It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

Best Track - "Don't Believe The Hype"

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.

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*,

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 -

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 Vieles für meinen Geschmack etwas zu sehr outdated mit einigen Ausnahmen aber.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

Классные биты, наверно, крутые тексты. Ощущается, как что-то настоящее.

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

Fun and frustrated. Tons of energy. Cool beats. Good duo

"DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE."

Fun album and I love that old hip hop style but this is a bit mid

Yeahhhhhh, boyyyyyeeeeee

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

I don’t know if this is my jam.

lo quiero revisitar con más tiempo

i want a juice box and a skateboard. i like this vibe however do not know what is being said.

War ok

Very good

Respect it slightly more than I love it, but still good!

Some good bits but I kind of zoned out

Noisy

Yeah BOOOOOIIIIII

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 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

C’était bon. Classique du vieux rap. L’album est un peu long et répétitif.

chyba juz nie dla mnie

better!

Lyrics are great but the music/mix feel amateurish.

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.

Послушал, но не слишком впечатлился.

It's a shame that I'm someone who usually doesn't focus on lyrics while listening to music (partly because 99 % of what I listen is not in my native language), as it seems from other reviews that they are the most important component of this album. Not that it's not musically good too. I should listen to more Hip Hop as I know next to nothing about it beyond the 6 or 7 albums I got so far in this list. Maybe for a future re-listen (and I take note that this is one of the albums that I must listen to again) I should search up the lyrics and read them while listening to really appreciate this, as It Takes A Nation To Hold Us Back seems to be widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential albums in music, particularly in the Hip Hop genre. 3.5/5, with a chance to bump up the rating in the future.

Good but not for me

The revolution will not be televised. Is there any line more iconic to the modern protest movement? An album were the message definitely outperforms the music, but still some good tracks. Favorite was Terminator X to the edge of panic

Ganz nett, aber nicht unbedingt mein Fall

3.5

This would have got a 4 if it had the Anthrax collab version of bring the noise as a bonus track.

I thought this was Public Image so was relieved when it was in fact Flava Flav’s outlet. I just don’t love the genre but I do think this merits a spot I just don’t particularly enjoy it.

To me, a lot of the songs blur together, with very similar beats. I feel like rap probably needs the lyrics to really land, and without understanding them, it doesn’t fully click.

Flavor Flav is all that comes to mind when I hear "Public Enemy". He sure says it A LOT. This album isn't bad, but I kept waiting for "Fight the Power" which is not on this record. This sound is a perfect artifact of this era's rap. All I can think of is the scene in Jarhead. I'm sure 40 years ago this album was groundbreaking and revolutionary. I like this album fine, but I don't think it's going in the rotation. A lot of samples they use in this record have been bitten by EVERYONE now. Childish Gambino, Wreckx-n-effect, Jay-z. Hell, even the loudspeaker tone in "Show 'em Whatcha Got" sounds like Zach De La Rocha. Same thing I've noted for a lot of these records, they are defining sound of the time. If I was a youth in 1988, I would have worn this tape out.

Monumental album for rap and hip hop. Don’t believe the hype!

I feel bad for saying it but like.. not it. Revolutionary but sounding old as hell now

Hadn't heard this one. Still very good.

Intense beats, really got that early hip hop feel, kinda cool truly. Rapping about important stuff, art as a form expression shining through. Not my typical music so 6.7/10

Yeeeeaaahhh boiiiii!!!!

Some popular hits, but it kind of ran together for me.

What does flava flav do even? I’m not complaining but really?

Yeah, boyeeeeeee! Who doesn't remember/recognize Flava Flav! Brought me back to the days I thought I could Break Dance. Not a bad listen, I didn't skip any songs or feel the need to.

Between 3 and 4 on this, but probably won’t come back to it, so rounded down.

I don’t know what’s more forceful, the message or the presentation. A sample smorgasbord itself, I recognized so many future samples here.

It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is an album that hits harder in its intent and influence than it does as an easy listening experience. It is dense, confrontational, and deliberately overwhelming, built to sound like a broadcast from the middle of a cultural emergency. The Bomb Squad’s production is chaotic by design, with layers of sirens, samples, and jagged beats all competing for space. It is powerful, but it can also be exhausting, especially when taken in one full sitting. Chuck D’s voice is commanding and authoritative, cutting through the noise like a public address system, while Flavor Flav provides a strange but effective counterbalance. Tracks like “Bring the Noise” and “Don’t Believe the Hype” still land with force, carrying a sense of urgency that feels rooted in its time but not entirely locked to it. At its best, the album feels revolutionary, like it is actively pushing hip hop into new territory rather than just reacting to what came before. Where it falls slightly short for me is in consistency. The album’s relentlessness can flatten individual moments, and some tracks feel more like extensions of the message than fully formed songs. Its importance is unquestionable, and its impact on hip hop and culture is massive, but as an album experience it can feel more admired than loved.

Classic rap, sound wise. Haven't heard or read the lyrics to make sure of what it is actually about. However this type of music can can tiring and this album is long. Songs like Terminator X that brake the mold are the ones that stand out the most.

Nippels

First time listening to anything like this. While some of the more explicitly political songs were less enjoyable the album as a whole was solid. I enjoyed the flow despite the length and the samples chosen gave the songs a unique twist.

Accidentally listened to the deluxe edition and it was too long

Honey, turn on Rebel Without a Pause, I haven't been irritable for a while....obviously the message is really cool but I struggled to jam with a lot of the music. YEAAAA BOIIIII

Some bangers but feels very of the time it was made

It was OK but nothing special. Did I really need to listen to this? Is it really one of the Top 100 albums ever (according to Apple Music)?

I’m no fan of hip-hop, but as hip-hop goes this is better than most of the rest.

Ahead of its time. High-energy, but its high-energy the whole time. There’s not a lot of dynamics in their actual delivery or flows. The beats are also both the most interesting and sometimes most annoying parts of this album. Some great sampling and DJ work weighed down by repetition.

Good old 80s hip hop

3.5. I like what they are doing. Just have to do it in small doses

I really like rap you can understand. I recognized Flavor Flav and didn't realize he was from Public Enemy. This might be the first time I have ever heard Public Enemy. Some of the sounds are getting pretty annoying.

Their second album. Hip Hop. In your face, militant and loud. Some thoughtful, funny, silly and poetic lyrics. Chuck D sounds particularly good. I think overall I liked Apocalypse 91 better but Yeeeeaah Boiiiiii ...

Fun anger! ★★★

Album review 008 It Takes a Nation of Millions… by Public Enemy (1988) Rating 3/5 I get why people love this album and can see how relevant it was back when it was first released. Almost 40 years on and Chuck D’s delivery remains as powerful as ever but It takes a Nation… is an album that just doesn’t do it for me.

Have definitely heard of Public Enemy, Flavor Flav, and their music before, but wouldn’t consider myself a fan.

Make America rage again

Angry, tough, poetic

Not a fan of hip hop but the lyrics of this album are great.

Another hip-hop album I can really appreciate. Kudos for The lyrics are quite alright (of well at least it's not full of the cliché pussies and bitches). Musically, a bit of a one-trick pony. I think this was quite an important band and album back in the day,

3.5, the boom-bap style was not my favorite, but the album grew on me while listening. Catchy hooks and bouncy feel, I can see why this album was so popular when it came out. Flava Flav "yeeaaah". Standouts: Don't Believe the Hype, Terminator X to the Edge of Panic, Louder than a Bomb, Mind Terrorist, Rebel Without a Pause, Show 'Em Whatcha Got.

hard with just a hint of jazz

Pretty good album, good flow to it all. First few songs are great.

Righteous!

De piepgeluiden waren 40 jaar geleden misschien cool, maar nu toch eerder vervelend. Desalniettemin zaten er wel wat platen tussen

You have to like flow of the rappers in order to enjoy hip-hop & rap. There's always been gimmicks in rap when it comes to rap. Flava Flav has a such a gimmick with "Yeeeaahh Boy" & I'm ok with it. Cuz dude knows how to spit. The rest of their flows are old skool & I dig it. Their choice of samples are quite unique, I liked the Bugs Bunny sample on one track. Though old school & goes long on some songs. I give it a 3.

pretty good

I like this hip-hop album, it is full of nostalgic bits 3/5

Party for your right to fight!

Lowkey incendiary.

cool.

"This had more production range than I was expecting. I liked the samples and even the one song without words at all. However, the topics they cover are intriguing and thoughtful. I liked the album. I could have used fewer ""Yeah, Boii"" inserts but eh I know it's Flavor Flav's thing. "

Not great, but good.

great lyrics

I certainly don't deny that this is one of the most culturally significant pieces of art to ever grace hip-hop, and it really did define what hip-hop was and was to be at the time. But, being groundbreaking in a genre often leads to it showing its age - and boy does this thing show its age. Chuck D really does carry Public Enemy - every moment I enjoyed on here featured him. The other cunt seemingly just keeps screaming "YEAAA BOIIII" and it got really annoying. That being said, this thing is backloaded as fuck. The last few tracks really make this album. Good listen, but not as good as people rave on about honestly.

I liked it better than the other public enemy album we got but I really don't gel with this era of hip hop production wise. I also think flava flav sounds like he has a TBI.

Full of energy albeit a bit dated. This was probably groundbreaking on release, the production and lyricism here definitely paved the way for the next three decades of artists that came after it. Which isn't to say that the production and lyrics are only good for their time, it still holds up today. There is some great sampling and at times the album is very catchy, but other times it gets a bit repetitive and I feel the album is longer than it needs to be. Shoutout Louis Farrakhan Highlights: Terminator X to the Edge of Panic, She Watch Channel Zero?!

3.5 Probably one of the most important recordings in East Coast Hip Hop - but my rating scale is a 4.0 is an album I want to return to and just don't see me returning to this album. I did enjoy the album, Flavor Flav is extremely repetitive (maybe this is intentional) with the 'yeah boy' and 'cold medina' stuff but Chuck D is excellent.

Powerful

Getting in to rap! Some great sounds but breaks the 1 hour rule on albums.

Political and sonic sophistication meet in perfect collision. The Bomb Squad conjures a chaos so intricate it becomes order, a mosaic that shouldn’t work but swings with purpose. Chuck D transmits like a prophet behind the mic, calling out the FBI, COINTELPRO, and the media decades before “surveillance state” or “fake news” became household terms. It's the sound of rebellion mixed, mastered, and made immortal.

Decent

A monumental album with meaning that holds up well. Musically, a bit less interesting than I was expecting listening from front to back.

I know this one! I get the strong message behind for sure and returning to it now in these 2025 times makes it even more relevant.

Tgoh, I am not that much of a fan.

Probably needs more listens to fully appreciate - but enjoyed a lot. Knew the singles which are killer but needs more time. 3.5

Nice balanced vibe of funk, beats and rap. Such a classic sound as well

Dope. Will always make your head bop.

Far more enjoyable to listen to than the other hip-hop related albums that have passed me by so far.

It's hip-hop, it's not my genre. It's not horrible to listen to so it gets a neutral score; 2,5/5

I don’t know if this isn’t quite as good as Fear of a Black Planet or if I just like Fear more because I’m more familiar with it but this album doesn’t connect with me to the degree that Fear does. I appreciate what they accomplished with this record but I don’t personally enjoy it.

Las bases del hip hop ochentero me ponen un poco nervioso

07/10/25 #14 Favourite Tracks: bring the noise; party for your right to fight Rate: 5/10

Can't help it, but the hip hop sounds here are dated. The breaks, the scratching...just doesn't sound as good to me as it did when I was growing up. And in some places, it's just downright annoying. Really do like Chuck D's voice. Wouldn't see myself returning to listen to it again but I respect P.E. a lot.

6/10 I have all this anger now. 10-06-2025

Personally I like my hip hop a little more jazz influenced instead of just over drums and record scratches, but there’s no denying their influence or their cultural impact

I assumed this was going to be gangster rap from the name. Turned out to be rather rad 80s hip hop. Pretty fun album. 👍 Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos, Rebel Without A Pause

Classic

I still prefer Chuck D's raps to Flavor Flav's.

Im not gonna try score this /10. I hate to say it but as a piece of music this album does not hold up. It means a lot more as a political statement than an album. Overall it's aight

I totally get how influential this was and I enjoy some of th music and the samples. But, very much like the Beastie Boys, it’s all a bit strident. Which is likely the point but it does not make for an enjoyable listening experience

There a number of good songs and iconic lines here (ya, boi) but not something I’d listen to regularly. Appreciate it for its place in history but that’s about it. 3/5

Respect for Chuck D. Solid album with a couple solid bangers on it

This was a good album. Flavor Flav was quite dominant on many of the tracks.

I didn’t hate this! Pretty good!

Hiphop classic, but I'm just not into hiphop. When I listen to music, I barely listen to lyrics and mostly listen to melody. In this album the focus is reversed, making that I cannot really enjoy its qualities. In between 2 and 3 for me, but bumping to 3 because I can enjoy the oldschool sound.

Had me groovin' a bit

I have a lot of respect for Public Enemy; they had a lot to say and said it in cool and innovative ways. However, in a similar light to my views on Bob Dylan review, I feel like things have come a long way since Public Enemy’s time. Even by the mid-to-late 90s, groups were coming out with records that have aged better, using more diverse and creative sounds (e.g. OutKast and A Tribe Called Quest). Can’t help but feel that Public Enemy’s sound is closer to the Run DMC ‘disc jockey and MC’ setup, than to the more rounded genre that hip hope became throughout the decade.

Yeeeeeeahhhhhhh boiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Fun little bit of history.

I am usually not a huge fan of rap, but honestly, I did enjoy this album. I like the flow and mostly the melodies and the atmosphere this album brings. Cant believe this is a live album. They were tight

Like Chuck D, don’t like Flava Flav that much.

If Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince were good.

Ekki alveg eins töff og mér fannst það. Góð beat samt. Svakalega langir textar hjá þeim vinum. Bring the noise er classic.

Meh

3/5 - it was just alright, didn't leave a significant impact on me. It was just okay. Really liked the messaging behind the album though. I think it's awkward because rap has evolved so much since 1988 that old school hip hop despite being so important for the legacy can feel really underwhelming when comparing it to modern day hip hop. I think I have modern day bias issues! Sorry. Okay album 👏!

Iconic … but felt too long and too repetitive

Not my usual genre but I knew a couple of the tracks on here and in general I enjoyed listening to it but probably won’t return to it.

For its influence and importance this album should get automatically five stars, but I have found it too dated, very much of its time from the late 80s, and while I appreciate their talent, there are other rap albums I've enjoyed more on this challenge. Sorry, but only 3 stars.

On the second listen I started to enjoy some of the second half of this album. Standout track: night of the living baseheads.

I understand why this is classic, but ultimately not my thing

Generally speaking, this hard core rap is not my thing. But there's no denying, it's not slow, it's not boring and it's pretty banging at times.

Certainly deserves its place on the list. Chuck D's vocal is iconic. The album and beats are super dated though. It's certainly of it's time and it's just not my thing. I'm not a big hip-hop or rap fan outside of a handful I grew up on so this album is doubly lost on me. 3/5.

Solid beats. The vocals are so-so. Overall it's decent.

Forgot How annoying some of those Beats can be

Kom med enorma lovord! Inte min genre egentligen men jag uppskattade detta, så gott betyg där!

I like the beats, could really see how the album was really influential to rap later on. What is holding it back for me is the lyrics, the one song with Flavor Flav listing out different flavors is corny as hell lol and the She watch channel zero being so lecturey to some woman enjoying soap operas as cheap entertainment while the guy complains about not being able to watch the game is pretty hypocritical i think. Think the more political tracks are better. Liked the Black steel track telling the story of the narator escaping for example. Overall like the beats and can appreciate its influence but not something i would return to too often

They consistently get into a good flow/groove, break it with some discordant noises or shouting, and then get right back into the flow. It can be cool, but almost every song had parts that I found so grating and off-putting that I didn't completely like any of the songs except for "Show 'Em Whatcha Got", which isn't even a fully fledged song. I appreciate the beats and the edge of this album. I wish it were more musical. I also find Flavor Flav very cringe. It's still an interesting listen. 3/5

Ya boyeeeeee

I enjoyed listening to this, but can't remember a ton of the music or hooks even though it's only been a day.

I was always curious about the appeal of Flava Flav. I *kinda* get it now.

so much power, some real bangers too. just don’t see myself spinning this whole thing again.

I am a big fan of hip hop and I am constantly trying to immerse myself into the roots of the genre. This album from Public Enemy has good beats and I never felt bored but they lyrics felt outdated. I would have liked it more if I could understand the context in which it was written. So this made it into an average listening experience.

Good beats and fun to listen to!

Enjoyable but not quite as polished and refined as their 3rd album

Similar to the other Public Enemy album. Good but not my thing.

Lyrics are great, not personally a fan of the high saxophoneish screeches featured on many tracks.

Think I would’ve been more into it when I was younger. Good old skool rap

- Plezant, na een tijdje wat eentoniger - 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM

I have always struggled with hip hop and rap music. It is not a genre that has ever grabbed me. I’m still trying and will continue to use this project as an opportunity to expand my horizons. In this spirit, and considering that many consider this to be among the most seminal albums of the “golden age” of hip hop, I decided to give the album several listens. In the end, I appreciated the anger behind the insights into the plights of black people at the time. The BS “War on Drugs” prevalent at the time continued the oppression of black people. Same zebra, different stripes. The frustration was expressed affectively. The raps of Chuck D and Flavor Flav play off each other in fun and interesting ways. I enjoyed the incorporation of funk guitar and pop music into the resampling. The music had me grooving along, albeit still wishing for original instrumentation, a bias I acknowledge that I need to get over to appreciate this genre. I’m still not there yet with respect to even being able to pretend that I understand what makes a great hip hop album, but I appreciate what Public Enemy was trying to do here and can appreciate why this album is considered to be so influential to the genre. My personal work to overcome my biases remains ongoing.

yeah boyyyyyy

I don't like old hip hop. The beats are just way too minimalistic and repetitive, and the vocals barely interact with the instrumentals. They're just kind there, and I don't like that. The second half is a little better in that regard. They're still repetitive but a bit more energetic, so it's something. They mostly focus on writing, which is fine, but it’s not a part of music I personally care all that much about. This is a fine album, but I don’t think I’ll remember any of the songs here. Just not my thing.

This was a great listen top to bottom. Fun to contrast with yesterdays Run-DMC and how much had evolved in 4 years.

Wow, my first rap album, it’s taken 30-something albums to get here, but I got it. To me, this album wasn’t very interesting to listen to. I mean, it was certainly well produced, and you can tell the guys put their all into it, it just wasn’t really my thing, and I can’t really fault the group for that, since rap isn’t really my style. But, I am willing to say that the second half of the album was better than the first, and there were some songs I did genuinely enjoy like Black Steel in The Hour of Chaos. I don’t really have too much to say on this one since I’m not hugely insightful in rap or it’s terminology, so I’m just gonna keep on moving, maybe I’ll get another rap album I like better.

At first, I thought the incessant sirens, blaring, and squealing in the background was really grating. But by about halfway through, it started to cohere into something pretty intense, and I could imagine it being blasted out in public, and the effect that’d have. Not an easy listen, but I stayed open to it and walked away appreciating it much more than I thought i would.

Fine. Liked the other rap I got earlier in the week better.

71/100 first venture into real classic hip hop roots, it sounded exactly how i thought it would surprisingly but was still pretty good and enjoyable, pretty influential too so that's a bonus, love their attitude on this album

Decent rap

Iconic but not sure it’s timeless. Production sounds a bit dated.

Very good

This album is like skipping school with a couple of friends and roaming the streets doing whatever you want. Others are looking at you, wondering why you’re not at school. You’re walking with youthful confidence, displaying a rebellious vibe that scares people into leaving you be.

3/5

I can't think of anything witty to say today. I liked this album.

Nice beats and flow. Interesting use of sampling

3.5 Stars

intro ide bbc recht geil. bring the noise richtig aggressiv. es isch zwor no 80er und sie hend au no bitz de 80er flow aber sie hend au huuere punch. dont believe the hype huuere funny beat. one sind alli beats eso hä, aso finds recht geil. cold lampin weniger fun. aber s flash sample uf terminator x isch geeeeeil. she watch channel zero extrem funny sie will doch nume scheiss im fernseh luege?? nocher dr king churz am anetätsche.

BIN FUCKING HYYYPED hahah ok bring the noise han ich ener nervig gfunde leider don't believe the hype isch chli en cypress hill beat cold lampin gaht ab! bin aber immernanig ganz überzügt, weiss nöd öb sich das änderet hahaha channel zero isch ja funny weiss nöd ich han bis jz schono e gueti ziit aber joo.. black sterl gaht haaard rebel without a pause het sooo en funny beat hqhahaha find die live-uusschnitt na cool, macht eim hyped! party for your right to fight isch en reeechte bop und sicher en wink zude beastie boys irgendwie han ichmer meh erhofft...aber es isch scho au tweilwiis sehr cool gsi und ich han ehrlich gseit nöd würkli ufd lyrics gluegt, bin chli hii und hergrisse zwüscheme 3 undeme 4i

It was fine, nothing amazing.

Tony hawks PlayStation is what this brings to mind for me. Understand that this album is culturally significant and still referenced in popular culture to this day but just not my thing. Appreciate I’m in the minority because this regularly appears in Top 100 album lists. I don’t believe the hype boyeeee

Legendary.

Low key annoying at times but I get it, I can hear the influence it has had. Yeaaaahhhhhh boi.

Late 80s hip hop. Classic old school rap. Good flow, very repetitive beats.

Not my typical taste in music, but I do prefer it over other rap albums.

decent

Some good parts, just ain’t for me boiiiiiii.

Tough

Probably the highest rating any rap album will get from me

Listening to this is like jumping into a time machine. Obviously an influential hip-hop album. Some of the beats can get a bit tiresome, but the energy of this record is on another level.

Ah so this is what Limp Bizkit ripped off more than a decade later. Those sampled beats and the high-pitched whistles/brass with the rap. C.f. Beastie Boys It gets grating quickly, but rhymes are good. Too many 'Yeaah Boy!'s! What?? A Slayer sample in She Watch Channel Zero?! Best track - She Watch Channel Zero 3 stars

I only gave this one listen, but in that one listen, I found myself wishing that this was A Tribe Called Quest instead. Their voices were not my favorite, however, I did enjoy their unserious/political approach to lyrics. It is a true time capsule! This album showcased great rap and energy.

It's Corrupt Like A Senator 1001 Albums Generator 70 (07/07/2025) Public Enemy are one of the first great and influential hiphop groups. They were lauded for both their revolutionary political commentary and their abrasive, experimental production style. I had never listened to Public Enemy before, so what better place to start than their second (and most highly acclaimed) album, It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back? The stated goal of Public Enemy was to make the hiphop equivalent of Marvin Gaye's What's Going On? This is a tall order, but it could be done. The question is, were Public Enemy going to be the ones to do it? In short, unfortunately, no. But that isn't to say that this is a poor album. The production on It Takes A Nation Of Millions steals the show. Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic is so impressive. The constant switch ups and additional layers and spoken word bits fit really well. She Watch Channel Zero? is the best song on the whole album. Its prominent sample of Slayer's Angel Of Death is fantastic. More rap sampling metal please. Honestly, the little interlude Mind Terrorist is really memorable too. It's relatively simple but doesn't overstay its welcome and is a nice break in the pace. Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos' constant dissonant piano line is really great and somehow avoids getting annoying through its runtime. Rebel Without A Pause (great song name btw) has a fun beat with a constant sax glissando and I actually like the little skit part at the end. However, some choices are not great in retrospect. The constant high pitched noise throughout Cold Lampin' With Flavor is really annoying and distracting. Flavor Flav's last verse on this song is also so cheesy and dumb. Caught, Can We Get A Witness?'s insistence for like a full minute that Public Enemy will never sell out (we gotta ask everybody in the group just to really make sure) comes off as cringey and annoying. The sound collage pieces that start each side are technically impressive, especially for their time, but are not very interesting. This album also suffers from one of the worst tropes of its time in the constant skits between songs. By the time I got to the last couple songs in It Take A Nation Of Millions, I found myself wanting it to be over, despite really enjoying some songs throughout. The production is really a show-stealer, while the vocals and skits are not great. Feeling a strong 3/5. Favs: Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic She Watch Channel Zero?! Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos Least Fav: Caught, Can We Get A Witness?

would have been a 4 but I had Kendrick Lamar yesterday

Some bits a bit repetitive and a slog but others affirmative and catchy, especially Chuck D. The last song was most catchy and I had to spend ten minutes getting to work out where I'd heard "bring that beat back" from Rebel Without a Pause from (Improvise by Jurassic 5).

Public Enemy’s It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is loud, raw, and confrontational—an album that once felt like the future but now plays like a chaotic time capsule. Chuck D’s booming delivery and The Bomb Squad’s noisy, sample-heavy production aim to shake the listener awake, while Flavor Flav adds unpredictable energy. The intent is revolutionary, but the execution can be grating, with moments that feel more abrasive than impactful today. Still, “Bring the Noise” serves as a powerful thesis, “She Watch Channel Zero?!” mashes metal and hip hop with thrilling, if dated, results, and “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos” offers a gripping story over a hypnotic piano loop, hinting at a more focused potential. Bold and historic, it’s equal parts brilliance and overload.

I have heard of this album but had not listened to it before. This is not in my wheelhouse, but I can appreciate it for what it is: strong beats, good use of samples, and great vocals. I wouldn't choose to listen to hip hop, but I could listen to this again.

It was pretty good, picked up more in the middle of the album.

I like the screeching noises. Very 80s rap.

3/5.

Chuck D carries this album imo, I mostly like his stuff and found FF to be a little much sometimes. This is a better album than Fear Of A Black Planet. Close to a 4

Yeah Ho! Pretty decent. Lots of variety in the sounds, from guitars to scratching records. The lyrics didn't hit that hard for me. But it was overall a decent album.

Highlight: Louder Than A Bomb In a nutshell : “yeah boiiii!” I’ll echo what other reviewers have said. What is cliched now was original and earth shaking at time of release. In context to the list, it’s an improvement on the albums by RUN DMC and Grandmaster Flash. Also, N.W.A. Released Straight Outta Compton the following year so this would be a watermark. Overall: 5/10

Great hip hop album but I wouldn’t listen to it again personally

Pretty decent, though I prefer LL Cool J. Some of the sample were a bit annoying, but not enough to drop it below average.

This is a stone cold classic, but has never been a favorite. Also, the squeal sample on every track gives me a headache.

3.0 - Ok

As a white kid from Nebraska listening to U2‘s, The Joshua Tree for the 858th time, this one passed me by when it was first out. That said, pieces of this music did not. The sounds you hear, as well as a certain cadence of rap, seeped into the musical culture. However, this was the first time I’ve listened to this album straight through and I must say it’s pretty damn enjoyable. Even for this white kid from Nebraska. But did everything in this genre derive from this or did this derive from everything? It's an honest question that I hope I'll discover on this journey.

Chuck D’s rhymes were solid and Flavor Flav provided the hype, but the album just didn’t hold up for me. The backing tracks just got repetitive and boring after the first few tracks and the rapping just couldn’t over power it. It was an icon in its time, but has lost its edge over time.

Hasn't dated as well as Apocalypse 91 in my opinion. Some good tunes nonetheless, and I appreciate the political messaging.

Don’t see why this is praised any more than any other rap album. Sounds pretty much like a lot of other classic rap.

Powerful messages, but not amazing music

Great listen!

I loved Public Enemy at the time, but that time was almost 40 years ago. Like most hip hop from that era, this album just hasn't aged well. Fear of a Black Planet is a better album with more depth to it if you are adverse to listening to any rap music made after 1990.

a little bit of filler but some bangers, too.

YEAHHHHHHHHHH BOIIIIIIIIIIII

Enjoyed this 6/10

I didn’t like it as much as I expected to. Very similar to nwa, one beat samples the same song Still goes hard

Yeah booyy! Pretty groundbreaking early hip hop that mostly stands the test of time. Chuck D waxes poetically and the beats are pretty great. Standouts: “don’t believe the hype”, “night of the living baseheads”, “party for your right to fight”

not as good as the one we got from them last week. its always a pleasure to listen to chuck d but less so when it comes to flavor flav.

Pretty damn cool old school hip-hop. Yeeeah Boiiiiyyeeee!!!

Crazy listening to this on my beats how the beats jump around ear to ear; it’s like real surround sound. Very consistent sound and message. The sampling is incredible; the layering is so artistic and creative. I miss the sound of mixing and scratching and socially conscious lyrics. I’m proud to been around for this album’s inception.

klassikko ihan ok

Didn't think I'd like it but actually did. Can't ignore those beats

I just dont enjoy this shit okay

Chuck D is a phenomenal rapper. Outstanding flow, great lyricism, and perfectly balances an aggressive tone with a bouncy, rhythmic, and often melodic musicality to his voice. However I feel on this record particularly, he’s let down by tiresome, repetitive beats. And the less said about Flava Flav the better. Countdown to Armageddon (N/A) Bring the Noise (8/10) Don’t Believe the Hype (7/10) Cold Lampin’ with Flavor (4/10) Terminator X to the Edge of Panic (5/10) Mind the Terrorist (N/A) Louder Than a Bomb (8/10) Caught, Can We Get a Witness? (6/10) She ‘Em Whatcha Got (N/A) She Watch Channel Zero?! (8/10) Night of the Living Baseheads (8/10) Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos (8/10) Security of the First World (N/A) Rebel Without a Pause (10/10) Prophets of Rage (8/10) Party for Your Right to Fight (6/10) 7.2/10

Not exactly my vibe, but undoubtedly important and influential hip hop album

I love the energy, I love the bars, I love the message, but frankly I just couldn’t help but find this one slightly annoying. Maybe it’s the whiny beat production, maybe it’s flava flav’s background musings through all the good verses, I just couldn’t get there on this one.

Dat we dit mogen meemaken... een rap album dat ik volledig uitluisterde... niet allemaal even straf, maar toch genoeg om me mee te voeren tot het einde... hoewel dit toch een iets te lange trip was

hip hop não é meu tipo de música, eu não escuto no dia a dia mas curto de tempos em tempos. a grande coisa aqui são as barras. o groove que eles tem é legal e bem forte, agressivo, mas nada demais e meio que nunca muda. a produção é bem diferente, a voz ta extremamente clara aqui, mas isso deixa um espaço meio vazio no instrumental, não sei explicar bem mas é o que eu sinto ouvindo. eu tenho certeza de que quando lançou isso aqui era "The Mothafucking Bomb", mas me soa meio datado hoje em dia. como é com quase todas boas coisas antigas isso aqui foi claramente bastante influente no hip hop dos anos seguintes e o impacto cultural supera qualquer bobagem musical.

I’ve heard many of these songs (and the samples) but this was the first time I sat and listened with the lyrics on (thanks Spotify). Who says humor and politics don’t go together, cue up Chuck D and Flava Flav.

influential during its time. However, the boom bap, hardcore rap is not my thing

Great beats, love those slowed down drums. Chuck D has a commanding voice, and Flavor Flav is there too. The lyrics can get a bit too on-the-nose, even approaching kitsch. Good classic album, though. Key tracks: Bring The Noise Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos

Sound wise this is very much the hip-hop of the era, or at the very least the sound of what would become the black hip-hop flow in the 90's. It's fine but it always just ends up reminding me of MC Hammer or Sir Mixalot since that's probably the 90's hip-hop artists I've listened to the most. And that ends up undercutting the edge of the is album quite a bit for me. I preferred "Fear Of A Black Planet" over this one Standouts Bring The Noise Caught, Can We Get A Witness? She Watch Channel Zero?! Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos 3/5

Okay lowkey I’d listen to this. But only lowkey.

Solid listen! I'd say my favorite part is Chuck D's voice, which is just super smooth and buttery to my ears. I actually hadn't realized that Public Enemy basically had only one primary MC in Chuck D, and then of course hype man Flava Flav. I had thought there were more members, but I'm probably just confusing them with some of the other hip hop groups of the era like Run DMC and N.W.A. Flava Flav definitely feels like comedic relief at times, not sure if that was the intention, or whether its just my bias based upon his presence in the pop world, and sterotypical " YEAHHHH BOIIII". I don't hate it but sometimes I'm not sure if I'm supposed to take it seriously or not. The beats consist of layers and layers of samples, they're definitely pretty dense at times, but overall fits the vibe pretty well.

Aggressive political hip hop form the bad boys of the scene.

I'm surprised that I haven't heard anything about these guys when they have three whole albums on this list and appear to still be popular. Then again, I'm not a hip hop enthusiast so my ears aren't exactly inclined to discussions about the figureheads of this industry. It's pretty solid - quite possibly the best hip hop album I've listened to. There are many good verses and Chuck D's vocals are well-suited to this style of music. As mentioned previously, I think 80s and 90s hip hop are the only decades where this genre of music had any meat on it's bones and this is definitely an example of such. I like the instrumentals. I dig the turntable sound and booming percussion as well as the many good samples in here. My only real gripe is that this album gets real fatiguing after a while due to the constant high energy.

Wish I liked this one more than I do, I appreciate the direction this pushed hip-hop because as a big fan of the genre it would be way worse of without the influence these guys gave the genre. I thought the album was a bit too long and bloated, as well as the production feeling dated. The subject matter of the songs were great and I support them but the songs themselves didn’t stand out much to me unfortunately apart from a few tracks. Favorite Tracks: Party For Your Right To Fight, She Watch Channel Zero, Louder Than A Bomb, and Don’t Believe The Hype.

Why did they combine live and in studio material into one record? Actually didn’t mind this. Lots of political messages with catchy beats.

I enjoyed this album and can hear its influences on lots of other music/bands. I constantly forget how much I enjoy Hip Hop, especially the political stuff!

Solid 3. Not really my thing, but appreciate the impact this music had at the time it came out and influence on hiphop as a genre

Upbeat. I wanted to be able to sit with this album and read all the lyrics, because I really appreciate the poetry. It is not music that I would reach for on the regular.

Sounds like one long song

This was fine, not something I'd ever listen to again.

Yeah boyyyy

I enjoyed the album all the way through, even with being less attuned to the genre compared to my usual listens. I also thought the songs worked well altogether as a whole, which I always like in an album. It felt like there was a lot of variety even if the style was the same throughout, and it didn't seem too bloated even though there were 16 songs. Maybe one negative was how late 80s/early 90s it sounded; I actually thought it contributed in a good way to the feel of the album and found it to be fitting with the messaging, but does take away from the "timelessness" aspect I find a lot of great albums to have. Overall: 3.5/5

Not my taste, but still significantly better rap than modern day. I can actually tell what they are saying

not bad

Unfortunately has not aged too well production wise/stylistically but it’s iconic nonetheless and a bunch of my teachers were involved w it. Love flava flav too

Solid, but feel like they inspired better acts after them like NWA

Used to love this album, now not so much. Strongest tracks “she watch channel zero” and “prophets of rage”

I think this album just caught me at a bad time, this was fine nothing that blew my mind

Didn’t get all the way through, but have listened before . The yell-rap genre isn’t my favourite, but I gotta give them credit for how direct they were w the message. 3.2/5 Fav song: don’t believe the hype

It's difficult to find a good hip-hop album.

The problem with albums that are chronicles of their times is that times change Still pops with a lot of energy but doesn't have the urgency it had nearly 40 years ago

Funky and easy to listen to.

If I had a nickel for every YEEAAHHH BOOYYYEEEEE on this album, I'd have enough $$ to quit my job and retire in Monaco. The lyricism is hard-hitting and poignant, though the beats themselves aren't anything noteworthy. Definitely a 'you had to be there' kind of album - no doubt it was a groundbreaking release in the world of late 80s/early 90s hip-hop, but it doesn't entirely have a timeless feel to it.

I quite enjoyed it, late 80s beats which I enjoy. Bit samey in places and as with all rap albums you can drop the skits thanks

Un álbum totalmente adelantado a su tiempo, con una velocidad y agresividad acompañadas de un mensaje político nunca visto hasta entonces. Una bomba sónica, como ellos mismos dicen en "Louder than a Bomb" (a veces hasta suena a nu-metal). Escuchado hoy no suena especial, pero eso no le quita mérito alguno. Una década más tarde aún teníamos por estos lares a Violadores del Verso copiando los sampleos de Terminator X, y eso es sólo un ejemplo. Aunque sea un álbum demasiado crudo y repetitivo para mí gusto, definitivamente pertenece a esta lista.

Pretty solid. Will probably come back to this

Some cool moments and iconic style but also I had a headache and that high-pitched sound that’s repeated throughout the record did not help!

I think, on the whole, I enjoyed this less than Fear of a Black Planet. There were more songs that just didn't really hit all that hard.

Lotsa threes lately.

Is this like any Francis Ford Coppola film, where I need to be American to really get it? I tried really hard - it's got a good energy but I'm just not following it.

Yo man! Political lyrics and funky ass beats. Have to be in the mood for this but i wasn't on this occasion

I liked the social commentary. Felt like lots of the songs were similar.

Yeaaaaaahhhh boy!

минусы крутые, а вот вокальная часть мне не особо зашла...

countdown to armageddon- 5 bring the noise- 5 don't believe the hype- 5 or 6 cold lampin with flavor- 5 terminator x to the edge of flavor- 5 mind terrorist- 5 louder than a bomb- 5 caught, can we get a witness- 6 show em what you got- 5 she watch channel zero- 5 night of the living base heads- 5 black steel in the hour of chaos- 5 or 6 security of the first world- 5 rebel without a pause- 5 prophets of rage- 5 party for your right to fight- 6

Extremely solid.

Very good album, commanding, powerful rap. Not so complex like rap is today.

Strong 3, for sure. Kind of starts to sound similar after a while.

Cool beats and I liked the politcal activist lyrics (although I am sure I missed most of it). The only downside for me is that I did not always like the hypeman vocals. Favourite tracks: Night Of The Living Baseheads, Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos, Rebel Without A Pause

Hip hop, hippity hop! Fun, but not for me. Not a bad album by any means though.

Great album with some fun beats and hard hitting lyrics.

I really like Public Enemy but honestly I dont like this as much as I should, it's not great as an album experience but it has good tracks.

Penúltimo jueves de febrero. Segundo disco de esta banda que toca en éste reto (si no me falla la memoria) y segundo disco de hip hop de esta semana, también. Es otro tipo de hip-hop, con otros ritmos y más crítico, bardero. No tan bailable. El disco está planteado como un vivo, por lo que la obra es bien arriba, buscando la conmoción general. Sin nada más para agregar que decir que es un buen disco, me despido hasta mañana.

If I had to choose to listen to hip hop, it would this kind of Kate 80’s/early 90’s stuff. I really don’t enjoy hip hop in general, but this is pretty good, actually

I’ve always found this to be one of the most overrated top-rated albums of all time. It has good performances, and the sampling is of course fantastic, but many of the song’s fail to truly land with me

The producing aged better than the vocal work

Fun album, feels really reminiscent of the beasty boys

Quite enjoy this, but it is very samey. At almost an hour long, I do get kinda bored of the formula. Channel Zero best track.

Solid outing.

It's funny how much more dated this sounds compared to the Public Enemy albums that came out just a few years later. There are some great songs, but also some undeniably cheesy-sounding moments. It’s crazy to think that Straight Outta Compton was released in the summer of ‘88 as well.

A few classics that are good to revisit but it’s a record that that gets fatigued after the tracks that hit.

There were some highs like Bring the Noise and Hype and some real lows as well. I guess a 3 because of the mix of good and bad.

Probably my least favorite of the Public Enemy albums we listened to.

Public Enemy #1. I enjoy their early 90’s stuff a little more as it hits harder.

Pioneros

It's hard to be unbiased when rating music. I'm not into hip-hop, so I don't really have a baseline for comparison. I liked the lyrics in most songs, and I think the message holds up to this day. It was a rather pleasant listen, even though I prefer completely different music! However, the album did seem a bit too repetitive and therefore longer than I'd have liked to enjoy it.

I actually enjoyed this more than I thought it would, however I can only listen to this genre of music in small doses so a whole album was a bit overkill for me. I enjoyed listening to it when I was walking and it hyped me up for the day! Would definitely add a couple songs to a running playlist or something (if I ever went running…) and I think bring the noise was my favourite track.