Public Enemy
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
Play It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
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AMG Review of It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music GuideYo! Bum Rush the Show was an invigorating record, but it looks like child's play compared to its monumental sequel, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, a record that rewrote the rules of what hip-hop could do. That's not to say the album is without precedent, since what's particularly ingenious about the album is how it reconfigures things that came before into a startling, fresh, modern sound. Public Enemy used the template Run-D.M.C. created of a ap crew as a ock band, then brought in elements of free jazz, hard funk, even musique concrčte, via their producing team, the Bomb Squad, creating a dense, ferocious sound unlike anything that came before. This coincided with a breakthrough in Chuck D's writing, both in his themes and lyrics. It's not that Chuck D was smarter or more ambitious than his contemporaries -- certainly, KRS-One tackled many similar sociopolitical tracts, while Rakim had a greater flow -- but he marshaled considerable revolutionary force, clear vision, and a boundless vocabulary to create galvanizing, logical arguments that were undeniable in their strength. They only gained strength from Flavor Flav's frenzied jokes, which provided a needed contrast. What's amazing is how the words and music become intertwined, gaining strength from each other. Though this music is certainly a representation of its time, it hasn't dated at all. It set a standard that few could touch then, and even fewer have attempted to meet since.
to PE or not to PE?
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i'm pretty psyched because my mom (baxter, mn) and sister (chicago, il) are coming to visit me here in paris. they were thinking of coming late march/early april. subsequently, i saw that public enemy is also visiting 'me' in paris on april 3. they, (along with eric b & rakim, run dmc, and ll cool j back in the mid/late 80s) are why i got into hip hop in the first place. and i've never seen...
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Public Enemy in Phoenix
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They were supposed to play at the Marquee Theatre, but the promoter pulled the plug because of ticket sales. So Chuck and Flav played a free show in the parking lot of a local comic book store after a signing. Then they hit Hollywood Alley around Midnight and played a full show with their band on borrowed equipment.It was an amazing evening - they were genuinely, actively engaged with their fan...
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Where does this sample come from?
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In keeping with recent posts by "Cody B":http://mog.com/Cody_B "TroyPowers":http://mog.com/TroyPowers and "WyzeWon":http://mog.com/WyzeWon I'm posting a sample quiz of my own. The sample I'm looking at occurs around 1:51 into Public Enemy's "Night of The Living Baseheads". It seems to be used throughout the song but it's clearer there. Who does it? Maybe this is an easy one but I only figur...
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Public Enemy To Perform 1988 Album In Full At UK Shows
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Public Enemy - whose slammin 2007 album How You Sell Soul To A Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul? was one of the best of the year - just announced that they will perform their 1988 release It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back in its entireity at 3 lives shows in the UK this Spring. Celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the pivotal album, Public Enemy will party like its 1988 at:23 ...
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Hip Hoprisy on July 4th -- Louder Than a Bomb...
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...from the Bring-tha-Noise Dept:..since its the last HHT before the Fourth of July holiday here in the States, I thought I'd drop a little flavor on yas...the truth ain't always easy on the eyes, still, it must be looked at nonetheless and, as I get older, every time this particular holiday rolls around, I think back to what people like Alexis de Tocqueville thought of America when he visited ...
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Chuck D: Don't Rhyme For The Sake Of Riddlin'
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To mark the publication of Russel Myrie's book Don't Rhyme For The Sake of Riddlin': The Authorized Story Of Public Enemy on October 2, 2008, Chuck D will be in London on Friday, October 10, to discuss his life, lyrics/poetry and politics.Tickets for this event are available directly from the South Bank Centre, and the book can be pre-ordered from both Amazon US and Amazon UK.
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to PE or not to PE?
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Artist:
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i'm pretty psyched because my mom (baxter, mn) and sister (chicago, il) are coming to visit me here in paris. they were thinking of coming late march/early april. subsequently, i saw that public enemy is also visiting 'me' in paris on april 3. they, (along with eric b & rakim, run dmc, and ll cool j back in the mid/late 80s) are why i got into hip hop in the first place. and i've never seen...
More >
Posse Revival: 10 Great(est) Rap Videos
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10 Great(est) Rap Videos
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Video: Pitchfork.tv Special on Public Enemy
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For those of you "Hip-Hop heads" who may not be up on pre 93' Hip-Hop, or who only know Flavor Flav from his VH1 reality shows, this is a nice piece done by Pitchfork to educate you on one of the greatest albums ever made (there goes that hyperbole again), Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. This 3 part segment gives some background about the early stages of Public En...
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Public Enemy in Phoenix
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They were supposed to play at the Marquee Theatre, but the promoter pulled the plug because of ticket sales. So Chuck and Flav played a free show in the parking lot of a local comic book store after a signing. Then they hit Hollywood Alley around Midnight and played a full show with their band on borrowed equipment.It was an amazing evening - they were genuinely, actively engaged with their fan...
More >
 "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back")
