It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

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.

Ollie kys

yeaaaa boiiiiiiiiiiiiii As the book says "Chuck D. conjured up the sample at home: My mother said, what the fuck are you doing? Is there a kettle in that record?" - the samples in this album are bonkers and I actually like the songs a lot more than I thought I would. I probably need to re-listen to this album and pay attention to the lyrics to get the politics and deeper meanings, but some of the intros are mega, oiboi is not even slightly cool at all, furthermore big fan of Night of the Living Baseheads - Here it is BAM and you say godDAMN, this is the dopejam B) For me, the sampling and rapping was right on the limit of being too much Fav song: Night of the Living Baseheads

I like public enemy and there’s a lot in here to like. However seemed too much of a good thing this one. Found myself willing it to end by the last few songs

meh

Pretty good (for a rap album)

What can I say. It's another Public Enemy album :D not my jam any more and not really quality hip hop either. I did enjoy it more than Fear of a Black Planet, so I'd give it half a star more, but it still settles on 3 for me. Reminds me of GTA Sand Andreas lol

every public enemy song kinda just sounds like a slightly worse version of “fight the power”. reductive take i realize but i can’t come up with anything else.

I see how this was influential but personally it doesn’t really hold my attention. I’m not super into the accompaniment but their delivery does make it more interesting.

Propper Hip-Hop

iconic

Lots said & rightly so but well said?

I don't really listen to hip-hop but my expectations on this were still pretty high. Then the album was a flop, which lowered my expectations, which made me realize this album was actually pretty good.

Important album, but it never resonated w me, I liked but only a little bit. I do love the no BS chuck D♥️but flav gets on my nerves a bit

Powerful, but sometimes repetitive.

sure

i'm glad i heard it but i did not like it!

The rapping didnt age that well, beats are hard despite being heavily rock influenced

Very rarely you'll find an album where it changes for the better halfway through, but here we are. However, side A is so mediocre that a few good tunes on the other side can't really save it. It just feels gratuitous as a whole.

i get that it was revolutionary and the poety is beautifil, cannot get fully behin the sound

I started listening to this album on my way to work at 5am and I thought it was annoying. Driving home from work…I loved it! Either the songs got better as the album progressed or I’m really not a morning person.

Está bueno pero me quemó che

Classic. Not my style but it's good stuff on its own.

enjoyed it more than i thought i would.

3.5

3.5

Certainly no enemies when it comes to making classic albums. Very trailblazing for the hip-hop genre with its mix of ferocious swag, punchy MCing, constant brutal blast of Bomb Squad beats and firebrand politics. A fully rambunctious listen from start to end and maybe a tad samey because of that and also a tinge dated sounding but still a classic. 4 yeah boii’s out of 5. EDIT: Actually on further thoughts, maybe only 3.5 yeah boii’s out of 5.

This was a hard one for me because if you took out the screechy noise I would have loved this album

Too long to be an albumof all the same kinda thing on repeat, but I always seem to take it easy on early hip hop.

I wrote this review once already, but it dissapeared, so F it. TL;DW: have it, bought it way back when, really thin sounding, time has not been nice to it, don't really like to listen to it anymore.

Public Enemy definitely has earned their vaunted status, but I don't know if hip hop records of this error have aged particularly well. They were certainly limited by technology and their message is still pretty apt, but it just sounds really outdated.

"It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" é um álbum crudo e desafiador, com uma energia primitiva que, embora limitada em alguns aspectos, representa a essência do que faz o hip-hop tão impactante: a capacidade de ser intimidador, rebelde e militante. Esse caos sonoro se alia perfeitamente às batidas agressivas, criando uma poesia política potente e sem concessões. O álbum é radical e revolucionário, não apenas pela sua mensagem, mas também pela maneira como influenciou gerações de artistas e a evolução do gênero. No entanto, vale ressaltar que as 3 estrelas que atribuo ao disco refletem o prazer de sua audição, mas não o impacto transformador. "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" é sem dúvida uma experiência interessante e de grande relevância, mas, pessoalmente, não chegou a me convencer a escutar outras vezes.

Didn’t sound angry to me. Didn’t love it but didn’t hate it.

What's not to like, great album

Understandably a foundational record in raps's development

Chuck’s style, lyrics and commentary is great. Flavors’s style, lyrics and commentary is not great. While Chuck forms coherent sentences that speak on social issues of the time, Flavor can be heard just saying random things that are completely irrelevant. Almost all the songs featured an ear grating noise that continued throughout the whole song and almost drove me crazy. Its the equivalent of having a smoke alarm going off while someone is rapping to it. Could have been an amazing album if Flavor shut up and they replaced the batteries in their smoke alarm. 5/10

all the beats were kind of the same but it was the 80s so I get it, pretty good though

good, clearly pioneer type sound for hip hop, very political and thoughtful while still maintaining an edge, theres some cool sorta DJ inspired production aspects that I really enjoyed. Due to its age its kinda played out though, not because the records content is tired or because they weren't doing something cool but theres been so much music after this record that is clearly influenced by it that it seems to push this back deep into the catalog of the genre

I’ll admit, I wasn’t too excited going into this one, because Public Enemy feels like old news by now, especially since I remember how big they were back in the day. But it was actually a fun throwback to listen to this album for old times sake. It’s wild how many samples I recognize now, and it really shows just how influential this album has been over the years.

3/5

Ok. I mean it's ok . It's just not for me.

It's not bad. It's all very samey. Yeah boiiiiiiii.

скучно

That's not my taste in music. But ok.

I like it and respect its importance, but once again, I find myself wishing I liked it more than I did. 3.5/5

Not as refined as Fear of a Black Planet, Public Enemy set out to make a name for themselves with this one and really did it. Love how they wanted to make their albums more like their more well-received live shows and just did it. I don't think you can quite call it "Rap's What's Goin' On" but it definitely helped them publicize their conscious rap

good album w good songs but nothing special in my eyes

Rap is still not my bag, but I did like this album.

I really liked Public Enemy when I was younger but something about this just doesn’t feel the same. It’s good but I remember it hitting harder

Such crisp and clear racial/political angst. The juxtaposition between the vocals of Chuck D and Flava Flav really gives this a lot of character. The punchy drum kit and occasional electric guitar are not really my favorite, but I do cherish Public Enemy nonetheless.

Favorite Track: Bring The Noise

En af grundstenene til hiphop, rebelsk og politisk, lidt ensformigt though

Not bad, enjoyed parts of it and generally thought it was fine. A lot of it sounded the same to me but I think that actually a lot of the tracks were working off the same basis and maybe similar backing tracks and themes.

Reading the Wikipedia, I'm glad to see I'm not the only person confused about what Flava Flav's roll in this group was. Chuck D is a powerhouse. Album got a little repetitive but overall this is awesome.

I’m sure it’s great if you’re into this type of music. I can’t say I am really.

Brings me back to my skateboarding days.. through the n64 controller of course.

Not for me.

No surprise this hasn’t aged well…no, not fair. It once sounded sharp, now a bit antiquated. 1n 88, PE were doing stuff no one had done before - trailblazing can be a rather lonely business …

YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHHH BOOOOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! Enough said there really, there's some really cracking early hiphop beats here and some pretty decent rap however, why did they keep Flava around? Flava is to Public Enemy what Bez was to the Happy Mondays except, Bez had the grace not to shout over Shaun Ryder constantly. 3.5

I first heard black planet so that was my favorite PE, but this one is really good too.

Similar to other old scholl rapper, I would say i appreciate a little bit more than the average but nothing special

good but similar to other things i heard 🧐

Try not to bounce

Groundbreaking!

Was not a fan of the screeching tire sample on half of the songs, realized how much I do enjoy 90s rap with jazz and funk samples. This isn’t a bad album but it is not my favorite. Has some replayable songs but not too many for me

Moyen rap

Very late-80s hiphop. A lot of the tracks reminded me very strongly of NWA's Fuck The Police. I'm sure this was a revolutionary album, and it had some great rhymes and flow, but I don't think I'll ever feel the need to listen to it again. Three stars.

Rap, kann man anhören, aber nix für Dauer

It's difficult to listen to this album without picturing the "Yeaaaaaah boiii" meme.

Imagine my surprise after only knowing Chuck D from Prophets of Rage and Flavor Flav from Flavor of Love.

I liked it better than the other Public enemy album. it still jumps back and for between good and corny. And not the fun corny.

Not a massive hip hop fan but not a bad album.

Not bad

It’s a classic, but like most 80s rap, it sounds pretty dated. 3.5 stars because the message and the lyrics are timeless.

Maybe too old school for me. Not bad though!

It all has the same lyrical spoken word vibe to me. None of it really pulled me in sound wise. I'm sure if I listened to it more closely I'd see the lyrics for their message but that's not how I listen to these albums...

Catchy, but not for me.

Flava Flav is absolutely hilarious on this album with his yeaaaah boooooys. It's hard to take him serious, but I also dont think he knows this. Overall, it's pretty good, with lots of topics that are thought provoking and I'm sure this hit differently in the late 80s. I liked this much, much more than Run DMC, which played so safe and bland it was almost painful. Good group act that definitely left its impression on the industry.

Never listened to Public enemy (actively) before but i recognized a lot of these songs and was into it. Want to listen to more

I'm not sure I liked it.

Hard 3.5

Perhaps the best use of a live vocal sample is Mat Zo sampling Chuck D. in Caught, Can We Get A Witness off this album. This is carried insanely hard by the larger-than-life presence both Chuck D and Flava Flav have. Because I'm sorry, as fun as some of these beats aree, they are still clunky at the end of the day. I respect it either way

didn't mind it

Enjoyed the bass and beats and generally it's a great vibe. Didn't quite stick with me as much a Fear of a Black Planet but still good, solid stuff.

An adrenaline rush from start to finish. As far as hip-hop goes Public Enemy is one group that I enjoy listening to. Can be repeatative at times, but overall a good listen.

I enjoyed that more than most from this genre. Rumbled along nicely.

A classic influential album, full of energy and minimal swearing! Groundbreaking in its commentary of black racial issues in America. Musically it is very well constructed. It was on my radar, as my brother used to play it, but it wasn't and still isn't my thing. That said, I do have a soft spot for ' Don't Believe the Hype' and 'Bring the Noise'.

I never really was into Public Enemy when it came to rap. I liked the Beasties and Run DMC, then gangster rap, and any "pop" rap too. This is not party music as it is much more social commentary and awareness. This has aged much better than gangster rap in my opinion. I was never broadsided by misogyny listening to this album. I didn't feel the hooks on this but overall it was a good listen. I'll like add this to the list of albums that need multiple listens to truly appreciate.

Yeaa 🅱️oiiiii!! 😎🫱 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Notable tracks: Bring The Noise, Rebel Without A Pause

сразу котирую только очень необычный реп, тут скорее просто отголоски последующих омажей запомнились + путешествие по википедии Шер

It was better than I expected, at times I found it mildly interesting.

Non stop fast raps; not bad, not bad.

Countdown to Armageddon (intro) 3 Bring the Noise 3 Don't Believe the Hype 2.8 Cold Lampin' with Flavor 3 Terminator X to the Edge of Panic 2.9 Mind Terrorist (interlude) 3 Louder Than a Bomb 3.1 Caught, Can We Get a Witness? 3.2 Show 'Em Whatcha Got (Interlude) 3 She Watch Channel Zero?! 3.3 Night of the Living Baseheads 3 Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos 3 Security of the First World (Interlude) 2.8 Rebel Without a Pause 2.7 Prophets of Rage 3 Party for Your Right to Fight 2.9 Score: 2.98125

Black power and rage against the man is a big theme here. Lyrics all good, social justice, etc. I don't like the backing, too tinny or lacking musicality for me, not fun to listen to. Also the high-pitched electronic whirr noise that I associate with Cypress Hill is here, which I find really annoying.

Another good Public Enemy record. I liked Fear of a Black Planet better, but this still had some great lines and samples in it.

It’s refreshing to hear a hip-hop album that’s not littered with “motherfuckers” & sexist references. This album obviously was a game-changer. Chuck D was the man. The lyrics are a terrific read. Some of the samples are inspired, & not just musically. The Black Panther intro to Night Of The Living Baseheads is a winner. Party For Your Right To Fight is a nod to The Beasties from a different angle. It’s interesting that the band wanted to create a politically-charged album that would be a hip-hop version of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On album(1971). One of Gaye’s earliest hit singles was Can I Get A Witness (1963) & here the band include a song called “Caught, Can I Get A Witness?” With a funky guitar sample that sounds like it’s straight outta Shaft. I liked Show ‘Em Whatcha Got, mainly because it’s slower than the rest & offers relief from the relentless lyrical attack.

Rebels without a pause irritated me specifically the noises in the background. Album was fine just not my thing. Think I felt similarly ab fear of a black planet.

Pretty good 7/10

One of the most respected and acclaimed hip hop albums of all time, but I just can't get into it. It's pretty similar to fear of a black planet, and while I liked that on the first listen, it just kinda grew more and more annoying as I continued to listen to it.

It’s public cannon, now. Yeeeeeeeeaa boieeeee!

It was okay. Not my fave genre. 3/5

Go ahead

It's not really for me, I'm sure it would hit a lot harder after a few drinks with friends, but it's not as fun to listen to alone. I wasn't in a position to experience the context around this record that made it great during my listen

it was fine, seemed a bit childish at times. i get that is is a culturally significant album, but it was just not made for me. also some samples were very schreechy. dont mean to underdo the cultural signifigance

Great but far far too long 40 mins would be the perfect length, but you are thinking we are closing in on the end and there's another 6 songs left

Powerful but not as good as I remember it.

Didn't make my ears bleed but I don't want to listen to it again.

3.5 stars. Super energetic album. There are plenty of instrumentals on here that still hold up. Chuck D's flow doesn't sound corny or overly simplistic like other proto-rap albums sometimes do. Flava Flav, on the other hand, seems to only serve as hype, and I don't feel like he contributes much to the album other than ad libs and interjections. While the album is energetic with many cool samples (including a soundbyte that would later be used for a Ludacris sample) I felt a bit fatigued having to sustain that level of energy for about an hour.

Cool hip hop - some live

This sounds more dated than Fear Of A Black Planet. Makes sense. It is older. It has a couple of classic tracks, but I'm not going to play this very often anymore. Favorite song: party for your right to fight

I'm not a huge rap fan in general but this is more my speed. I appreciate the old school hip hop style over modern rap. There's something endearing about an MC scratching' and ridiculous Flava Flav overtones that I can somehow get behind. 2.69 stars

The interludes are the best part of this album IMO

ganz cool aber teilweise nervige beats

I can understand that the album is included, however, for my taste, listening to the album once every decade or so will be more than plenty. I did notice that the sampling done was very subtle and one can see how PE set the tone for many rap/hip-hop artist which followed.

Old Skool Classics - I did love this style of Hip Hop.

A few classics surrounded by a ton of filler. But man, when they're hot they're on fire. Cold Steel, Witness, Party For Your Right to Fight are amazing, but Bring the Noise is truly one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time. The production is killer, the sampling is dense and wild, the lyrics iconic, and the interplay with him and Flav is perfect. Unfortunately, the rest of the album doesn't rise to those songs heights, and many of the songs start to sound the same. But this album was revolutionary then and some of the songs continue to be. Plus, I didn't hear a single mention of the B-word.

Can only imagine how hard this hit in 1988. It’s good, aggressive, in-your-face political rap music. One of the most influential and important rap albums of all time. I’m not in love with it.

Good album. Much like the other Public Enemy albums, I like the message but sometimes the music is too militant. I know that it fits, just not my favorite to listen to. 3.5/5 Might listen again

Again, I love the combo of Chuck D and Flava Flav. What a great album.

I've listened to this one many times over the years. When it was released, this was a huge deal. This album really helped set the stage for what was to come in the 90s. The singles from this one are good, but it doesn't keep me engaged for the whole album.

This wasn’t bad. I really liked the beats/production. I didn’t pay enough attention to the lyrics. I would say I enjoyed it overall but got tired of it 2/3 way through. I appreciate the cultural impact and influence on hip hop. 3

Favorite Track: Bring The Noise

Good album, great beats.

I adore the political commentary and almost spoken word rap style. I finally get Flavour Flav's hypeman esque role in this group, he really pulls it all together and brings so much to this album. As a listener from 2024 the flow and rhyme scheme on this album are quintessential 80s rap and this album is such a fun listen. While I don't see myself listening to this every day or adding these songs to my playlist as a standalone piece of art. It is awesome sauce

I really do respect Public Enemy as historically significant, and it’s not like their music is BAD…it’s just really not for me. I do not like Chuck D’s flow and voice. This is a me problem I know!

Interesting album. Not something I usually listen to

Really love the sociopolitical messaging in this album. Reading up on it, it was truly a revolutionary addition to hip-hop and seems to have influenced hip-hop and rap during the 90's and beyond

Ok I guess - not something I'd normally have listened to - but there again I'm not really the target audience... Overall not bad, not good, just different to my normal listen. A solid 3/5

close to a 4 but giving a 3 because realistically i’m unlikely to revisit

This was way better than I expected. Not what I'm into, but some really good writing and now I get what the excitement was about.

Yeah boi!

Late 80’s rap

You can hear how foundational this album was even if it doesn't necessarily hold up that well. Chuck D is still great. Flava Flav is kinda annoying.

3 stars

I had heard a lot of their song but not a complete album. I like it pretty well. It was a little repetitive at times, but I like the style overall.

Seems like an important album for hiphop history. I knew Bring the Noise, and I seemed to recognize a bunch of other clips, likely because other artists sampled Public Enemy (e.g. I think I heard the "Rump Shaker" groove in there). On the whole it's not the kind of album I would go back to.

Not my cup of tea, but not so bad to listen to.

Great album, good combination of their hits with lesser known songs.

Ikke bra å lese til

This combo will always be hilarious. How did these two get together?

It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is the second album by American hip hop group Public Enemy. The hip hop on this album uses a lot of samples like their debut album, but these tracks have a faster tempo, while the lyrics rhyme about sociopolitical issues. Released to critical acclaim and regarded as one of the most influential albums of all time, this wild & experimental album has been certified platinum in the US and gold in the UK. This is an important and classic hip hop album released during the blooming of the golden age of hip hop. From tons of samples, to boomin' breakbeats, and high-velocity rapping, this album has a little bit of everything to make the perfect hip hop. It was cool and smart, but it's old-school hip hop so it's showing its age. I appreciate the classics since all modern music has trickled down from the past's, but I like modern hip hop over this album. Still, It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back deserves a listen from any fan of hip hop/rap.

This record hits pretty hard at the start, I like the beats, the production overall and the style. But it tails off for me and many of the middle tracks become very samey. The last 2 are more of a return to form for me. 3.3/5

Really liked some of this. But really hated other parts. The flava flav "ha ha" and "ya boyeee"s got really annoying by the end. Chuck D's rapping is awesome though.

Always had a problem with this record, to be honest. It’s good, don’t get me wrong, but I think it’s severely overhyped. Obviously the lyrics are as pointed as they are on any PE album, and the production is great, but compared to the rest of their discography? I just don’t see how you can listen to Fear of a Black Planet and still say you prefer It Takes a Nation, because the follow-up improves on this album in every way. That doesn’t discredit this album’s influence, but a lot of influential hip-hop records get discredited all the time because they became “instantly dated.” And a lot of elements here are very, very dated: the DJ mix vibe, the turntable/interlude tracks, the BPM, the song length, Flavor Flav’s role as a hypeman, etc. Even some of the lyrical critiques feel very 1988 [“Channel Zero” especially], and while politics go out of fashion quick, they shouldn’t feel this stale on a supposedly “timeless” album. It’s not bad, and I get that it inevitably has to be here, because I know contextually it meant a lot. I just think it doesn’t deserve the hype as the genre’s pinnacle when it’s not even the best PE record.

"It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" es una de las cumbres del hip-hop. Su fusion de rap con free jazz, funk y rock es e plosiva. Con un sonido denso y feroz aborda temas netamente sociopolíticos. Difí il destacar una can ion, pero me quedo con "Show 'Em Watcha Got" y sobre todo "She Watch Channel Zero?!".

So many samples… good album tho, understand the relevance

nennti ekki að hlusta

I liked it, and I know they had a lot of influence, but I will forever favor Tribe Called Quest when it comes to hip-hop. Nothing on them, sorry.

Seminal & as a soundtrack of the time it set the stage. Some great stuff on there, especially lyrically. But honestly, a whole album's worth of PE just stresses me out now. I'm old.

Yeah boyeeee! Hard for me to rate this one fairly as I don't have a ton of hip hop knowledge to compare it to. Chuck D has a really nice flow and depth to his lyrics. Dunno if I can quite say the same about Flava Flav but his presence is undeniably felt. Beats are pretty solid and funky.

Here for it

Wow. The energy, the truth in what is said... the sad fact that it is even more important today than even then... The only thing lackiing now-a-days from then is maybe the underlying hope, or the idea that this is it, now we take our rightful place at the table. And in 2024 we are all ass backwards and this album probably couldn't even get made (and not at all be mainstream). Plus a major shout out to the humor it has and the just plain fun it is. I think it illustrates how you can be serious and angry and silly on the same album. Maybe we need a dose of "don't be so f*ing serious all the time" which we seemed to balance better back in the day.

I'm sure this is very influential but there is nothing fun about this record. At all. Perhaps that is the point but decades later it is just a chore.

Classic rap album without much mainstream appeal. Historic but not HoF.

Not as good as people make it out to be, but still pretty good

A little too old school for me

Not usually my kind of music, but it was fun!

Yeaaahh boiiiiiiii. Tuttuja sampleja. Vanhaa hiphoppia, ei sillein erikoista. Ihan solid. Parhaat: Bring The Noise, Caught Can We Get A Whitness

I didn't love this album, but I was able to listen all the way through without being annoyed and thinking about tracking past a song. It's catchy and fun, with good rhythm and powerful lyrics. There's a reason this is a foundational album for hip-hop/rap music.

Can appreciate the importance of this record but it really sounds dated in 2024. Sad how the lyrical themes remain entirely relevant.

Less my style, but not bad

Surprisingly good hip hop record. Really fun samples and creative songs throughout. A lot of the political lyrics don’t connect with me but still interesting to hear. Also this album needs a yeah boi counter for sure.

Good social commentary Mostly good songs Some pure tunes, no lyrics - don’t understand Get why it’s popular

There's a lot going on here -- disjarring samples and dense lyrics, but a real snapshot of NYC in the 80s (and still very relevant today). Didn't realize how avant-garde the sampling was. It's not really my thing, but its place in history is undeniable. Probably one of those albums you have to know even if you don't like it. 3.4

The “Yeah boy!” in almost every song was really distracting. There were a few songs I liked.

Ok

Similar to “Fear of a Black Planet”, Public Enemy bombards the listener with crazy sample-heavy beats and political lyrics. Also like that record, it becomes taxing listening to the whole thing front-to-back.

Liked it mostly, but a little repetitive

Rap Rap Rap

So...this one didn't really do a ton for me. Chuck D's poetry is great, and the beats are alright. The attitude is certainly there. But the sampling doesn't sound organic, the production in general is just way too much, and things got repetitive about halfway through. From what I hear, it was pretty groundbreaking upon release, so I'll give it points for that. But Fear of a Black Planet is just a much better Public Enemy record, in my opinion.

I feel like I've listened to some Public Enemy before but they are certainly not a group I've listened to a lot of. Overall, this album delivers some great jams, a decent amount of filler and mediocre tracks but certainly maintains the a steady vibe and I'm not surprised it is included in this list. Track reactions: 1 - I don't really need the intros. Whatever. Future skip. 2 - No question this is a jam. 3 - Another recognizable track. I'm into it. 4 - Decent track. 5 - Not my favorite 6 - Future skip! 7 - Sounds like we're back to the proper jams. 8 - Love the 70's sound in the instrumentation. No idea what that's called but I dig it. 9 - ... 10 - Not really my favorite 11 - Another fine track 12 - Nothing special. 13 - Instrumental... interesting. 14 - Not my favorite. 15 - It's fine 16 - Very repetitive for such a short song.

Well, today I learned that everclear sample from this album for their album Songs from an america movie part 1! I really enjoyed the front half of this album. I had fun looking up a lot of the little samples and found the rap verses and energy to be sizzling! Both times I listened I got some album fatigue and wasn't quite able to stay invested all the way through. I'm sure it I was able to keep the sample list up that would have helped a lot, though - as maybe repeat listens would have.

I enjoy this style of hiphop but boy does it get a bit repetitive near the end. 3.5/5

Really wanted to like it. They have the unique voices and I love the rage. You can feel it but not super sold on the sounds or samples.

Not sure there's too much I can add about this album, I'm not a rap fan but this is a total whirlwind. Really does leave the current ego-driven super slick hip hop in the shade. A great album for an grumpy monday morning.

Old skool rap. I like it.

Meh. Not bad. Liked it better than most rap/hip-hop I've heard.

Pretty cool and can totally see why it’d be really influential. No songs really differentiated themselves much especially from a beat perspective. Chuck D had pretty impressive command from a flow/inflection standpoint

solid album!! love the sampling and mixing 3.5/5

Not bad and pretty amazing that this came out in 1988. I have heard some of these songs before and am familiar with the group from growing up in that time. I'm not sure that I would listen to it again but I enjoyed it this time.

Influential album in music history, OK - I'm not a hip hop fan but I respect the work.

Some interesting songs on here, but there's a lot of 'filler' and other stuff that feels pretty homogeneous. I love the energy and messaging, but the delivery just didn't hit for me.

Not bad

I've heard this one a few times. Wasn't my favorite "type" of rap music when I first heard it, and I like a few of the songs better now. Solid album but not my favorite.

muy old school, de acá salió el yeaa boiii jhsdjshd