Search - Public Enemy :: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us

THE GREATEST HIP-HOP ALBUM EVER RECORDED

D. Powell | New York City | 02/19/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I figured what the heck, I'm going to finally write a review for my favorite hip-hop album of all-time today...released in 1988 during the height of extremely creative and great hip-hop music, in my opinion this album stood above them all, even now 22 years after it's release it still stands above them all, WHY?? Chuck D's voice and messages are just powerful, Da Bomb Squad's production with it's multi-layered samples is just revolutionary and timeless, Flavor Flav's outbursts are just right on point and in sync with Chuck, I mean this album represents PERFECTION...in life there supposedly is no such thing as perfection, but this album achieved that and much more...this album is like a beautiful painting, or an incredible vacation, just something that you will never forget, it's completely TIMELESS...22 years from now these topics will still need to be covered and the production will still be revolutionary and different...I'm not sure what Chuck and Da Bomb Squad were thinking about when they went into the studio to create this masterpiece but we're all better for what they gave us, I want to personally thank them for this gift that keeps on giving even 22 years after they originally gave it to me..If your a young hip-hop fan looking for some VINTAGE hip-hop or an older hip-hop head who may have been among the few that actually missed this over the past 22 years then add this one to your collection ASAP...you'll find bliss in every track and lyric...my top five songs-(if that is possible here) are:



Bring The Noise

Rebel Without A Pause

Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos

Prophets Of Rage

Don't Believe The Hype



but basically the WHOLE project is just memorable and the greatest artistic effort released in hip-hop history, this MUST be in your collection!"

This record changed the game forever...

Berk | CA | 05/04/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the TWO most influential hip-hop recordings EVER. It's difficult if you weren't around when this record was new to understand the impact that this record had on the landscape of hip-hop and music in general (I was in 10th grade at the time). The same could be said about the other influential record which was NWA's Straight Outta Compton but that's another review. Public Enemy was ushering in a new era in rap; the post Run DMC era, the New School era. The era with EPMD, BDP, The Jungle Brothers, Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, De La Soul, Stetsasonic, and the list goes on and on. There were many groups to choose from and they all sounded completely different.



Musically the sample arrangements created by the legendary Bomb-Squad were unique and multi layered. The various noises and sounds put together to make funky beats was a concept not quite heard before. Rebel Without a Pause with it's funky drummer loop and horn sample repeating 96 times brought a rawness to beat making that was infectious and forced you to listen. The imagery of the conscientious objector on Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos puts you right in the middle of a prison break. Chuck D while, not necessarily a Rakim, forcefully made you see his point of view whether you agreed with it or not. Flavor Flav was just fun pure and simple. Just listen to Cold Lampin' With Flavor for the comic relief with no message. Don't Believe the Hype was about media manipulation, Night of the Living Baseheads about the burgeoning crack epidemic. Caught, Can I Get a Witness? about sampling... this record had everything. I played it for over a year straight.



This was a record that came at the right time and can never be repeated, no matter how hard you try to recreate the context. It Takes a Nation of Millions... will stand the test of time as THE greatest hip-hop album of all time. Public Enemy themselves, while able to put together many more classic songs, were never able to recapture the phenomena that was this album. This was the crown jewel of "The Golden Era". You must own this on some tangible format i.e. vinyl, cassette, or CD to possess a piece of music history."