Before the premier and after the encore(s) of the Roast of Flavor Flav, I got nostalgic and pulled out all the old Public Enemy LPs for an afternoon listen. What more could I say about this group that would add to anything that's already known about them?
Not a damn thing.
So instead, I'm just going to highlight the 4 albums that helped lay the foundation for my love of hip hop and really shaped the way I listen to and make music. That being said...
Yo! Bum Rush the Show [DefJam, 1987]
P.E. jumps up on the scene with a fresh debut on the growing DefJam label after co-founder Rick Rubin hears Chuck D freestyling on a demo. The album received critical acclaim reaching Gold U.S. status, ranking #28 in the R&B/Hip Hop charts and #125 in the Billboard 200. Singles such as Public Enemy #1 and You're Gonna Get Yours set the tone for an expansive and prolific career. While still considered a classic and strong debut, I was still neck deep in the Beastie's Licensed To Ill. Little did I know what kind of an impact the next P.E. album was going to have on me. I was 8 at the time.
It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back [DefJam, 1988]
"London, England, consider yourself, warned!" London, England? Shoot, that should've been a warning to the entire world of the group that would change the face and landscape of hip hop forever. Politically rich, socially conscious, revolutionary, controversial, and mind-opening are just some of the adjectives to describe the 5x Platinum LP that charted #1 in the R&B/Hip Hop charts and #42 in the BB 200. I was 8. I knew jack-shit about politics, social issues, or controversy but my little punk ass was vibin' and rappin' along every time. It came full circle when I saw the London Invasion '87 DVD released in 2005. Classics like Bring The Noise, Don't Believe The Hype, Night Of The Living Baseheads, and Black Steel In The Hour of Chaos all came from this album forever cementing P.E. in the institution of hip hop, and good hip hop at that.
Fear Of A Black Planet [DefJam, 1990]
At this point I was fully immersed in the P.E. sound and their 3rd LP would ensure the continuation of that trend. Equally well received like the previous album, Fear Of A Black Planet ranked #3 in the R&B/Hip Hop chart and #10 in the BB 200 but hit 6x Platinum. This LP was just as solid as the former, but with a different, more mature approach. Even with tracks like Burn Hollywood Burn and 911 Is A Joke; I felt that Contract On The World Love Jam, War at 33 1/3, and Incident at 66.6FM added a deeper and more critical dimension to the album. The beauty of P.E., to me, is that their music speaks just as loud as has as much of an impact as their music and production do. There is an inherent quality in both that add to the sum total of the parts. Not all beats and lyrics can strike that perfect harmony, every single time.
Apocalypse '91... The Enemy Strikes Black [DefJam, 1991]
"The future hold nothing else but confrontation..." sets the tone on P.E. 4th album with DefJam. Although not as critically acclaimed as the previous albums, this LP managed to hold its own with the odd tracks really hitting the core fan base. Tracks like Nighttrain, Can't Truss It, Shut Em Down, and Get The Fuck Out Of Dodge. I thought the rework of Bring The Noize was a cool addition to close it up. Their 4th effort managed to take the #1 spot in the R&B/Hip Hop chart, #4 in the BB 200 and 5x Platinum status proving that P.E. music and message still stood strong.
I won't go too much into Greatest Misses, but definitely worthy of mention are JMJ's Telephone Tap Remix of Louder Than A Bomb, Chuck Chill-Out's Remix of How To Kill A Radio Consultant, and Pete Rock's legendary remix of Shut Em Down.
Just a little something for your mind.
-Man of the hour, committin' soul power...
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