 | Public Enemy It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
4.4
superb
| Ranking: #1 for 1988 | |
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| | Full Review | Ratings (1322) |
Give your Rating |
| 5.0 classic | ObeyTheCowGod | January 14th 11 |
"Some people said rap is all noise. So, I gave them noise!"r-Hank Shocklee (Bomb Squad) A furious mixture of whistles, whines, and noise over dense samples, scratches, and beats which Shocklee later called "Music's worst nightmare." Aside from Chuck D.'s intelligent and thought provoking lyrics and Flavor Flav's hyper-active, idiotic, role playing of the court jester, it was Hank and Keith Shocklee, and Eric (Vietnam) Sadler of the bomb Squad who put PE on the map. As a whole, the group was way ahead of it's time. Boldly putting out their political views and attacking the media, PE was also unfairly attacked in the press portrayed as anti-semetic and anti-white.rFrom the groundbreaking "Bring The Noise", to Slayer's guitar sample on "She Watch Channel Zero", to the pulsating piano chord on "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos", PE simply shines.rSad that this group never got the financial recognition it rightly deserved. Back in the day, I was the only one in the group of friends who worshiped PE. Everyone else couldn't handle the intelligent lyrics that [weren't] sprayed with 4 letter words.rFeed your brain. Listen to the genius that was PE and READ the lyrics.
2 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | BillyBrill | June 22nd 23 |
Does a whole lot for me except for when it doesnt. I can appreciate the influence but it?s very musically rigid, I guess? Not much room for experimentation which is fair but not my speed, but when it comes down to it the rapid is sheerly solid.
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| 5.0 classic | moodbrew | April 6th 19 |
The delivery and production are explosive, where "explosive" is an egregious understatement.
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| 3.5 great | BRAman22 | March 14th 16 |
Very good rapping on here, though some of the beats seem a bit bare bones. The Slayer sample kills though.
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| 3.5 great | lz41 | January 28th 16 |
First half: Don't believe the hype.
Second half: Oh you better believe it.
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| 4.5 superb | Britch2tiger | September 16th 15 |
The album that gave birth to the (later) hardcore hip hop genre... Yeah, nostalgia feels good. I only feel bad for JUST getting into this music. The album that fathered the futuristic Straight Out of Compton (NWA), the vicious 36 Chambers: Enter the Wu-Tang (The Wu-Tang Clan), and the black sheep that is Rage Against the Machine (self-title debut). This album deserves all the glorification you will ever hear. The minor letdown is that it was not "brutal" enough - thank goodness for Public Enemy's children!!
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| 4.0 excellent | Supercoolguy64 | July 27th 14 |
Great album. Just has a lot of filler. BASE! HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?
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| 4.5 superb | DeafJamNoise000 | March 22nd 14 |
Public Enemy- It Takes A Nation Of Millions is one of the kind.
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| 0.0 | Solbrave | November 22nd 13 |
BRING THE NOISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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| 5.0 classic | lamppostlaunderer | July 2nd 13 |
The hardest hitting hip-hop album ever made. If you haven't listened to this, you quite simply can't consider yourself a hardcore fan of the genre. Intensity, aggression, and Chuck D's badass vocals make this one of the 100 records everybody must hear before they die.
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| 4.5 superb | BiOZed | September 5th 11 |
There's probably too much to say about 'It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us' and Public Enemy. So I will only focus on the obvious : The blend of social awareness, unpredictable and powerful samples, Flavor Flav energy and humor, cool Chuck D flow and the old school production forms one of the most controversial, influential and successful hip-hop record of all time. So Bring the Noise !
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| 3.5 great | vmcoia91 | July 4th 10 |
Easily the best rap album of all time. However, Rap isn't my genre so I can't say I love this record, but it is great and very influential.
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| 4.0 excellent | 808muzik | June 15th 10 |
One of the greatest albums of all time. This a great album.
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| 0.0 | Bulldog | March 19th 10 |
It was 1988, twenty four years after desegregation, but a few African-Americans were still pissed with the American
power structure. One of those men was Chuck D. With his Malcolm X/Bob Marley infusion of political rhetoric, and
his silly, shoutout-squawking sidekick Flavor Flav, it is easy to see why Public Enemy is amicably ideological.
The contrasted tandem was backed by the (understatedly) sample heavy, percussion-based instrumentals conducted
by the Bomb Squad. Executive producer Rick Rubin incorporated horn loops and turntable techniques to supply extra
density to what were previously highly layered - modernly minimalistic - cuts.
Lyrically a social protest throughout, Chuck D is somewhat bipolar in his approach to politicking. Although largely
portraying violent, revolutionary-like tendencies, he also displays a relatively looser side on occasion. At times, he
creates smaller, almost hippie-like disgruntlements to hedge against his black rage.
Socially conscious, Public Enemy was a catalyst for intelligent, politically-burdened hip-hop. To this day, [i[It Takes a
Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back[/i] vividly resounds as a standing, although factually casual, argument against the
white power structure.
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| 5.0 classic | HonestJake | July 31st 07 |
This is the best rap album of all time created by the best rappers of all time. This album has all of their best songs including Bring the Noise, Don't Believe the Hype, Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos, Rebel Without a Pause, Prophets of Rage, Night of the Living Baseheads, She Watch Channel Zero?!, and many more. It is a shame that many of today's gangsta-wannabes have no idea who these guys are. DAMN MTV!!!...
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| 5.0 classic | Iai EMERITUS | June 26th 06 |
Public Enemy were so perfect it's hard to know what to say about them. What is at least clear, though, is that they were the best fucking hip-hop band of all time bar none, and that this is the best fucking hip-hop record of all time, bar none. Their vision of hip-hop as a black CNN hadn't quite found its feet with debut Yo! Bum Rush The Show, but, spurred on by the competition, they made their quantum leap with this. Classic from back to front, it was everything Public Enemy knew they could be and a whole lot more they never could have dreamed of. It remains a haven for hip-hop classics - "Bring the Noise", "She Watch Channel Zero?" (still the best rap-metal song ever), "Don't Believe The Hype", "Black Steel", "Night of The Living Baseheads", "Party For Your Right To Fight", "Rebel Without A Pause" - and an inspiration for anyone who wants to take a stand, make a statement. If you haven't heard this, you fail at music.
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| 5.0 classic | ashamed | February 1st 24 |
| 4.0 excellent | doofy | January 8th 24 |
| 5.0 classic | Kelek | August 21st 23 |
| 4.5 superb | Spec | June 30th 23 |
| 3.5 great | Ben STAFF | April 3rd 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | platttt | March 28th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | Ryus | March 8th 23 |
| 3.5 great | ffs | March 2nd 23 |
| 4.5 superb | Votex | January 18th 23 |
| 5.0 classic | Timmy | January 12th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | Kuna | August 17th 22 |
| 5.0 classic | AGC | May 30th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | Pangea | February 10th 22 |
| 5.0 classic | MvdW | January 24th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | Grungil | December 17th 21 |
| 4.5 superb | Feels | December 11th 21 |
| 5.0 classic | Em1994 | November 28th 21 |
| 4.5 superb | KuyJuk | November 2nd 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | Brock619 | September 19th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | nilsson | August 27th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | Gillie | August 3rd 21 |
| 3.5 great | Blix | February 8th 21 |
| 4.5 superb | RobiM | February 6th 21 |
| 5.0 classic | Skiiddz | October 5th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | Sine | August 24th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | bikvid | August 15th 20 |
| 5.0 classic | gk1979 | July 14th 20 |
| 3.0 good | Mac | June 19th 20 |
| 5.0 classic | 1312 | June 7th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Risodo | May 21st 20 |
| 3.5 great | Spluger | February 29th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Emily | December 19th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | xgausez | October 23rd 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | TyLaw | September 10th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | foxblood | September 6th 19 |
| 3.0 good | remi | July 21st 19 |
| 3.5 great | Onater | April 26th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | crab | February 16th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Coast | February 5th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | TomBrady | November 11th 18 |
| 4.5 superb | KOZAKY | October 30th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | NateMa | September 10th 18 |
| 4.5 superb | GoAway | August 1st 18 |
| 4.5 superb | W1NG00 | July 27th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | bSmith | June 27th 18 |
| 4.5 superb | elch21 | June 16th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | aew100 | April 26th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | DJMarz | April 22nd 18 |
| 5.0 classic | Josh | April 13th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | misha | March 2nd 18 |
| 3.5 great | Rdv | December 8th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | dmoz47 | November 7th 17 |
| 4.5 superb | tthehoe | September 22nd 17 |
| 5.0 classic | amanda | September 11th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | Rambles | September 11th 17 |
| 3.5 great | GMBass | September 7th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Corney | August 26th 17 |
| 3.5 great | bentl | July 31st 17 |
| 5.0 classic | Mvrkv | July 19th 17 |
| 2.5 average | Ceg | June 26th 17 |
| 2.5 average | Pon EMERITUS | April 30th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | Hundt | February 27th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | kabster | February 12th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | NickArk | January 15th 17 |
| 4.5 superb | Rodstar | December 19th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | Garjo | December 2nd 16 |
| 3.5 great | Devius | December 2nd 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Wolfe | November 28th 16 |
| 2.5 average | dosia | October 4th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | lumucc | October 4th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | nobouk | September 25th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | jtswope | September 22nd 16 |
| 5.0 classic | F1Aaron | August 22nd 16 |
| 5.0 classic | Nights | August 21st 16 |
| 5.0 classic | Ankit | June 18th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Xavier | May 24th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | marggy | April 22nd 16 |
| 2.0 poor | Greem | April 5th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | Henry | March 11th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Tom R. CONTRIBUTOR | March 6th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | timmy36 | February 7th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | quixand | January 24th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Tiemuuu | January 15th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | spur55 | January 6th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | MaV98 | January 5th 16 |
| 3.0 good | wwf | November 14th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | theform | November 8th 15 |
| 4.5 superb | bnest | October 16th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | DazSkunk | September 17th 15 |
| 4.5 superb | Lassie | September 16th 15 |
| 4.5 superb | Adam | August 5th 15 |
| 4.5 superb | Froot | July 27th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | l7max | July 11th 15 |
| 5.0 classic | FunkyR | May 22nd 15 |
| 5.0 classic | Aruji | May 19th 15 |
| 5.0 classic | ztew3y | May 1st 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | Tb1114 | March 24th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | CNL | January 29th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | Nigtwig | January 17th 15 |
| 5.0 classic | Sithese | December 31st 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | adr | December 7th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | Cakes23 | December 4th 14 |
| 3.5 great | akimbo | November 16th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | JoeLoco | November 8th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Titan | October 31st 14 |
| 4.5 superb | Eegore | October 24th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | ninja88 | August 17th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | pragpro | August 9th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | manosg EMERITUS | August 9th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | FLRTE | July 12th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | kaki | June 12th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | JinBey | May 20th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | heck | May 9th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | sapient | March 9th 14 |
| 3.5 great | bulk | February 27th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | tarkus | January 20th 14 |
| 3.0 good | SeiGor | January 18th 14 |
| 2.5 average | Gtzk | January 5th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | Foxsnew | November 16th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Guzzo10 | November 8th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | jaama94 | October 5th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | inlimbo | September 28th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Swaggy | September 28th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Sulphur | September 26th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | jmh886 | September 16th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | craven | September 14th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Zar | August 12th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Zeneren | July 17th 13 |
| 3.0 good | porch | June 30th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | tlhk | June 21st 13 |
| 3.5 great | ADM20 | May 5th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Kiran EMERITUS | May 4th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Mike08 | April 15th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | kn2985 | April 11th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | APJ90 | April 2nd 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | johnnyr | March 26th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | aguzman | March 26th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | perlox | February 23rd 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | zakalwe | February 22nd 13 |
| 5.0 classic | tnd | February 16th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Zamora | January 29th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Surette | January 24th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | kb36 | January 23rd 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Lenix | December 31st 12 |
| 5.0 classic | Zeg | December 30th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | urzadek | December 17th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | bharr | December 1st 12 |
| 4.5 superb | arcane | November 26th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | Doxxman | November 26th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | Vell | November 3rd 12 |
| 5.0 classic | ejb | October 27th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | msukkel | October 23rd 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Breaded | October 21st 12 |
| 4.5 superb | Peluca | October 17th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | plato66 | October 13th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | ZGP1992 | October 13th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | JBott | October 6th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | dcorrea | September 19th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | OldAndy | September 17th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | Tulten | September 17th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | j1myz | August 26th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | GenBK | August 1st 12 |
| 5.0 classic | random | July 19th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | BrianE | June 14th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | BJBG | May 9th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | ANJ45 | May 8th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | amp112 | March 12th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | DMEmery | February 22nd 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Tupik | October 30th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Trebor. EMERITUS | October 21st 11 |
| 4.5 superb | Trey STAFF | October 18th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | ImpWolf | October 12th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | lasitten | September 30th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | Lolages | August 31st 11 |
| 3.5 great | Knave | August 27th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | cmclay | August 10th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | Sowilo | August 3rd 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | bastni | July 8th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | War | June 25th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | Manco | June 19th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | s796h | June 17th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | geng | June 13th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | Muzix | May 25th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | ONI65 | May 12th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | T0rr35 | April 20th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | Plank | April 2nd 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | aok | March 9th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | Hawks | February 28th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | hankmac | January 29th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | FishTV | January 24th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | WooHa | January 21st 11 |
| 5.0 classic | siddx4 | January 19th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | joejjc | January 18th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Rumulox | January 9th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | scheim | January 1st 11 |
| 5.0 classic | Adash | November 23rd 10 |
| 3.5 great | Dsylum | November 6th 10 |
| 3.0 good | MCGF | October 16th 10 |
| 3.0 good | Blurry | October 13th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | gambs | September 16th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | mmadden | September 14th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | bab808 | September 6th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | noisy | September 6th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Hodgmand | September 4th 10 |
| 3.0 good | iemona | August 27th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | EPence | August 15th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | IAJP | August 14th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | Kleur | June 25th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | Trez | May 16th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | Naffa | April 15th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | DiceMan | February 24th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | Mendigo | February 21st 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | JulesWin | February 13th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | Smevin | February 7th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | Apoc93 | January 22nd 10 |
| 4.5 superb | Manland | December 30th 09 |
| 5.0 classic | NoiseIP | December 17th 09 |
| 3.5 great | KILL | December 2nd 09 |
| 3.5 great | aeuk | November 17th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | qwe3 | November 11th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | ctibor | October 19th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | sblount | October 13th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | Anguish | September 28th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | Enotron | September 23rd 09 |
| 5.0 classic | jaarona | August 17th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | Skyler | August 16th 09 |
| 5.0 classic | FufF | July 22nd 09 |
| 5.0 classic | Soflex | July 1st 09 |
| 5.0 classic | Mach | May 30th 09 |
| 3.5 great | pettri | March 21st 09 |
| 4.5 superb | sbtg88 | February 8th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | superae | January 14th 09 |
| 3.5 great | ratcfc | December 14th 08 |
| 4.5 superb | gafel | September 26th 08 |
| 5.0 classic | Pointro | September 21st 08 |
| 5.0 classic | TYRR | August 7th 08 |
| 4.5 superb | twiik | July 30th 08 |
| 4.5 superb | RG560M | July 26th 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | BITEME | July 17th 08 |
| 4.5 superb | JAV | July 8th 08 |
| 3.0 good | Ryzor | May 15th 08 |
| 3.5 great | sgrevs | April 14th 08 |
| 2.0 poor | Zebra | April 13th 08 |
| 3.5 great | tom79 | March 2nd 08 |
| 5.0 classic | searl82 | February 23rd 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | lshauna | February 16th 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | doqtor | February 15th 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | taylork | January 3rd 08 |
| 5.0 classic | Brf249 | January 2nd 08 |
| 4.5 superb | Mikesn EMERITUS | January 1st 08 |
| 3.5 great | tuff | October 30th 07 |
| 5.0 classic | KINGGS | October 24th 07 |
| 4.0 excellent | MrKite | October 22nd 07 |
| 4.0 excellent | yeahboi | October 13th 07 |
| 4.0 excellent | MeowMeow | September 19th 07 |
| 4.0 excellent | Kuukkis | September 6th 07 |
| 4.0 excellent | Boddah | August 15th 07 |
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