Reviews (page 9 of 12)
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
No es mi estilo, por lo que la puntuación puede ser errónea.
Good album. Not what I’ll seek out though.
Chuck has decent delivery for this old school style of rap. Flava is flava. One song I skipped because I heard "Yea boiiiiii" one too many times. There is so much music here it feels like they really left it all in. I gotta respect their craft here even though Flav is pretty much just a hype man.
Hey it's got a song that was in a Tony Hawk game, nice.
iconic rap
Hmm, didn’t enjoy as much as I thought I would
Um álbum que denovo não faz muito meu estilo, com umas coisinhas que eu achava meio esquisitas e não gostei muito de alguns beats mas não foi a maioria porque esse álbum tem beats muitos bons também como Night of The Living Baseheads, as letras são bem marcantes e obviamente a melhor parte do álbum com o rap muito bem feito, gostei muito de algumas músicas como Louder Than A Bomb que foi a minha favorita e também curti bastante Seh Watch Channel Zero por conta da guitarra de fundo.
Solid album.
Solid rap record. Love the political messaging and I love the snippets that sound like they're from their concerts. The sampling is so solid on this record. My biggest beef with this album and with Public Enemy in general is I don't love Flava Flav's hype man stuff. It feels a little annoying and cheesy at times. I'd like it a lot more if Flava Flav just stuck to the regular rapping instead of the hype man stuff.
Not for me but good
listened 2x, cool to hear some earlier hip hop, but still 3.2/5
I was thinking I would like it more. Has some good songs that I would listen to, but the whole album defitely went by without a whole lot that gripped me. Will I listen to again: 15%
This one’s a weird one for me. The message is still as pertinent as ever, but the beats feel incredibly dated. That high pitched looping squeal on 90% of the beats is INCREDIBLY annoying when you listen to everything back to back, and some of those samples get pretty repetitive. A song like Bring The Noise is timeless, but I can’t say the same for a lot of the rest of the album. Love Chuck and Flava, and the little mixes of rock-rap but this definitely isn’t anywhere near my favorite hip-hop album.
maybe, but just maybe, i'm living in the wrong time period to appreciate this album to the fullest. i still liked it, don't get me wrong, but in this space and time it feels like something I've already listened to and it being kinda repetitive didn't help. it just comes to show how influential it was overall. i liked the raps, the production and the feeling of a cohesive piece of work throughout the album (if it wasn't so repetitive though). in retrospective, iconic, i get it, but not my cup of tea when it comes to hip hop.
Almost confused this with ice ice baby. I know. I’m embarrassed.
Was good, but 3 stars because it just reminded me of a 90s movie, don’t think I could just listen to this regularly.
Zählt zu den Sampling-Giganten im HipHop und wurde seinerseits auch in unzähligen elektronischen Tracks etc gesampelt.
Für die damalige Zeit wegweisendes Album. Für seine Zeit revolutionär heut immer noch gut.
2.7 - The screeching...
Not as funky as other Public Enemy stuff. Good, but a little harsher.
Na ja
Reminds of childhood, but it’s too rough
It was fun to hear Flavor Flav's - Yea Boi! on a song. Flav came into the public light for me during his second career as a reality star/doofus. Anthrax is mentioned on their first track, Bring the Noise, who returned the compliment by creating their own version of the song. This led to a collaboaration and world tour of two VERY different groups, preceding Aerosmith/Run DMC. It was cool taking a peek at an 80s political rap album that was infuential to so many artists in all genres of music. I'm not world's biggest rap fan, but I can respect good lyrics and a head-banging 80s beat.
Average: listened to Public Enemy quite a few times now and each one felt exactly the same. Just solid Hip-Hop. If anything it has gone down in rating due to how painfully average it is and how much better stuff there is out there. A solid album but nothing to outstanding to come and listen to again.
Interesting and political, with less misogyny than I expected from rap of this era.
Been a minute since I spun this one. I have trouble with these iconic albums, how do they actually hold up? I enjoyed it, but definitely not as much as I once did. Still deserves credit for its place in the pantheon.
I’ve tried a couple times but never really gotten into PE. Chuck D has a great voice but is only an OK lyricist and Flavour Flav kind of sucks, but I think it’s mostly the production that I don’t like. NY rap is 2 or 3 years away from golden era Primo/Rza/Pete Rock beats and the bomb squad doesn’t quite measure up. Black Steel in the hour of Chaos was the highlight for me, and of course tons of credit for the influence on conscious rap in the decades to come.
3.4. Yeeeaahhh Booooyyyy!.
Feels a little dated but thrives off of energy 🐉 Favorite song: She Watch Channel Zero?! Least favorite: N/A P.S: YEA BOIIIIII
I paid near zero attention to the lyrics because I had this on in the background while doing deep work. I get the feeling they were talking about doing terrible things to other people and committing crimes, but the beats and samples were great. I'mma give this a 3 based on the lyrics not pulling in any interest from my brain, but it'd be a 4 if it were instrumental.
Solid. I'm glad we're getting a variety of rap in the 1,001 as I liked this more than most of the rap we've heard thus far.
Notreally my thing but pleasant enough
I recognize the historical significance but the mid 80s up tempo early hip hop has never been my favorite sound.
I thought I would like it more than I did.
i assume this album was praised for its political content because the music is alright but not special
Bring the Noise, Terminator X and Black Steel are highlights. Classic 80s rap beats.
Felt like a pimp. Kinda weird music though
olddd school. very hype and fun album but i don’t think it’s for me. i’m more into the lyrics of a song and their meaning and i think with this album i was just too distracted but everything else. i love songs where the lyrics and the beat balance eachother out. 5/10
not my style
Pretty decent. Flavor Flave kind of annoys the hell out of me though.
Pretty fun, really different to all the others on this list so far
Listened to this album as a kid. It's drastic how you can tell the difference between analog and digital recording. Wow! Lots of songs that i used to spin back in the day. Don't really know if they hold up the way my brain would like to remember them. Still remember almost all the lyrics.
I know every word for Bring the Noise because of Tony Hawk 2. Flava flav and the other singer have a great back and forth and their very different voices complement eachother very well. The scratching background noise on a lot of the songs got old pretty quickly. This is my main gripe with early 90s rap is that all of the crazy over used sounds really throw me off. Ah that annoying noise comes back in Rebel without a Pause The whole album gets pretty repetitive and is a little long for my liking. Still a good album. Solid 3
Had the same sound consistently throughout the album but weirdly I enjoyed it rather than being bored of it. Was a fun listen
Mah
Lot of fun record scratches. So far the first three songs sound very similar to each other. Fun hearing early Flavor Flav! The Queen samples are rad. The longer this goes, the more it just sounds like one singular loooooooong song. I always love some good horn/sax backing a track. I think I was born a bit too late to be into this era of hip hop. I certainly recognize bits and pieces that inspired the work of future musicians. Like I've heard chunks of \"Rebel Without a Pause\" in countless mashups. Love the message of the album, though! It's just a lot of the same sound - not necessarily a bad thing, just not a noise I'm personally into.
It was actually pretty good. I can tell that this album was hugely influential in hip-hop in the late 80s. I wish they would have less of that screeching noise that is in many of the songs.
realized I never gave my rating for this, I don't remembering adoring or hating it so it gets a 3
Classic hip-hop, Rebel without the pause especially good
I’m just past the half way point of this album when I’m writing this but I think I have my rating decided. This sounds like the perfect blend between 80s and 90s wrap and I had no idea flavor flav was from public enemy but what a nice surprise he’s such a good gent I used to love his show on mtv. The rapping is so different than todays and so much more digestible of my little boy ears, just shows how impressive people like earl are when I feel like I gotta decipher his albums and still sometimes don’t know what he’s talking about (ik embarrassing 😔🤘). But yeah beats were cool samples were cool especially a surprise metal sample wasn’t expecting that just wasn’t blown away by anything would much rather listen to 6ix9ine -B (aby boy ears)
BASS! Some good stuff here albeit pretty dated rhyming and beats. Chuck D has a great voice and some really good perspective in his lyricism, plus Flava Flav isn’t too annoying on here. Night of the Living Baseheads is probably my favorite but shout out Bring The Noise Remix with Anthrax (way cooler than Run DMC and Aerosmith) (3.5/5)
Yaaaa boy
It's ok
A lot better than the previous Public Enemy album. A lot less shouting, a lot more grooves
ehh mixed bag for me. I think fear of a black planet is better. Some of the samples were pretty grating sounding to me
Very solid late 80s rap, similar to Wu-Tang/ A Tribe Called Quest. Personally found it slightly more shallow than offerings from other rap collectives of a similar era, roughly 3.8/5.
Anthrax x Public enemy is better than the OG. Not a big fan.
Not really my genre of music so I didn’t listen to the whole thing.
Didn’t fully listen. Classic 90s rap album tho
I feel indifferent to this one, it's not that bad, but its also not what I would normally listen to.
Solid album. Great lyrics. Didn't get into the beats as much as I wanted.
Fine. I won't seek out more, but I'm happy to listen to it if the algorithm gods decide I should.
Good. 3.5
While I did enjoy this album, I don’t think I would revisit it. It has had an obvious influence on hip hop and there are a lot of high points and low points on the record. All in all, low 3.
Pretty solid, lots of sample references, set up for others in their genre to follow suit
aggro, nicht mein geschmack, aber okay
I used to listen to a comedy album by MC Pitman called 'It Takes a Nation of Tossers', so this record basically reminds me of that (listen to that record by the way; it's amazing). This is all very sonically similar but there are some cool tracks here. Favourite tracks: Bring The Noise and Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic (with the cool sample cutting).
Eh. Chuck D is sick, but flava flav ruins it along with the not pleasant to listen to beats. Must be a had to be there kind of thing.
Great album, big inspirations for a lot of Hip-Hop
SLAYEEEER sample gebruiken? Yeah boiiii! Cool, maar een heel album is nog steeds teveel.
Show em whatcha got is a fucking banger one of the first to do gangster rap
Beetje chaotisch, wel lekker energiek. Je moet er zin in hebben. Wel chill om beetje op te viben. Wel een Solid keuze als je zin hebt in old school Hip Hop
Millions?
Was decent. Never heard it before.
okay
1. hype track 2. Bring the Noise. ***** star track 3. Don't believe the hype...little bit too long but still solid ***/***** 4. Flavor mumbles too much 5. Term X classic 6. hmmm - too much flavor 7.Louder Than a Bomb - Chuck D 8. zzz I forgot about Professor Griff 9. filler song 10 . Shredding metal guitar. This is the spastic in your face music Public Enemy is about 11. hurts to listen to. The loop is like a car alarm for the whole song. #noskips 12. CLASSIC PE. Great tune. Anti-War + Prison escape song ***** 13. I don't even remember this song and I just finished it. 14. Rebel Without a Pause - ****. Heavy bass scratching. Visceral. 14. muh 15. stereo flow, great headphone track. 16.
Overall I could appreciate this but it's telling that I liked the interlude 'Show 'em whatcha got' best.
Yeeee Boooy! This is a actually solid album.
Flava Flav sounds ridiculous. LOL.
Album 171of 1001 Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back Rating : 3 / 5 Favorite Track : Cold Lampin' with Flavor Just heard this while listening to the playlist a couple of days ago. Listened again this morning. I like this more than some of the others of the genre I've heard. I was even putting together my own fresh rhymes along the way.
L’époque à laquelle cet album a été produit demeure facilement identifiable, mais il en transpire un réel plaisir. J’aime que les textes abordent des enjeux sociaux, et non pas l’habituelle bravade hip-hop. Il me semble que Public Enemy a eu une influence sur les Beastie Boys
Classic but nothing spectacular
Just the usual classic hip hop, like so many other albums before
Þetta er fínt stöff. Gott fönk oft undir rappinu.
never heard of these guys -i do like this so far -i like the chill moments from the beats -LOVING cold lampin with flavor a lot -LOOOOOVE TERMINATOR X -night of the living baseheads pretty sickkkkk -i have listened to other hiphop/rap albums that i personally like better than this one, but its still pretty good
Weird first listen since I've only heard of Public Enemy and never heard anything from them. Good album but some tracks kinda drag on and the album itself is a bit too long imo. Favorite Tracks: Bring The Noise, Don't Believe The Hype, Louder Than A Bomb, Caught Can We Get A Witness?, She Watch Channel Zero?!, Prophets Of Rage, Party For Your Right To Fight
not gonna go back to this
Fundamental album! definitely interesting to listen to in the morning
Rating: 2.8
Not my cup of tea, but definitely good for the gym!
It's okay...I like some of the rhyming.
The chemistry between the duo is the records biggest highlight. Chucks rhymes are really good and memorable. I think this LP is honestly overrated, the beat selection is not that good, especially on a track like 'Rebel Without A Pause'. I cannot focus on anything other than the annoying squeals in my ears. The songs are not diverse enough to run almost an hour long, I started to just hear this mesh of the same song again and again. It was a good record, I probably will revisit this, I would have definitely given it a higher rating if it was shorter, and if Chuck decided to switch up his flow... Oh and also if the beats were not just a 3 second sample on repeat for 5 minutes, TX is lacking here. Favourites: Don't Believe The Hype / Louder Than A Bomb / Caught, Can We Get A Witness? / Show Em' Whatcha Got / She Watch Channel Zero?
Je zou nog eens een keer goed naar de lyrics moeten luisteren, dat lukte nu niet echt tijdens werk. Verder klinkt het wel aardig, maar niet heel bijzonder. Gezien dat dit in 1988 uitgebracht is snap ik dat het revolutionair was, het klinkt meer als mid-jaren 90 hiphop. 3 sterren (voor nu).
Kuulostaa siltä, miltä 90-luvun alku kuulosti jenkeissä.
kinda whatever hip hop, sometimes more of an elevator music. Its decent, but besides three songs its so very forgettable
can you guys see my review? Most of us didn't listen to it LMAOOOOOOO Sam said it was boring
Least favourite hip-hop band off that bunch
I mean I was going into it exhausted of tbh wit sound but…they’re consistent. They’re good. I appreciate that each song they have something to say. The dedicated terminator X track was dope, I appreciated that. The rock rap was interesting, makes sense they collared with beastie boys around this time.
I thought this was obviously influential but felt a bit dated. Decent, with good lyrics, but the beats and music didn't do much for me
This was a fun listen but it didn’t leave a big impression on me!
old
Yeah boyee! This is a super album. I remember having it on cassettes. And yes, a real time commitment to sit down and listen to the whole thing. I'm not sure I ever did that, instead usually opting for one side or maybe two of a tape. But it was a walk down memory lane to hear all these tracks once more. The album still stands as one of the greatest rap albums.
Well damn. This sounds old but somehow the message is still relevant. That is depressing.
Historical 5. The social and political oriented lyrics make me think. They also help me realize the roots of the hip hop art form as a way to protest conditions for black communities and that hip hop ≠ gangsta rap. For my personal enjoyment, the beats sound too primitive but I still very much appreciate this album.
A mix of politics and inner city repression. Credit is due for the creative mixing on top of real street lyrics to bring relevance to topics of misogyny, race and violence. Not sure I’d listen for pleasure, but more an idea of inner city living from the late 80s. 3/5
Better than FOABP, still feels like the exact same song over and over though. FS: The Noise, The Hype, Bomb
I appreciated the message of this album, but I don't think I'll ever want to listen to it again.
I think Fear of a Black Planet was a better album but this one isn't bad. It's got a "live feeling" sometimes and doesn't annoy like other rap records. My biggest problem here is that I have the feeling that the sound is very inconsistent and sometimes not well thought out. 3/5
This album is pretty good. Rap isn't my very favorite genre, but I did enjoy this.
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa. Muuuy largo el disco.
It’s pretty alright.Interesting sampling.Mot super amazing or catchy.It’s kinda long.
It's just the beastie boys?
Hip hop with rage, passion and a strong political message. A fairly long album, but with very few misses.
Some of the songs sound a bit corny, but this is cool for its time.
I liked that the whole album was high energy while still getting their political message across. I really like Chuck D as an emcee, but I didn't really get what Flavor Flav was doing (besides being a hype man)?
This is the 3rd Public Enemy album I've gotten so far, and while they definitely embody the feeling of late 80s early 90s gangster rap, I'm surprised to see them 3 times. I feel like no one ever talks about them any more. All to say, another heavy in your face album, fat bars on fat beats.
Fun. Could've done with being 15 minutes shorter - remove some of the filler and keep the actual range that the album shows, and it'd be an easy 4, but what we've actually got is a bit lazy in places. It reverts to the same sounds, the same injects, and you lose a bit from that. Could benefit from being a bit rawer in a lot of places - there seems to be a conscious effort to make it stand out from every other album of rapping over a beat, but that's what these guys are really good at. Rebel Without A Pause the most egregious example, where you've got a really decent, varied song, that has this high pitched wavy drone over it for no real reason Bring The Noise is a stone cold classic though. 3/5.
Didn’t finish, some good songs but a lot of it was v repetitive and very early stage mixing, missing some more modern production. Meaningful and insightful lyrics too
Great message but hard to listen to old-school hip-hop like this
Cool sounds, good vibes, but not a lot of standout tracks. Good for chilling in the background, 3
important historical document. iconic songs and music. still has that old timey rap style that gets me laughing instead of taking seriously. so happy this happened so rap could grow and flourish. still has relevant lyrics just feels cornball and goofy at times.
Bring The Noise is a classic but all of the yelling had me exhausted by the 4th track. Not a lot of variability in cadence or rhythm. Lyrics were cool
Clearly important and a with a couple of great tracks but not really my thing.
3/5 for me, but worth a second listen since it's being seen as one of the greatest/most influential albums of all time..
Very atmospheric and the message is clear, but not exactly "easy listening". Quite bombastic
3.5
sun 23 april 2023 "BASS FOR YA FACE LONDON... ...I WANT EVERYBODY IN THE HOUSE TO SAY OOOOOHOOOH!" *im jogging the mx11 to london goes mega startling HOOOOOOONK* AAAAH my weak heart v surreal waowee --- this album is groundbreaking concious and unique. the musical apotheosis of this style is obvious rebel without a pause. unfortunately the rest usual fails to arrest me in the same way. --- ps. right now, at this very exact second, somewhere, laura rintoul is furiously practising smash
Best Song: Bring the Noise. Upper lip stanky. Worst Song: Mind Terrorist. Fitting title. Overall: Another Public Enemy album, which means another conflict between the brilliance of Chuck D and the everything of Flava Flav. I can understand the utility of a hype man, but to me he's not even good at that. He's just obnoxious and it sounds like he raps all of his bars through his nose. And Flava Flav is way too present on this album.
Some strong beats and lyricism from Chuck D, brought down by the second half which wasn't for me.
Sangen hvor de samplede en Slayer-sang trækker op, da den ellers kun er til to stjerner.
Not bad
Energy, lyricism, beats, power. As far as old school hip-hop goes this is pretty strong. Sometimes the loops are too obvious/loud and that becomes grating. Could definitely do without the NOI references but I guess that’s where they were at. Best song: Rebel Without a Pause
As hip hop albums go, I did enjoy moments of this one. But over an hour was a bit too long for me. Felt very repetitive after a while.
3.5/5 Best: Bring The Noise Worst: Mind Terrorist
Did not love it quite as much as I wanted to (sonically, anyway), but still pretty cool
Cool album. A classic.
Memories of my house mate in student days listening to this. Not my bag, but some decent tunes here and there so not a stinker. Influential in many ways ups it to three.
ok-ish
Great album. Loved a couple tracks but much of it sounds the same.
Super heavy stuff. Some moments of brilliance but too long and heavy for me. I’ll keep on listening about once a year.
I rated the last Public Enemy album I listened to 3/5. I thought this one was just as good, so I'm giving it the same rating.
My first listen. The style of delivery is so out of fashion now that it is almost funny at points. The samples are cool. Avalanches esque
Fucking insane sampling - horns in particular. Love the lyrical and character dynamics between Chuck D and Flavor Flav. Still relevant lyrics about US social/economic systemic pressures and class warfare. Should be played loud.
While I can't justify giving this a 4, this was one of the more enjoyable hip hop albums I've gotten so far. Close to a 4, but not quite there for me. I'm excited to see how their other albums are. I'm hoping one of those will be a 4 star. This album was a bit too long for me. I like Chuck D's voice, so that made the raps on here pretty enjoyable. I appreciate the messages that are present. Also, that last song was an awesome way to close out the album. My favourite songs were Party For Your Right to Fight, Bring The Noise, and Show 'Em Whatcha Got.
80s rap similar to nwa this group has the best name of all time 3.5
The confidence and vibes from this album are kinda fantastic and the message was so important culturally for the time that it was made. My only complaint is that it was too long, but only because this genre of music is not one I prefer for my personal listening
This is a really high 3, almost a 4. I really enjoyed the old school hip-hop feel of the album and it portrayed it's message well without jamming it down your throat. It would have been a 4 if there was a bit more variety between the songs as they all started to blend to get a bit after an hour. I still very much enjoyed it.
I almost gave this a 4 if the beats within each song had more variety but they did get a bit redundant. However, this is a really cool album. I think it speaks to racial injustice in America without yelling constantly which for me is a more pleasant sound, while still getting a point across. Great beats, a tad long. Terminator & Party For Your Right to Fight were standouts.
Un album composé à l'aide d'une théière si l'on en croit les propos de mon ennemi publique à moi, j'ai nommé eltrapeze. Rien d'étonnant que ces propos soient si à côté de la plaque, tant eltrapeze a subi un véritable choc émotionnel ces dernières semaines, en essayant de se lancer dans le stand up. Toute cette séquence pathétique a été enregistrée et je vous copie avec plaisir le script que l'un des témoins m'a transmis par mail : Eltrapeze se tient devant le public, un sourire nerveux sur le visage. ELTRAPEZE : Bonsoir tout le monde ! Vous savez, j'ai longtemps été critique musical, mais j'ai décidé de me lancer dans une nouvelle carrière. Je veux faire de l'humour, de la blague, de l'hilarité. Le public le regarde avec scepticisme. ELTRAPEZE : Et pour commencer, j'ai un petit roast à vous proposer. Vous connaissez tous Robbandoulière, le célèbre critique musical. Eh bien, j'ai quelque chose à vous dire à son sujet... Le public commence à siffler, mais Eltrapeze continue, aveuglé par sa jalousie. ELTRAPEZE : Vous savez, j'ai toujours été jaloux de Robbandoulière. Tout le monde l'adore, mais je suis sûr qu'il y a des choses que vous ne savez pas sur lui. Par exemple, saviez-vous qu'il a conquis l'une de mes ex-compagnes ? C'était un véritable traumatisme pour moi ! Le public est de plus en plus consterné. Eltrapeze essaie de rattraper la situation, mais c'est trop tard. ELTRAPEZE : Oh, allez, je plaisante bien sûr. Robbandoulière est un grand critique. Mais sérieusement, qui est prêt à voir le vrai Robbandoulière ? Soudain, Robbandoulière apparaît au fond de la salle, sous les applaudissements du public. ROBBANDOULIÈRE : Oh, Eltrapeze. Toujours aussi mauvais dans tes critiques, toujours aussi mauvais dans tes blagues. Le public se met à rire, mais Eltrapeze est terrifié. ELTRAPEZE : Robbandoulière ! Je ne m'attendais pas à te voir ici ! ROBBANDOULIÈRE : Je suis venu t'arrêter avant que tu ne te ridiculises encore plus. Tu essaies de nuire à ma réputation, mais tu ne fais que te ridiculiser toi-même. Le public applaudit, et Eltrapeze essaie de sauver la situation. ELTRAPEZE : Oh, allez, Robbandoulière, ne sois pas si sérieux. C'était juste une blague. ROBBANDOULIÈRE : Ah, une blague. Alors laisse-moi t'en raconter une. Pourquoi les poulets traversent la route ? Pour se rendre chez Eltrapeze, le seul endroit où ils sont sûrs de ne pas finir en nuggets ! Le public éclate de rire, et Eltrapeze se rend compte qu'il a perdu la bataille. ELTRAPEZE : D'accord, d'accord, tu as gagné. Tu es le meilleur critique, le meilleur humoriste. Je suis nul. ROBBANDOULIÈRE : Tu l'as dit, Eltrapeze. Tu l'as dit. Le public se met à rire de plus belle, et pour couronner le tout, ils asseoient Robbandoulière sur une chaise et le font tourner comme dans une bar mitzvah. Eltrapeze quitte la scène, honteux. Sa tentative de se lancer dans l'humour a été un échec cuisant.
Rap sin contemplaciones. De la antigua usanza. Pioneros por su espíritu y reivindicaciones. Para amantes del género. Canciones un poco parecidas entre sí.
I liked the live show samples
This is a great foundational album. Really shows we're more modern hip hop originated from. Raw and cool
Politically and influentially, this is an important album of hip hop and rap. Musically, the beats and the sampling are fine, though overall it doesn't move me or make me want to hear more. I acknowledge this is essential for some and I don't dislike it, but it's not for me.
Up-tempo classic hip-hop. Chuck D is an original! Michael Franti owes everything to Public Enemy. It's listenable and a balanced use of samples, rock, rap, and R&B. The messages are front and center. Reminds me of Beastie Boys as well. If you're in the mood, this is textbook Hip Hop, but their later work is where they hit the societal sweet spot.
Fica evidente a maneira impactante que constroem o discurso da banda combinando elementos de funk e soul. Apresenta músicas que precisam ser ouvidas novamente.
Great album but repetitive
I appreciate the message, but none of it really commanded my attention. Don't know that I would choose to put any of the tracks on, but I think the message is important and the vehicle is effective. Rating it musically I'm going to go three stars. On a philosophical rating system it would be higher
Je sais que c'est l'un des albums les plus importants du hip hop et il y a des très bon bangers là-dessus, mais les constants sons high-pitched à répétitions sont vraiment drainant.
Despite being, or maybe because the album was made as a statement on the music of it’s time it has remained a product of that time. Regardless, the musical (and lyrical) edge is still palpable and the album remains essential to understanding hip-hop history
J'ai pas beaucoup suivi les paroles, mais dans le genre à cette époque, il y en beaucoup que je préfère et de loih, Les beats sont bons mais le flow est difficile pour un album de 1h. 3
Unbelievable how recognizable a lot of the tracks were. This is a blueprint record in so many ways. It does get a bit monotone, but the storytelling (and social commentary!) is great. Would have been a 4 if not for Flava Flav insisting on his "yeah boiiiiiii"…
There are few, if any, voices as powerful, raw and at the front as Chuck D. The man is an absolute powerhouse, his technique is perfect and at times it seems as if he’s on a mission to include the entire dictionary on this album. The beats are mostly insane as well and especially the idea to sample “Angel of Death” on “She Watch Chanel Zero?!” gets me every time. But - and it’s a big but - if I have to listen to Flavor Flav yell “yeah, boyeeeee” one more time right now I will lose my shit. Everything starts to blend a little too much for me on Side Black and my mind slowly starts drifting; I mean this is extremely dense lyrically. But most of I I’m just tired to the bone of listening to Flavor Flav. Who thinks this would’ve improved drastically with just half the amount it Flav? This boyeeeeee!
not my genre...
Worth coming back to. Not the genre I would choose to listen to. Great lyricism, could be fun to memorize.
Terminator X, Bring the Noise etc. are classictracks, but the album is overlong and repetitive (that scratching noise is used a lot)
I'm pretty sure I've listened to this album, or songs from it, before. None of the beats stood out to me. If I listen closer to the words, maybe I'll like it better
det är bra men det är för långt alltså
This one is ok. I’d definitely pick FOABP over this tho. The instrumentals are a bit too 80s for my taste.
70/100: This was a good album. I'm not sure I have much more to say than that. It kinda scratches the itch most late 80's early 90's rap scratches but doesn't do much more than that for me. I'd listen to it again but probably won't go out of my way to do so. There are a number of albums I'd listen to before resorting to this one, if that makes any sense.
i'm not sure if i've ever heard a studio recorded album contain such a concert environment. so many songs contained enough hype to impact the listener! several songs were created with that explicit purpose. several transition songs introduced certain group members, too. i love it! the goal of this album was, per public enemy, to mimic the level of social and political observation of marvin gaye's what's going on album. they certainly succeeded! their songs are filled with so many messages and thoughts, much of it about blackness. this could have easily been just as powerful of an album in 2022 as 1986. these two lyrics grabbed me: "five-o said, "freeze!" and i got numb/can i tell 'em that i never really had a gun?" (from "bring the noise") and "j. edgar hoover and he coulda proved to you/he had king and x set up" (from "party for your right to fight"). as a side note, as a result of their frequent samples in their songs, several songs contained beats that were just too repetitive. i do know i'm sensitive to sounds and find that sort of music unpleasant to the ears, and it did impact my overall listening pleasure. but hey, how interesting that a song on side B samples a song on side A!
Verjaard album, lastig om naar te luisteren, maar toch een klassieker. Top track: caught, can we het a witness?
Another classic early hip-hop album that I felt a little underwhelmed by - I’d say I enjoyed it about as much as Apocalypse 91. The production didn’t do much for me (with some exceptions, like She Watch Channel Zero?! and Show ‘Em Whatcha Got, it all sounds pretty similar), and this probably stopped me concentrating on the supposedly political verses a lot of the time. But I do respect that both the lyrics and the music were considered game-changing when the album was released.
Cool album, not necessarily my style of music.
High energy and combative. The live excerpts add to the energy and Chuck D and Flava Flav's voices combine pleasingly. Altogether this is an engaging listen and easy to see how it was ground braking and highly influential with broad appeal. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: Date listened: 11/10/22
Energy was great, samples ranged from good to hmm to unpleasant, and the lyricism was definitely meaningful when it wanted to be. I don't know how much I enjoyed it, though. The second half was definitely better than the first, I think. Lies somewhere in between a 2 and a 3, but considering I actually saved a few songs to my library, I'll go with a 3.
me gustó jeje 7.5 / 10
Black Steel in the hour of chaos 👌
Original for its time, and very thought provoking. Doesn’t hold up to todays standards and not an album one can just throw on. 3/5
Not as polished as Fear of a Black Planet, but when this works it knocks you the fuck out.
Tea kettle.
Not for me
Early hip hop, similar to early beastie boys.
Bring the Noise! Brilliant! Night of the Living Bassheads She watch channel zero?!