It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

Full of famous samples

This album from Public Enemy was great! I don't listen to rap or hip-hop a lot, but this was very interesting. I like the political messages in their music, and I can see similarities to Rage Against The Machine. I highly recommend this album to rap fans! Favorite Song(s): "She Watch Channel Zero?!", "Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos", "Bring The Noise",

Inesperado, en directo tiene pinton_8,5

Nice

I love this album. Chuck's rhymes are solid, the lyrics are striking and the beats and bass lines really groove. It feels really punk rock, especially the political nature of songs. I really like the keys in a lot of the songs. It adds kind of a cool jazz element to an otherwise raw sound. Even though it feels like "old school" rap, it doesn't feel old. It still feels relevant and still slaps. Also shoutout to Rick Rubin and Def Jam Records. Stoked to have 2 Def Jam albums back to back.

I liked it. The words matter.

Enjoyed listening to this as I walked around Edgewood on MLK Jr Day. Quite nice! I have this on cassette I think. Maybe a CD too. Aged a lot better than Snoop Dogg but a better album to start with too.

Yeahhhh Boiiii!

Hip hop von bester Qualität! Mir gefällt der aggressive schnelle Rhythmus. Aber nicht zum endlos hören.

Duplicate

The good protest stuff. Flava flav keeps from gettong to serious. Terminator x occasionally makes it dound like kettles boiling

This was a fun one. The old school hip hop style is good. Some of the sounds and samples for a little repetitive, but I really liked this.

Flavor Flav is hilarious and it's hard to take him seriously. I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected.

Fresh Prince flair...yeah boyeee...bumpin'

great album

Love it

Own

It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is a groundbreaking masterpiece that marked a creative leap forward for Public Enemy and the entire hip-hop genre. The album's self-empowerment and Black power messages, combined with Chuck D's rapid-fire delivery and Flavor Flav's hype-man antics, redefine hip-hop both lyrically and musically. The innovative production, featuring faster beats and layers of samples, cements this album as a cultural force that challenged norms and pushed the boundaries of the genre. Public Enemy's impact is undeniable, making this album a timeless and influential classic. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 4 STAND OUT TRACK - She Watch Channel Zero?!

Dated, but an absolute classic for how it moved the genre of rap and hip hop music.

What you think when you think old rap-great 90s sound 4/5

Quality isn't consistent throughout, but there is no denying it's classic status

favourite song: she watch channel zero!? im a sucker for 80s hip hop it turns out, really enjoyed this album.

This one does a pretty good job of being very direct in its social message, while also being fairly accessible and interesting. Musically it's strong, there's some really nice moments like the beginning of "Louder Than A Bomb" which is fairly subdued, or the newscaster overlaid at the beginning of "Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos", or the jazzy start to "Show 'Em Whatcha Got". And then "Rebel Without A Pause" is pretty iconic near the end. Flavor Flav is kind of a ridiculous hype man, but I found myself enjoying him more as it went on. Also Chuck D likes to wear a Pirates hat because he's a big Clemente fan, so I can get on board with that. Favorite song: Show 'Em Whatcha Got Other: Bring The Noise, Don't Believe The Hype, Louder Than A Bomb, Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos, Rebel Without A Pause 12/30/23

You ever wonder what a punk rock album made by hip hop artists would sound like? Well here you are. Fun fact Kurt Cobain called this one of his 50 favorite albums of all time. Chuck D and Flava Flav are fully throat telling you what they’re about and what they think of the world at large. Brilliant.

Yeah, Boy-eeee! Maybe seems somewhat diluted after all this time, but no doubting the originality, influence, etc.

Actually loved it. Pretty sure there’s a sample from sabotage by Beastie in this album

Always thought Flava Flav was a joke artist, pleasantly surprised he has cared to back himself up. The album seems to predate a lot of the hiphop I’d listen to from the 90’s but carries the same energy! 3.9

This was so good! I heard how it influenced so much of the music I love. Full disclosure I never pay attention to the content of the lyrics, just the feel of the music.

I believe it was Cinderella who said, "Don't Know What You Got, Till It's Gone." BRING THE NOISE is an all-timer song, but without Anthrax it feels toothless. The whole record falls into the same hole as other early hip-hop records. It is well made, but since the genre was still a toddler when this record came out it had growing pains. For a test I listened to the Public Enemy albums NOTHER IS QUICK IN THE DESERT, from 2017, and MUSE SICK-N-HOUR MESS AGE, from 1994, and there is enough growth in hip-hop to make is more engaging to my ears. Also, Flavor Flav has always sort of irritated me.

Bring The Noise, Don't Believe The Hype, Rebel Without a Pause are all classic tracks that even a casual rap or hip-hop is going to know and appreciate, but this record has more to offer on some of the so-called lesser cuts: She Watch Channel Zero?!, Louder Than A Bomb, Night Of The Living Baseheads, and Black Steel In The Hour of Chaos which are absolute bangers. And yet, since the whole thing comes in at about an hour in length for 16 tracks I think the impact of the work suffers. It can be hard to hear that cutting things out can make more of an impact. I think it's the case here, so I'd cut Countdown To Armageddon, Mind Terrorist, Show 'Em Whatcha Got, Security of the First World entirely. I'm on the fence about, Cold Lampin' With Flavor — if I didn't cut it I'd at least move it to the back half of the album. For me this is an important, but ultimately flawed record, despite liking it a lot and recognizing its greatness.

Timeless. It's worth reading a bit about The Bomb Squad's production work on this record because some of their innovations are now so ubiquitous (the density of sampling, in particular) that it's hard to imagine their invention. It's like explaining to fish that water had to be invented. It's a gem even without the context. Certainly the rapping style is different from contemporary (I write this in late 2023) trends, but it doesn't feel old -- just distinct from today's trends. Exceptional. Entirely deserving of the reputation of Public Enemy.

Love these essay reviews that can be summed up as "I don't like the educated angry black man" yall bootlickers for real. Classic hip hop album thats definitely a product of its time. Normally 3 star but bump it up one to counter these bigots, yall know you can tell this to not do hip hop right?

Absolutely gripping from the very start. I know they were influential across a whole load of genres, and I also know that the Manics cited them, along with The Clash and GnR, as their biggest influence. I really get it, not so much in the music, but in the righteous anger of the lyrics. Musically, I enjoyed it, despite not being my normal cup of tea. It probably relied a little heavily on effects like scratching, foghorn etc, but that's probably only a cliché because Public Enemy made it so! A really enjoyable affair, all told. London, England, consider yourselves...WARNED!

Don't find it as direct as its more bold successor, but a great, incredibly energetic listen. Chuck D is commanding as a frontman and the album has aged remarkably both lyrically and sonically. A argument could be made that the album is a little too long, but when the sound is this stark and memorable, maybe it doesn't matter if it sounds similiar.

Didn’t realize how much of it was a live album. An undeniable capsule of American history

I don’t profess to either like or understand (the former normally a consequence of the latter in most walks of life) hip hop but I can respect the cultural impact and importance of this record. But I do like the concepts adopted. Two sides of exactly 30 minutes to avoid dead air on a pirate C60 cassette copy? Very anti-Napster decades in advance. I know the singles and I feel the confidence and focussed assertiveness. But there is naivety too. Starting the album with an RP English accent with a live recording from the inventors of colonialism? I don’t think it’s irony. Maybe it’s reflective of their needing to go to a developed and multicultural place where black isn’t feared (as it remains to be in the US.) if so, then after Brixton and Toxteth the UK likely was a fragile choice for such a statement. As said, beyond Flash Gordon I have little insight into the samples used. I find the music repetitive and the lyrics drift in and out of consciousness. But i know the singles and understand the appeal. Though not to me.

I think '80s rap is the best rap. It's tuneful with an edge. Angry, but not hateful. While there are a few F-Bombs here and there, it isn't the profanity-laden tripe that we see these days. Thank god.

It is amazing to me how well this album holds up for being hip-hop from 1988, but it shows how ahead of their time they were. My only gripe with the album is that it feels like a compilation. I think it is too long and doesn't feel like the albums fit together well. However, that is also not surprising for the time it was released. Overall, it's still a really great album and such great songs. "Prophets of Rage" is still so powerful and better than most hip-hop today...and also as good as anything from the "golden age of hip-hop."

real good bars and production but feels a bit on the long side

Alright this album kicks ass to hell and back and is hugely influential but holy shit why does that squealing noise on Don't believe the hype, like oh my god it's awful please make it fucking stop, like I can't stress enough how terrible this sound is Jesus Christ

Listened Before? Yes Album Art: 5 / 5 (I like everything about this cover. Iconic shot of Chuck D and Flavor Flav behind bars with the Public Enemy logo in a rasta color scheme) Opens on a live-sounding hype track intro, then turns over to Bring The Noise. Originally heard this song in Tony Hawk as the Anthrax remix (which is arguably better). Even still, the original is pretty dope, even if less "in your face." Bring The Noise is followed by the second single off of this album: Don't Believe the Hype. Instant classic beat with a solid drum sample and awesome instrumental layering. Chuck D just flows effortlessly through the entire track. Cold Lampin' With Flavor keeps things running with a squealing beat that might annoy some. I personally really enjoyed it and how Chuck D's flow contrasts with Flavor Flav's grainy interjections. Same can be said for Terminator X -- standout with a beat that sounds like a bomb screaming on approach and some sick mixing work on the boards (a lost art). This fell into the background while working, but I enjoyed it start to finish. I would assume there is cultural significance to this album that I am missing because I wasn't there at the time. Even today, this has a lot of appeal and stands up well. I'd say this is a high 4 / 5. Added to Library? Yes Songs Added to Playlist: - Don't Believe the Hype (Skate Mix) - Cold Lampin' With Flavor (Skate Mix) - Terminator X To The Edge of Panic (Skate Mix)

Flavor Flav has to be the best hype man of all time. Funny cuz I first knew about him on VH1 on those talking heads shows about the 90s and shit. Dude seems nuts but hypes me tf up. Chuck D has such a distinctive voice as well. Really solid stuff I think this might be the first Public Enemy album I've listened to in full. This album reminds me of the sample Beastie Boys album which I really liked. Going with a 3.5 but I'll round up since I was boucning around cleaning my house to it.

A classic for a reason

I can't tell if I genuinely like this album more than the other hip-hop selections so far, or if I wan just lucky to have discovered it when I was younger. Either way, I think it's a really solid one.

this album has such relentless pace and energy, with a few quieter interludes, and saves two of the best songs for the last few tracks. the middle of the album dragged for me a bit in terms of the repetition in the production but that's typical of this era, and the lyrics are a treatise and need the time. these songs have been sampled so widely that even though i haven't listened to this album through before, it felt familiar. i love the interplay between chuck d's intensity and flavor flav's hype. great album, glad to have heard it at last.

It was great

Accidentally listened to five bonus tracks/versions off the deluxe version because they're all good. I could do with fewer Flavor Flav shouts/ad-libs on a lot of the songs though.

Really like the heaviness of this. Chuck D's voice has power, and FlavorFlav is really entertaining, especially "Cold Lampin'." Love the socially conscious lyrics throughout. Great disc!

My dad loves public enemy, it’s the classic rap, I liked the album a lot

Really enjoyed it. Sometimes when you listen to an old hip hop album like this you can find things to like about it and sort of appreciate it from afar with the recognition that it sounds dated. This album certainly is indicative of the period but does not feel dated or corny to me at all. In fact I would have to say the flows and lyricism is at times much more modern sounding than NWA. Cool to hear the hip hop tapestry in here, you for source material for MF Doom to Black Eyes Peas. Legit very good album I will be coming back to and pretty easy to see how this was in a sense the beginning of modern hip hop

Powerful hiphop with tones of rock and not taking themselves too serious

High energy and fun

Surprisingly good

Strong

Yeaaaaa boiiiiiii! It holds up pretty well after all these years for the most part. the "yeah boi" does get a little tedious about half way through the album, but overall it's still fantastic. Lyrically wonderful and some great beats throughout. I'm kind of on the fence between 4 and 5. Either would be fair, I think. ... "YEA BOIIIIII" ... Yeah, four stars it is.

The rhymes hit hard over old school hip hop beats. Yea boii

Always a fan. I had tickets to see them live in Boston in the late 1980s but the show had to be canceled due to a problem with the venue. (If I recall correctly, the afternoon of the show they announced that a sewer line had collapsed and the venue had no working bathrooms so the show couldn't happen.) These guys were smart, hard working, and talented. The material still holds up today.

Oldschool at its best

Classic hip-hop. A little early for my taste but solid album all around.

Its fun to dive into old school hiphop and this is the best era of it. Gonna listen to this one once or twice more

Enjoyed this album more than Beast Boys Ill Comm, better distored vocals, loved the samples and more afrocentric

Nice rap album. You can feel the I fluency it had to other rapper to this day. Nice raw beats and you can feel the political rage in the lyrics.

Some good tracks (don't believe the hype was a favorite). More flava flav than I expected. Kind of exhausting to listen to the whole thing.

The first album that I was familiar with prior to starting this. Definitely one of the most impactful early hip-hop albums and overall it holds up pretty well. I find Flavor Flav to be mostly annoying which holds Public Enemy back in my opinion. Song going on my "1001 Songs" Playlist: Don't Believe the Hype Other Songs Going On My "1001 Albums Savelist" Playlist: Bring the Noise, Night of the Living Baseheads, Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos

4. I was suprised at how much iliked it

My longest yeah boy ever

Deze plaat ooit als rockliefhebber ontdekt via de versie van Bring The Noise met Anthrax. Jong Filipje was helemaal nog niet klaar voor deze plaat in zijn geheel. Rap en hiphop moesten nog wat meer in mijn smaak doorsijpelen. Nu hiphop wel een permanente plek heeft gekregen in mijn muzieksmaak is dit niet direct het soort hiphop dat ik zelf frequent aanwend. Nu ze toch opstaat, is dit het dominante gevoel: supercool, maar waarschijnlijk nog cooler in zijn tijdsgeest. Wel weer een plaat waarvan de invloed moeilijk van de muziek te onderscheiden is. Een zwart statement. Zonder deze plaat zou hiphop er gewoon niet hetzelfde uitgezien hebben. Stel u voor, geen Kanye. Hiphop naar een nieuw niveau verheven. Ik ken jammer genoeg niet genoeg van de rap history om de hele invloed ervan te kunnen vatten. Hadden de zwarte, sociale en politieke boodschappen rechtstreeks op mijn leven van toepassing geweest, had ik de lyrics ongetwijfeld als anthems in mijn hart gesloten, maar ik ben slechts een simpele geprivilegieerde white cis-male. Mijn leven heeft meer raakvlakken met pakweg Pretty Fly For A White Guy. Al breekt dat voor mij niks af van mijn appreciatie voor de muziek zelf. Ik ben op zich minder te vinden voor het net iets te frequente gescratch, de typische eighties productie en de 'live recording' tussenstukken. Wel spek naar mijn bek zijn het constant frisse ritme van het rappen, en de meest funky schijven vol James Brown beats en bakken plezier. Chuck D rapt gewoon fantastisch en vol overgave. Schijven als 'Caught, Can we Get A Witness?' 'Night of the Living Baseheads' en 'Black Steel In The Hour of Chaos' gaan hier een paar playlists opwaarderen. Die baslijn in combinatie met het pianosampletje op dat laatstgenoemde nummer zijn toch wel een persoonlijk hoogtepunt. Een dikke 4, om voor gelijkaardige grote hiphopgrootheden uit de jaren 80/90 zoals N.W.A., Beastie Boys of A Tribe Called Quest ruimte te laten voor de 5.

Hard af uneasy listening. Excellent!

sonic assault, this shit goes hard soooo many samples

Bangers, slappers and slap-bangers.

YES, finally hip hop

Hip hop classic and recognizable tracks. Influential for sure in style and lyrics as this was released in the 80s.

Really liked this album note worthy Bring the noise, Don't believe the hype, Night of the living baseheads

Not much of a hip-hop fan but I enjoyed this

Great album. Chuck D. is a force.

Yeeeeeaa boiii. Classic

ayo chuck... teikäläinen voi alottaa ....ei meikä osaa räppäillä... meikä vaa kimiä ääninen... saatana voisi muut olla hiljaa... kattilan pihinäesque albumi 80luvun hippi hoppia MITÄH??? hippi..........prkl.....prkl..... ei sellasia.... bring the noise

Simple and straight forward delivery of complex thoughts on complex social issues. Chuck D plus Flav is a classic recipe for cold medina. This album is the root of much of the hip hop to follow.

Pretty cool. Normaal hou ik niet van hiphop en ik moest er ook wel in komen. De beats zijn heel simpel met erg aparte geluiden maar ze zijn heel relaxet om op de achtergrond aan te hebben.

Believe the hype!

"It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" by Public Enemy is a revolutionary album that redefined hip-hop's political and artistic potential. Released in 1988, it's a sonic manifesto that fuses Chuck D's powerful lyrics with Bomb Squad's innovative production. Tracks like "Bring the Noise" and "Don't Believe the Hype" showcase the band's unapologetic social commentary and aggressive delivery. The album's production is a dense collage of samples and beats that create an urgent and chaotic atmosphere. "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" remains an influential and vital piece of hip-hop history, a testament to Public Enemy's unparalleled impact on the genre's evolution.

It’s absolutely fantastic, although I prefer Fear of a Black Planet which is a bit more glossy and better produced. The passion and energy of this one though is immense.

8/10

Loved listening to this for the first time. Yeeeaahhhh Boyyyy! I didn't realize Flav had so much rapping to himself, I thought he was a hype man before listening to this. Samples were great and funky. Some of the lyrics are just lyrics for lyrics sake and don't hold much, but some are really excellent.

As a white boy from canada that doesn't get US black culture... can i just say this album is fucking awesome. Lyrically it still hits, Chuck D's flow is simple and sounds great, Flavour (sic) Flav is amazing, Terminator X's beats are fucking great.

This is such a crazy album for 1988. Fuck yeah.

I actually like this one a lot. Easily the best of the group that we got. Probably the most interesting thing here to me is the chaotic and noisy beats as well as the inclusion of guitars like on she watch channel zero. The noise plus the political bombardment of the rapping surely made a huge statement at the time. First album of theirs I believe truly deserves to be on this list.

BL: Public Enemy to me are one of the most iconic and provocative rap groups of all time. While I don’t know many cuts off of this album and “fear of a black planet” has always been more in my rotation I cannot wait to hear this one AL: got everything you could want from a public enemy record. Socially conscious lyrics, excellent chopping, sampling and production, and a general apocalyptic and political feel that never stops being provocative FT: “don’t believe the hype”, “she watch channel zero?!”, “black steel in the hour of chaos” 4/5

Highlights: Don't Believe The Hype, Night Of The Living Baseheads

Dobry niegangsta rap

Classic 80s / drive into the 90s style. Flav giving hype and pull, Chuck D spilling the tough thoughts from the early morning and late night journal entries, and Squad with great production.0 I personally have to be in a particular “Head space” To sit and listen to Public Enemy, as the lyrics always outweigh the rhythm/beat/music. Nevertheless, they never disappoint, and I feel this album (known as one of their bests with many classics) was a great collaboration of the group; we are looking at just Chuck and Flav on the cover, but it’s whole Bomb Sqaud effort that is heard and felt with the entirety of the album “ black steel in the hour of chaos “ in hindsight, rings even better Good vibe

I may have been buzzed off an overpriced flight of beers on an empty stomach, but It Takes a Nation was a great album to stomp around Berkeley to. “Countdown to Armageddon” sets the expectations high, and there are a number of head boppin’ numbers to work with over the next 57 minutes. “Don’t Believe the Hype” almost sounds like Homer Simpson on a turntable, but it establishes the group’s lyrical prowess in their sophomore album. I half-wondered if Michael Dukakis would have tried to use “Louder Than A Bomb” in a campaign ad to make up for his tank blunder, then I realized that was a silly thought. Of course he would have. After a satisfying first half, “Show Em Whatcha Got” throws a sax-infused curveball, but I’m not mad about it. From a storytelling perspective, “Night of the Living Baseheads” and “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos” are the pinnacle of the record, and the piano of the latter perfectly ties in a heart-thumping chase and a race against time. I appreciate the variety of intros throughout the record, and while the album is longer than it needs to be, Public Enemy does bring the noise here. It’s classic late 80s hip hop, and its influence can be heard throughout the early 90s. Maybe they’re right. Who gives a fuck about a goddamn Grammy?

Chuck D: "The FBI is tapping my phone because of my anti-establishment views." Flavor Flav: "YEAHHH BOYYYYYYYY" My biggest critique of this album is that I don't know what Flav brings to the table. Half of the time he is on a track, the tone feels discordant with the rest of the record. He's got a fucking food verse on Cold Lampin' With Flavor while Chuck D is holding court over the legality of sampling. Flavor Flav's antics aside, I enjoyed the album. Chuck D is really that guy. I'm only giving it 4 stars because stylistically I didn't completely fuck with it. An aside, in 2016 Chuck D and members of Rage Against the Machine formed a band called Prophets of Rage in response to Trump winning the election. Y'all should check out their version of the song Prophets of Rage, the last track on this album. I prefer it to the original.

Very classic, love this old school stuff, though my knowledge of rap/hip-hop is extremely limited. "Party for your Right to Fight" was parodied by Beastie Boys? Or vice-versa? I've definitely heard some of these songs in passing.

Great Album with a lot of nice moments Beats lyrics etc...

I love the sampling and DJ-ing on this

Better than average hip-hop/rap. No glorifying gang violence, drugs, sexism, etc. Flavor Flav is kind of annoying with his yeahhhh boyyyy and cold medina (whatever than means).

4/5! Yeah Boy! Some classics! Don’t Believe the Hype, Bring the Noise, Terminator X to the Edge of Panic and Rebel without a Pause The rest of the songs, I dont know quite as well, but they have that Public Enemy sound!

Bring The Noise, Don’t Believe the Hype, Louder Than A Bomb, Show Em Whatcha Got, She Watch Channel Zero, Night of The Living Baseheads, Black Steel, Rebel Without A Pause (best song) and Prophets of Rage. Too many samples and Flavor Flav talks too much. Needs more of just rapping. 9/10

Felt like a beastie boys album sometimes, with violence, with emergency - a record with a lot of sirens, a lot of repetitiv sounds, alarms.

If you took hip hop and reduce it for a couple of hours this album would be the result.

First time I've heard flavah flav mentioned with frito lays. Awesome. I love that they had the cure for Covid back in 1988 "some drink the Clorox"... They reference themselves almost as much as Jason Derulo... but it works. Love this album.

Rap and Funk meshed together so well. Though i would probably prefer about 75% less Flavor Flav on it, i understand that he is a great contrast to Chuck D's heart attack serious delivery and style. Very good.

I've been meaning to listen to this. This being very early hip-hop/rap it's very simple in it's production and the flows they use. While it is simple the content of what they are saying is much more important and holds more weight. Flava Flave is a really good hype man. He's got a good chemestry with Chuck D. This definetly has a hippity hop trpe flow. Kida like that Hannable Burres clip on T-payn's podcast. It's not bad, but I feel like these guys would make much better music if they had come up even 5 or 6 years later than they did. This is still very good and a extreemly important and influential album/group. There are so many lines and samples/sections from a lot of the songs on this album that get used/referenced in songs not even 10 years after this album came out. It's crazy how influential this group was to hip hop A low 4/5

Very good, no dull moments and catchy

Great politically charged rap, beats bang

politically charged lyrics along with flavour flav’s signature nuttiness. samples a plenty. very high energy throughout. an unapologetic celebration of blackness. stone cold quality.

What a trio, Chuck D bringing the wisdom, Flavor Flav bringing the energy and DJ Terminator X bringing the amazing beats. Excellent fun here, the DJ work on Night of the Living Baseheads was so great. 4 stars

I was introduced to Public Enemy by another white kid at church youth group who exclusively listened to them. It was 1991 and the hardest thing I’d ever heard was Mc Hammer so uhhh that was an eye opening experience.

This was actually really good

Damn solid album, need to listen to more Public Enemy. Crazy samples too.

I really liked this, it was a cool & unique album. Best track: Terminator X to the Edge of Panic

Classic album. Dope beats, great verses, even a few dips in rock and metal! I love their music, but this record felt a bit too long. 8,5 out of 10

In a time where disenfranchised black kids were turning to gangs for a sense of pride, identity and camaraderie, albums like 'It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back\" provided an alternative sense of belonging to a nation. The group's image was relatable from the perspective of gang culture, but the message and methods being advocated were far more constructive, empowering and positive. The icing on the cake? It also made a bunch of tight-assed old white people uneasy. This album is remarkable on its own for its hip-hop and rap caliber. The fact that it takes aim (and succeeds) at making a positive difference in the world, puts it over the top in my book.

I thought this was really great actually. Some songs aren't as strong but overall this was fantastic old school hip hop. I will say though that I think the album is a bit too long. 7/10.

Yeah, boyeeeee!

I liked this album and its shtinkin words and grooves YEAAAA BOIIIIII

Chhyyeeaa boooiii

Each track is undeniably great, I just found it a bit of a struggle to get through. 3.5/5

Hard to deny the power and energy that Public Enemy put out. The lyricism is similarly impressive, often incendiary while being catchy and exciting. I took this album in chunks, and my major drawback is that an nearly an hour I can see the boom-bap production and lack of vocal dynamics getting a little wearisome for me. Track for track its a classic, but as a cohesive listening experience I don't know that it's for me. Maybe a strong three and a half, but could grow with more listens. Fave track: Bring the Noise

The beats were great, the lyrics were incredibly powerful and is overall a great album. Not much to dislike here.

Groundbreaking. Chuck D’s rapping and the top notch production keep this album relevant over 30 years later. Even Flava Flav’s hype man antics add a layer to this that somehow holds up well. If they set out to create the hip hop equivalent to What’s Going On, they came pretty close. I’d call it a 4.5 and round down because although I really enjoyed and appreciated this, I don’t know how often I’d come back to it.

Klassiker des Conscious Raps

Absolutely adored this.

Awesome samples

Great look a the culture in the 80s and 90s with a perspective that I never had.

A lot of great tracks in this one. Not every one is a masterpiece, but damn when it goes hard, it goes hard.

It's good. Really very good. Looking back it's amazing what an influence it had, and how sampled it was. Took me on a tour back through Tricky's albums too as I remembered Black Steel was actually a cover on Maxinquaye.

This is relentless. It doesn't pause for a breath from start to finish. I bloody love it. I tried to listen whilst working. This didn't work. I had to save it whilst out on a walk. My pace picked up and I was walking with a purpose. This probably wasn't the stated aim of Chuck and pals whilst making the record. Hip Hop Hikers is a thing. (And yes, I accept that this album wasn't made for me, but it doesn't stop me from enjoying, if not quite feeling the message and the importance to the black community. Especially so in 2023.)

Enemmän oon kuunnellut Fear of a Black Planet:ia, mutta tämä lienee se tunnetuin platta. Diggailen suuresti! 4/5

Haastavampi kuunneltava kuin länsirannan räbä, koska puuttuu se letkeys lähes kokonaan. Aika jatkuvaa paahtoa. Toisaalta teksteissä on ajatusta ja tarkoitusta selvästi enemmän. Ei siis kauhean usein tule kuunneltua, mutta tämä kestää tarkastelua niin hyvin, että sanotaan 3.5/5, joka pyöristyy 4/5.

Anarkistiset beatit ja hyvä flow! 4/5

Public enemy kicks ass. Didn’t know flavo flavor came from this group

Listened Before? N This brings me back to the late 80s in a big way. Amazing, intelligent rap. Perfect. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Bring The Noise

I always struggled with some of the politics, especially the antisemitism that developed (we know who!) but this is still a vital piece of work.

Brilliant.

Brilliant!

Solid

cool

Interessante. Hip-hop raiz, outra sonoridade, muito diferente do que é produzido hoje em dia. Dá pra perceber com muito mais clareza as referencias do soul e do funk, os metais, percussões e guitarras.

the fact that a rap album from the 80s has aged as well as it has is proof that this album is great. also, "she watch channel zero?!" is very funny now knowing that flavor flav went on to get his own reality tv show but it's still a good song.

Des samples hyper accrocheurs, une énergie dingue, l'envie de tout brûler après coup. On sent l'influence que ce disque a pu avoir, le travail de dingue, l'approbation privation du passé pour en faire autre chose d'unique. Assez épatant.

Better than expected

rocks men flava flav e lite störande

this album goes real hard thumbs up

Makes me feel nostalgia for an era of hip hop I wasn’t even around for. Lots of energy, lots of ‘yeaaa boiiiiii’s from flava flav which is exactly what I needed. 3.7/5

классический для того времени рэп с социальным подтекстом и скитами для атмосферы, вышли они со straight outta compton с разницей в одну неделю, альбом паблик энеми вышел раньше. у чак ди и флейвор флава какая-то своя магия, даже сейчас не очень распространены группы из двух человек (привет мигос 🙊🤐) но тем не менее это действительно увлекательное путешествие для меня по истории хип-хопа, я нахожу в этом какую-то романтику, что 35 лет назад, люди называли свою группу public enemy, записывали альбом с названием it takes a nation of millions to hold us back. и звучали на ней так, как ты себе все и представляешь по названию и обложке, проще говоря - все это и есть концептуальность

I really like this album. Honestly i’m unsure what to say about it but I just thought it was good fun and actually impressive.

Leipe beats waarin nog gescratched wordt, en goede flow. Aan het einde wel klaar mee omdat de beats toch wel lastig luisteren, vandaar geen 5 sterren

Good stuff. As rap goes, this is a cut above. I'm told Kanye West is supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread, but I Don't Believe The Hype.

I've heard of Public Enemy, but never delved into their stuff before, so I am looking forward to today's listen. I do enjoy some 80's hip hop. Chuck D's rhymes are smooth and powerful, and Flavor Flav makes a great hype man. Terminator X is a great DJ, mixing samples and beats flawlessly. I enjoyed this album quite a bit. Especially because, unlike other 80's hip hop records, this one didn't have skits every 2-3 songs. It didn't have any skits at all, just music. I like that, beause I always found the skits took away from the album flow. Overall, I really enjoyed this album, and will probably listen again. Favourite songs: Bring the Noise, She Watch Channel Zero?! (interesting note: this song samples Slayer's song Angel of Death), Don't Believe the Hype, Prophets of Rage, Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos, Night of the Living Baseheads, "Caught, Can We Get a Witness? ", Louder than a Bomb Least favourite songs: Terminator X to the Edge of Panic (there is a looped squeal throughout this song that just grinded on me the wrong way) 4/5

Legends forever just yeah legends.

The energy on this is crazy! Such a sense of urgency and swag project. I just wanna dance tbh 😎

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)

Not the best, but not bad

Solid early hip hop album. Mix sounds cleaner than Fear of a Black Planet

Think every single hip hop fan should be required to listen to this

Take a drink every time you hear “yeahhhh boiiiiii!!” Just make sure you update your will first.

Awesome and angry. Flavor Flav is like salt though, essential in small amounts but when he overdoes it everything goes to shit.

Brutal and brilliant. You can feel the rage and the anger, but artfully packaged with catchy rhythms

Better hooks than Fear of a Black Planet. Dig the energy.

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.

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

good rap stuff

YEEEEEEAAHHHH BOOOOIIIIII

Great rhythm and powerful message.

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.

Once again back is the incredible.

This is classic!

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.

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

Отлично звучащий рэп, но за краткий срок не довелось разобраться с текстовым содержанием, потому острожная четырехконечная 🌟

Banging great beats rhyme and poetry

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.

Super good and relevant

Excellent stuff from the fathers of Rap.

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.

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”.

Such a great album, so many influences on bands that I love and I do enjoy socio political rap. Fave: Black Steel

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

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

Heavy hitting but flavour flav remains extraneous

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.

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.

4.25

Muito bom.

Controversial opinion: This album walked so Apocalypse 91 could run.

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

Yeahh Booiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Absolutely groundbreaking hip hop album! 4.5/5 stars

turns out I like public enemy and I didn't know it

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.

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

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.

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.

Birthplace of bands like RATM - high speed, energetic hip-hop. Just a sick listen!

Brilliant. Lots of clever samples, lyrically magnificent, great flow, politically engaged, clear purpose and aims. I loved it.

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

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

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.

Good stuff

Innovative. 4/5

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.

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.

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!

Good listen. Favorite track is Louder than a Bomb

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

YyyyeaaaaahBuoiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Very nice, will get the album. Quite cool to discover stuff like this

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.

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

pure raw energy

Party for your right to 4 stars

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Party for your right to fight

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

boppy

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.

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

Still awesome.

Классные биты, интересный текст, немного не понравилось сведение и биты однообразные

This was very much one of those albums where I went "oh that's where that came from." Truthfully, didn't do this one justice but generally liked what I heard. Their voices pair great together and seem to lay the foundation for rap dues like Run the Jewels that follow.

This was far more familiar than expected, not what I'd normally listen to, but enjoyable.

Yeeeaaaaaaaa Boooiiiii! Loved this

A good upbeat listen.

Never really loved public enemy, that said, a respectable album nonetheless

Had a great time nodding along to this

Public Enemy are always reliably ace

Good album. Bored by the end though.

Niet geluisterd, maar ken dit album goed. Buiten dat het een classic is, klinkt het nog altijd tijdloos. En die mix tussen Chuck D., Flavor Flave en al die samples zijn te gek.

Bring the Noise was actually not as engaging as I would have liked but the other tracks are really good.

Gran disco. No tenía idea de la existencia de Public Enemy. Canciones que más me gustaron: Don't believe the hype porque qué coro pegajoso y Show 'em Whatcha Got porque los beats y loops están del uno. Como siempre con el rap, me falta siempre algo de variedad y yo casi nunca le pongo atención a las letras, de ahí que no le dé las 5 estrellas.

Old school hip hop masterpiece... but not that masterpiece imo... a handful of untouchable classics in any case

Really good, still holds up despite some of the production sounding a little rudimentary by today's post-Rockwilder standards. The lyrics still pack a wallop, and Chuck D's voice simply one of those things I like to listen to. Cool!

Respeito, mas não é noooossa coisas que amo ouvir não

Great record. I don't know if i ever got deep enough into this one before to notice Slayer's Angel of Death sampled in one of the songs

8/10

Numbly piece this album together as one of the greats. Another I grew up with surrounded by older brothers.

Public Enemy is rad. Love the metal community crossover with Anthrax they ended up doing for Bring The Noise, and sampling Slayer was sick. Feels quintessentially late 80's hip hop. Love the big beats and big respect they make sure to give the DJ. Chuck D is cool as hell, Flavor Flav is...well, Flavor flav.

Great album, classic hip-hop

don't believe the hype 👌👌

I can't be anything but a tourist in this genre which brings up all kinds of... feelings. I think I can appreciate it and respect the foundations it represents but it's not what I'd choose to listen to in the car.

Very good album. This isn't typically my speed, but I really enjoyed it.

Tony Hawk!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pretty good rap album

An essential hip hop album that fits nicely in the history of the genre. This album makes strong political statements that are still poignant today. Their new york sound is clearly an influence of major groups like NWA and Wu-tang. -Draper

A solid 4 stars, reminiscent to Run DMC for me, but a little on the long side!

Solid bars and classic beats

Don't Believe The Hype

Good sound. Good Music. 4

Sick

Solid!!

OK, so this is where I first notice "it" in Public Enemy. I had heard it indicated in Apocalypse 91, and believed in it, but didn't clearly see it. This record is what deserves that 4, and my esteem for it might grow as I learn more about this classic era in rap. The centering of the DJ is great, and it's sad that that has mostly died. There are skits that actually make sense, though the live show conceit seems to fade on the second half. The strongest bits are the moments of sonic experimentation, and the cheeky lines and song titles.

Top notch angry political tub thumping musically pioneering rap

Public Enemy - It Takes... Very in your face. Less 'musical' than Fear of a Black Planet, and for that reason, not as engaging and far more repetitive. Still some great tracks here though. Best Track - Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos Worst Track - COLD Lampin with Flavor 7/10

I'm not a hip hop head. The closest I got to being in touch with hip hop/rap was a window of time in high school over 12 years ago. That said, this album surely falls squarely in the camp of "old school" I'd have to guess. Maybe I will Google that. Maybe I won't! I enjoyed the song that talks a lot about flavors through out the day. Lunch and dinner and such. I also enjoyed the scratching and the use of samples. And actually oh wow this album really picks up in the second half. The samples become more complex and interesting. Thank you!

I think I may be a bit harsh, but some.of the samples are annoying. I found the political discourse engaging, and it hasn't aged to badly

ja ganz gut aber nh

really good stuff. i had no idea all these names i recognized were in one big group at one point, feels like learning about a cultural pillar that influenced a ton of stuff since i kept recognizing traits of other works in this one

I mean, it’s PRETTY good but a lot of this is an exercise in “how long can you tolerate this very high pitched sample that plays throughout the WHOLE SONG”

I think I prefer Fear the Black Planet to this one, but I can't deny this is an instrumental early hip hop/rap album that sets the stage for what's to come. I'd never been the biggest fan of 80s rap, but you can see how 90s rap builds off of what is laid out here

some of the sound fx were a bit repetitive it kinda pmo but overall a vibe some of them went hard

It's good. It's what I want hip hop to sound like. I do not, however, want to listen to hip hop. This is probably as good as it gets

Thumpin

Expected way more given my knowledge of the band and that era, but either the mixing and/or random skits were just too much, best I can give is 3

Helt ok. Något tjatigt att lyssna igenom hela på en och samma gång. Mycket upprepningar. Men Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos är en favorit, Bring the Noise samma sak. En hel del klassiker förstås och politiskt vilket jag gillar. Men som sagt... Lite tjatigt är det.

WAYYYYYY TOO MUCH SCRATCHING ;-;

Liked it generally but at times it felt noisy or as if I was being yelled at.

Definitely unique group among rap of that time.

Take a shot every time he says Flavor Flav. Very cool and apparently historic hip-hop album. The chaotic, funk and jazz inspired backing tracks created with significant sampling sound awesome, abrasive in the coolest and catchiest way. It feels a little repetitive at points, but is mostly just enjoyable. As with many of these albums, I’m sure I can’t grasp the full impact it had, both solely musically as well as culturally amidst the political climate, upon release since I have never experienced 1980s New York. Not an album I’d have likely experienced without this generator. Some tracks feel overly self-referential as someone who had no idea who Chuck D, Terminator X, or the S1Ws were before this (though Flavor Flav unambiguously made himself known…). There are several tracks that center around the racial and anti-institutional themes the album is known for that I can imagine being quite controversially received at the time, especially coming from these established ‘Public Enemies’. Chuck D is a powerful rapper, and Flavor Flav grows on you too. I don’t see it being a lasting favorite, but it’s a great-sounding, cool, and effective album. Rating: ~6.5/10 _____ Album 2 / 1001+

This is not an album built to please you. It is built to overwhelm you, agitate you, and force you to pay attention. That is exactly why it is one of the greatest rap albums ever made.

этот альбом как конфета с твердой оболочкой. понравится не сразу, но по итогу амамам. хотя.. для меня шумновато. троечко

I don't have any formal thoughts on this album. It was kinda just background noise.