hop che mi ha passato, tutto ok
Man for 1988 this is insane, intro track is so nutty. Songs can def be shorter but it was a different time and this album was revolutionary in many ways so mad respect
Album #38: It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back - Public Enemy Genre (W): East coast hip hop, political rap, sampledelia, boom bap Singles: Rebel Without a Pause, Bring the Noise, Don’t Believe the Hype, Night of the Living Baseheads, Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos I have not listened to this album before. Thoughts?: Well, even though I may not like hip hop’s lyrics, I love the wordplay in the lyrics, especially those from Chuck D. The members’ flows are pretty awesome, and Terminator X’s scratches are killer. I love when scratches are used in an insane way, like that! The Bomb Squad’s production is awesome too! Favorite songs: Bring the Noise, Cold Lampin’ with Flavor, Louder Than a Bomb, Caught, Can We Get a Witness?, Night of the Living Baseheads, Rebel Without a Pause*,
Classic for a reason
No. No. No.
1.5
Classis old school hip hop. I had heard of Public Enemy for so long, great to finally get to listen to them. The rock one is rlly unique! Fav song is ‘Don’t Believe The Hype’.
Still good, that sax though -
really liked this
It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back is a vital piece of rap history. Chuck D and Flavor Flav are both fantastic presences here. The energy is high, the lyrics are smart, and the flows are creative. There is a lot that holds up really well. But, as this is a hip-hop album from before 1990, it does wear its age very blatantly. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it's kind of unavoidable. This age mostly comes out in the beats. On one hand, this album has a really incredible sampling palette. There is really cool implementation of jagged guitar and dentist drill synths and implacable noise. I think one of the songs where it comes together best is She Watch Channel Zero?! which is built around a Slayer riff. It has tons of texture, and still sounds fresh. And a lot of songs here have great texture and a good feel, so I can certainly appreciate the construction. But when I actually sit down with the whole album, I just don't find myself that into the sound of it all. That being said, the rapping here is amazing, which does a lot for the album. So I'd say it all evens out to be about a 4 for me.
Schwierige Bewertung. "Bring The Noise" für mich ein großer Hit, ewig nicht mehr gehört. Der Rest fällt für mich deutlich ab und einige repetitive Elemente stören auf Albumlänge. Insgesamt reicht es knapp nicht für 3 Sterne.
Ewig nicht mehr gehört und diesmal glaube ich sogar zum ersten Mal mit Lyric-Sheet. Kann jeden verstehen, dem das nicht zusagt. Die Beats sind selbst für die damalige Zeit sehr speziell und ziemlich messy produziert, Flavor Flav geht einem irgendwann nur noch auf die Nerven (wieso muss der auch noch einen eigenen Solo-Track bekommen?) und die ganzen "Nation of Islam"-Bezüge... joa, schwierig. Aber irgendwie ballert hier dann doch jeder Song und lyrisch ist das für die damalige Zeit so meilenweit vor allen anderen, dass man nur den Hut vor Chuck D ziehen kann. Wo bekommt man bitte einen Rap-Track mit Slayer-Sample? Wahrscheinlich ist das mittlerweile eher ne 4, weil gerade die Produktion wirklich nicht gut gealtert ist, aber mit dem Einfluss auf dem Rücken treibt es mich dann doch zur 5.
Die Lieder fließen nicht besonders gut vom einen zum anderen. Scheint wild zusammengemixt zu sein. Ansonsten verstehe ich die Relevanz dieses Albums auch nicht besonders.
Ohje, ich war einfach nur froh, als es vorbei war. Für mich eine schlimme Kreuzung aus langweilig und nervig. Viel Spaß denen, die damit was anfangen können (muss es ja schließlich genügend viele geben), ich gehöre nicht dazu.
Lyrisch größtenteils sehr stark, Beats sind halt ein Zeichen ihrer Zeit. Vieles für meinen Geschmack etwas zu sehr outdated mit einigen Ausnahmen aber. Alles zusammen eine solide und starke 2,5, sprich 3
Noyz
3
Классные биты, наверно, крутые тексты. Ощущается, как что-то настоящее.
Pretty good but not one I feel the need to listen to again. Fun but nothing really grabbed me from it
pretty damn good. bopped my head. very very nice :3 fav's gotta be "She Watch Channel Zero?!"
Under hyped at this point.
I’ve always liked this album
Wailing high pitched... something... in nearly every song really made this hard to listen to. I find it hard to follow without turning on lyrics, and even then it's not super clear to me. Honestly couldn't finish this one.
Yeeeeeaaaah Boiiiii... Don't believe the hype, literally. This album is good, but not as people go on about. Chuck D is amazing but Flava is super annoying to me.
they said my longest yeah boi ever
Todas iguais Intros engracadas
Rate this one later 2
Did I have any problems with my earphones? Literally awful.
masterpiece
I really dislike this rap style. Had to stop listening after just a few tracks.
The first big concert I went to had Public Enemy performing and they were a huge surprise to me. I wasn't a fan of rap but they impressed me. I've never listened to this album but I recognize many of the songs on it and really like it.
PE's hits are all great. They sound dated, but that's a product of it actually being dated in many respects. For one, revolutionary as it was at the time, even much of the wokest, most politically-astute rap these days isn't quite as head on as PE's "I'm Black and proud, the system is stacked against me, so fuck you" approach. Chuck's bombastic preacher timbre, the very loud, dramatic production, and even Flav all come together quite nicely. It's not a perfect album, but really great all the same. Would be a 4 for "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" alone.
Fun and frustrated. Tons of energy. Cool beats. Good duo
Every song kinda sounds the same. Definitely among my least favorites of rap from the 80s-90s. A lot of the beats sound like someone spamming stuff on a soundboard and the yeah boyeees get really old
"DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE."
I really don't care for this genre, at all.
Back when samples ran wild…and the headphones all transmitted masterpieces.
Fun album and I love that old hip hop style but this is a bit mid
Yeahhhhhh, boyyyyyeeeeee
Great classic rap album 8.5/10
I feel like this must have blown some minds in the 80s! I think my favorite was louder than a bomb
Not a big hip hop fan but really enjoyed this and had me bouncing
I wanted to love this, cool effects and the production is not half bad and the political messages hit hard but the rapping delivery is so bad. I really find old school hip hop hard to stomache. I mean it’s not strictly bad it’s just not good enough and sometimes it gets pretty cringe. Three stars for notability and overall package but old school rappers are not my cup of tea.
A tour de force of boom bap beats, hardcore sampling, DJ scratching, full blast raps from the machine gun mouth of Chuck D, and hey booiiiii hype. They've absorbed and remediated a political textbook in Black rage and radicalism. Sonically innovative when it came out, it now feels extremely dated, samey and overlong, albeit very exciting in small doses.
This is definitely of its time. This should be up my street but just feels disjointed
всё-таки как же плохо жилось людям тогда, слушая такое еееебооой, мээн и закипающий чайник на протяжении всего альбома чуть не довели меня до ручки сначала обрадовалась, что жанр рэп, но с первых секунд первой песни поняла, что будет плохо, я еле дослушала его, настолько невыносимо я уверена, что я вообще чудесно бы прожила, не прослушав этот альбом, да и вообще, если бы этот 1001 альбом выбирали бы зумеры, то получилось бы намного лучше
Super cool. The second disc has always been my favorite, but it's all in all a very solid no-nonsense record.
Album is great, its beats, rhyme and lyrical content hold well. It has awesome tracks like bring the noise, louder than a bomb and night of the living baseheads. I’d 100% listen to it again, a timeless experience
YEAAAAAH BOYYYYIIIII! A lot of attitude in this album.
I can appreciate its a classic hip hop album. Every song does start soundng the same after a while like I liked the slayer sample an all
The guys wearing a clock around his neck what more do you want? HIP HOP CLASSIC!
Never really given Pyblic Enemy a proper listen. Only the odd thing here and there Bet it was massive at the time. Attitude for days. Didnt expect Flash fucking Gordon. Decent. I wouldnt eat your poached on toast to it but for different reasons. They might get swiped.
A hip hop classic
Armageddon been in effect go get a late pass STEP! Classic, unrelenting and massively influential.
“Armageddon has been in effect. Go get a late pass”
Fuck yeah one of the albums that got me into hip hop
Le rap US c’est pas pour moi
I get this is an important, historic album. But it wasn't something I'd look forward to revisiting.
I enjoy some hip-hop, but not my primary genre. Among hip-hop, this isn't the style I usually lean towards. But it is so good and so influential, I've got to give it props. This isn't my thing. I probably won't listen again, but I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it at least once.
Bring. The. Noise! For a 16 year-old British guy living in a country where the popular music was The Smiths and Wham!, this was glorious. For a 16-year-old British guy who is about to move to the US suburbs, this prompted me to ask serious questions about my new country: why would a black man never be a veteran, who was Adam Clayton Powell?
It's in the Pantheon
I'm not big into hip hop, but I do appreciate the artistry. I like the beats in general, but many they reaaaalllly overused whatever that squeal is early in the album. It's so incredibly distracting and detracting from some otherwise really cool instrumentals. It also takes away from being able to hear the message. And every time is goes away the beat improves significantly. These tracks have a message and relevant commentary on the world that is well thought out and well performed and I respect that. The beats are funky and arranged well. Unlike most albums, the middle is actually the best part imo. I really enjoyed this album for a good run of 7 or 8 tracks in the middle. In the end, it's alright for someone of my tastes, I can't quite get all the way into it, but it's well made and I can get why people like it. Get rid of that squeal entirely and the album goes up a few points. 2.8/5
Not quite my cup of tea in terms of older rap.
Meh. I was just left with the feeling from the concert excerpts that I would have preferred to hear a full live album. As it is, it’s ok.
Lyrically and energy wise rock solid, musically I was over it by the end
We zijn nu op 85% van het boek en het begint in herhaling te vallen. Deze gasten hebben we al gehad. Deze muziekstijl hebben we al gehad. Alles wat in eerste instantie niet meer dan een drietje was, maar toch terugkomt, begint nu danig te vervelen. Het wordt steeds verleidelijker om oude recensies te kopiëren voor gevallen als dit.
Naast album 3 en 4 van Public Enemy nu ook album. Ik liet al weten, bij uitzondering geen enkel bezwaar te hebben. Al die albums hadden en hebben enorme impact. Zowel maatschappelijk als muzikaal. Ik ga niet teveel herhalen. Maar om het muzikale te onderstrepen. Dit album lijkt mij het meest gesampelde album ooit. Elke zin is geloof ik wel door een andere muzikant gebruikt. De meeste zinnen door de vele andere muzikanten.
Ik heb niet heel veel meer nieuws te melden over Public Enemy dan ik bij de eerdere 2 platen al heb gedaan, maar die ouwe rap kan ik vaak best goed hebben. En dan is dit wel het beste album van Public Enemy wat mij betreft, met een hoeveelheid aan samples waar je u tegen zegt. Ik had dit zelfs vroeger in de mp3-bak staan. Dus ja, wat kun je dan anders dan gewoon weer eens lekker die 5 sterren uitdelen. Yeaaaaah boyyyyyy!
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is arguably the pinnacle of Hip Hop in the 80s, both musically and influentially. The album sparked a surge of explicit and confrontational Hardcore Hip-Hop that would go on to define the decade after. From that time though, Hip Hop as a genre has evolved so much over the years. I don't think it's a reach to say that Nation of Millions showcases the flaws of 80s hip hop that have been long extinguished. For the period this came out in, it was revolutionary. The cultural impact it had in America was astounding, no doubt inspiring many of the most famous rappers from the 90s and beyond. Due in equal parts to their limitations in technology and the primitiveness of the genre, the album definitely sounds of its time. That's not always a bad thing, and if you're nostalgic for the 80s I'm sure you'd love this record. But with how expansive and boundary-pushing the genre is today, it can be underwhelming by comparison. Chuck D has some amazing bars throughout this record, his booming voice is so commanding and a great tone for this kind of rap. Flavor Flav on the other hand... has not aged well to say the least. He's definitely the reacher in this relationship, it's hard to take songs about serious topics seriously when he's going YEAAAAHH BOOIIIIIIII every few seconds. Yes, I know, iconic, it's memorable in the same way Urkel is memorable, which I don't think is what you want for your politically-charged Hardcore Hip Hop record. Nation of Millions is still definitely a good record, super catchy and iconic hooks and fun samplework, great rapping from Chuck D, and a very unique nostalgic vibe. I think it's just one step too far-removed from Hip Hop I can start to fully appreciate.
Public Enemy Pure perfection. Important band with an important and yet brilliant album Flags a little in the final 1/3 but “rebel with out a pause” is an angrier “don’t believe the hype” 5 stars only because I can not give more
Would rate a 3.5, but feeling generous
Tøft
This didn't grab me like their other album did
I know this is considered groundbreaking and revolutionary, particularly for its confrontational social commentary directed at the white establishment, and I wanted to love it. Unfortunately, I didn’t, at least not musically. Too many tracks are dominated by an abrasive, high-pitched sound that, to me, resembles a boiling kettle and makes for an unpleasant listen. More broadly, I often struggle with late ’80s rap, which can feel like an awkward transitional phase; the shift from old-school to the more refined ’90s sound is underway, but the growing pains are hard to ignore. Overall, the messages here weren’t lost on me, but musically, it didn’t land. I’ll definitely return to this at a later date in the hope of enjoying it more, though.
not one to listen to hip-hop or rap but this whole album had me in. I really liked terminator x to the edge of panic. also slayer say what?
Favourite track: Cold Lampin' With Flavor. laid-back, rhymes are fun and hit hard when they want to. yeah boyyyyyyy
Legendary! Great start for a week, absolutely easy 4 stars, maybe even max, we will see what album tracks will be like
I don’t know if this is my jam.
An old school hip hop classic. I've heard the big singles, but have never sat and listened to this in full. Channel Zero goes so hard.
One of my all time favorites, from the time of release. Easily my favorite PE album. And always a perfect soundtrack for impending Armageddon.
I couldn’t wait to get this one over with. If I can go the rest of my life without hearing “yeah booooy” again I’d be happy. It would have been better if it wasn’t so obnoxious. I get it’s important, wierdly my kids liked it because I guess it’s stripped back and in your face and kind of funny, even if the lyrics are so serious. Must have had to be there; it’s not for me
lo quiero revisitar con más tiempo
Groundbreaking hip hop album that deserves its place on this list
It's really cool to listen to these songs lay the groundwork for the modern rap/hip-hop genre. It's classic, but definitely a product of its time. My favorite song ended up being "She Wastch Channel Zero?!"
Banger after banger
Agressive and addictive. Great beats and great flows. That boiling teapot sound is hypnotic.
Y.. no lo disfrute tanto porque en si no me llama el hip hop, aún así entiendo que sea un álbum importante.
Didn't really impress me all that much even though some songs were super meaningful. Going through it felt a bit like a chore even though there is decent musical production every now and then. I can see that it inspired a lot and the tracks were groovy but I didn't vibe too much with it.
I get the influence of Public Enemy, but I'm not much of a hip hop person. All flows over beat tracks with little or no hooks just kind of drones on and on in my ears.
Another Hip Hop album, but this album with its emphasis on Politcal Rap is better than most, although I'm still not a big fan and wouldn't buy the album.
Lyrically very good but it all felt quite samey by the end of it.
Boring and barelly listened to the songs
i want a juice box and a skateboard. i like this vibe however do not know what is being said.
Really beautiful Hip Hip- I miss storytelling in songs and think it should be #1 popular again
Of it's time but not in a bad way. I wish more hip-hop now incorporated this kind of sample-heavy style into beats from time to time. You also don't really hear bars with such basic rhyme schemes in the 21st century but I really appreciate it, what it might lack in flourish it makes up for in directness. The overtly political and revolutionary intent behind these lyrics would suffer under more complicated rhyme schemes Favorite tracks: Louder Than A Bomb, She Watch Channel Zero?!, and Rebel Without A Pause
Classic for a reason and sadly still all too relevant. 4/5
War ok
Very good
Great
Respect it slightly more than I love it, but still good!
Some good bits but I kind of zoned out
Oh, My. I may never be able to unpack this album. In a good way. Threads of things I would have known 40 years ago intertwined with threads of things that I've come to know that grew from this since it came out.
I had to give it 5 stars or Danny will beat me up.
Really good. The sheer amound of samples used/taken from this album that I recognised on this one was insane. Love the intro and little interludes of a big show in London. Just a great listen on a Monday morning really
Holy shit what the hell this is the hardest thing I've ever listened to
I understand why this is a classic album. This group is important for hip hip history.
I really liked this album.
not a bad album just not my style, didn't rlly gave it a try apart from the few first songs
Eh not the biggest fan of old rap
I get that it is an important piece in Hip hop history but the alarm and whistle sound that are on every godamn beat make it hard to listen today
Not my taste
Noisy
Næhhhh
the dmv was closed so it was a good day to hear this
Fun and quick sample of Queen's 'Flash's Theme' at the intro of 'Terminator X To the Edge Of Panic'. 'She Watch Channel Zero?!' is very 'Sabotage' by Beastie Boys. I think the amount of looped high-pitch saxophone throughout the album started to wear me down but it was worth it. My favorite was 'Party For Your Right To Fight' with the two rappers in unison with each voice panned to opposite channels. A dynamic listening experience.
I hear "Bass! How low can you go?" and I'm right back in my childhood living room playing Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 with my brother. I never thought about it before, but other than the And1 Greatest Mixtape Ever and the Straight Outta LA 30-for-30 I've never seen the connection between sports and music explored much, especially including sports games. I got introduced to so much great music that way. Something I've never really appreciated until now. Reading about this album just now and how Check D wanted to make an album like 'Marvin Gaye's What's Going On', makes me want to make a playlist of social commentary tracks.
Yeah BOOOOOIIIIII
Yeaahhhh boiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Best hip hop album of the list so far. Got a bit repetitive, but overall lots of fun.
A few of us talked about this over a beer on Saturday night: it still feels modern and part of the sound of the world in ways that Let It Bleed doesn't necessary. One of the few albums that announces its presence in such a large way and then delivers on that across its entire hour.
pas forcément ma tasse de thé mais un album nécessaire autant par les sujets qu'il aborde que pour la culture hip hop
An excellent album. Really, really enjoyed it. If I was being ultra critical, the only think that mildly grinds is the constant YEEEEAHH BOIIIII from Flava Flav. It still doesn't stop it being a five star album though. Brilliant
Just when I was getting bored, Caught, Can I Get a Witness? came and reeled me back in for the rest of the album.
The horn intro to track nine came on and I suddenly heard Flav's voice coming out of my mouth: "Dammmmmmmmnnnnnnn boyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy...who knew PE did Rump Shaker!" 😉
When you listen to an album and wish you could go back to that time period and listen to the music the way it was meant to be heard and celebrated. Then that album is a 5.
This is the album released before 'Fear of a Black Planet' which I really liked. This album had more bangers but I like FoaBP. I think 'It takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back' is like 'License to Ill' and 'Fear of a Black Planet' like 'Paul's Boutique" and all those albums match up to around the same time. They even have "Party for your Right to Fight" as a nod to the Beastie Boys.
This was the launchpad for me. I liked music before and LOVED music after this. It's not friendly - it's a wake up call. Get the fuck up! If this is a new listen for you, expect a wall of sound - sample overlays, atonal rhythms, rock riffs layered over killer 4/4 drum breaks and imperious rapping from Chuck D, buoyed up by Flavor Flav's jester-like ad-libs. And this album has superb depth - the message of each song is jacked up with political urgency that demands social justice, black freedom and that the listener learns and knows the African-American man's daily experience in the US of the late twentieth century. All through the slang and street-speak of the time. There is no bling, no drugs or sex. None of the Lamborghinis and capitalist consumerism that oozes out of most modern hip-hop. In this album, there is only the most efficient of messages: black liberation. 36 years later - almost every element of this album has been copied, homaged, borrowed from and paid respect to by musicians, artists and broadcasters across the world and the ages. It is a stunning statement that still shakes the pantheon of all music.
Love it. Hard to understate the importance of this album, and the way it makes you feel.
My first half-listen I was feeling a 3, as I generally enjoyed it but some of the old school type rapping is not always my favourite, Flavor Flav was distracting, and there were some beats or sound effects that were hard for me to listen to, like what I can only describe as a tea kettle as a main hook for "Rebel Without a Pause". But I paid more attention the second time through and liked it quite a bit despite my small qualms, some great tracks, great lyrics and raps from Chuck D, and obviously influential!
This is really cool to listen to and I like the way that it sets up the hip hop sample culture to follow, one year before Three Feet High and Rising
great bars, really fun samples and great instrumentals that set the standard for a decade+ of hip hop.
Hadn't listened to much Public Enemy before and really enjoyed the album. Loads of good songs and the album held together well
This album is excellent. It somehow manages to feel like a slice of history but also delivers the kind of sociopolitical, revolutionary energy that feels so needed/relevant now? Super invigorating. Kept turning back to it with enthusiasm all day. Show em whatcha got was an instant favourite
Ahh this is one of those albums where I have to go back and read through the lyrics of each track carefully to give it a proper rating, but I just don't have the time. I'm going with a 4 here because I'd view it more as a slice of history than something I want to return to frequently, but maybe that is miserly. This is the type of album I was hoping to have come up in this project. I didn't grow up listening to rap. But I am well aware of the long shadow cast by the likes of Public Enemy, even though I haven't ever really given their albums a deep listen. Musically this album is almost without modern comparison, extremely frenetic and avant garde. You can really hear the connection between Public Enemy and other Def Jam acts from the 80s like LL Cool J and Beastie Boys, but this stands apart. The samples and energy all add up to something that makes you feel like you are in a specific place and time. It's almost impossible to draw the line between this and popular hip hop from today, maybe like Run the Jewels would be closest?
Lots of fun to listen to - brings back memories. Love that 80's rap.
Fantastic album. A wild, loud, and politically charged message with fierce flow and a bit of comedic relief. I thoroughly enjoyed this album and completely understand its importance. Chuck D’s flow is undeniable on this, but the sampling and production is what really elevates it.
Someone out there is listening to this saying they don’t make real rap like this anymore They’re right but not because there’s no real rap anymore but because real rap doesn’t sound like this anymore
The German philosopher Carl Schmidt said "Damn, this shit straight fire, son." Without sounding too cliche... I'm a simple man; I see Public Enemy, I give 5 stars.
Annoyed me
This review would definitely not be televised, but at least we know Terminator X was on to something with the sounds of the future.
C’était bon. Classique du vieux rap. L’album est un peu long et répétitif.
(Rap/Hip-Hop newbie here) I have never been able to wrap my ears around rap or hip-hop. And while I could not always get the lyrics on this album, I actually started getting into the melodies and the groove. And rather like it.
chyba juz nie dla mnie
16 songs • 57min Eighteen year old me was unable to hear this album for what it is trying to do. Too mired in the belief that America was the land of the free and home of the brave. And fairness was evenly distributed. The sound IS 90s gangster rap. 4.5/5
Public Enemy’s style and energy is like no other. Maximalist beats with tough, fast flows, and political and socially conscious lyrics. I don’t often play Public Enemy on my own, but there’s no denying the power of this music. They influenced a lot of my favorite artists, too. And yet, despite their influence, it feels like no one else has matched this energy (or this volume) in hip-hop since. It’s an overwhelming sound.
I'm so sad that last night I had the choice of wearing a Public Enemy t-shirt or another band's shirt, and I chose the other band. I would have loved to refresh this browser tab, see an album pop up and by chance also be wearing a t-shirt of that act! Oh well. "Bring the Noise" and "Don't Believe The Hype" are two truly standout hip hop tracks. Both maybe top 50-100 in the genre for me. These are really Flavor Flav at his best, he is THE hype man, he is a perfect contrast to Chuck D. He brings so much excitement, enthusiasm, and energy that you can't help but bop your head and jam to it. Chuck D is equally as impressive in his role of grounding the sound of the band while also providing depth both sonically and lyrically. Come to think of it, I think there's a real special grasp of "contrast" in Public Enemy. I don't know if the two very different vocal timbres of Flavor Flav and Chuck D was intentionally planned, but I start to think contrast is intentional when I hear it elsewhere in the production; like in the super prevalent beat style that has drums n bass punching low end grooves while they also incorporated high screechy vocal sample synths that scream like a chimp at the end of beat phrases. Or timbre aside, when Chuck D is hitting you with a consistent and smooth rap flow and Flavor Flav comes in at small pauses and stabs his infamous "yeaaaaa booooyyy"'s. The contrast is so heavy, and awesome!
better!
Lyrics are great but the music/mix feel amateurish.
meh 2/5
I didn’t listen to these guys when they first came out. What a shame. Didn’t understand or relate to it at all. Now it just sounds so good. My unbending mindset strikes again.
Hip hop is not my vibe apparently
Послушал, но не слишком впечатлился.
Little bit old school for me, not a fan
If Mariah Carey is the lowest on the scale of Albums From Here to Run To, this is on the other end. While it runs slightly long in the middle, it’s a solidly enjoyable listen. Ending on Party for Your Right to Fight is *chefs kiss*
I can see why this one is highly rated. If I liked the genre, I would have given it a higher score than I did.