Public Enemy
Public Enemy weaponised hip-hop, pairing Chuck D's declamatory voice with the Bomb Squad's dense wall of samples. 'It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back' (1988) and the Spike Lee anthem 'Fight the Power' made political rap a cultural force.
Origin: Roosevelt, Long Island, New York, USA · Years active: 1985–present
Biography
Public Enemy weaponised hip-hop, pairing Chuck D's declamatory voice with the Bomb Squad's dense wall of samples. 'It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back' (1988) and the Spike Lee anthem 'Fight the Power' made political rap a cultural force.
Key 1980s albums
- Yo! Bum Rush the Show (1987)
- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)
- Fear of a Black Planet (1990)
Essential songs
- Fight the Power (1989)
- Bring the Noise (1987)
- Don't Believe the Hype (1988)
- Rebel Without a Pause (1987)
- Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos (1988)
Genres
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