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Killah Priest - Heavy Mental
Artist: Public Enemy
Label: Def Jam
Date of Review: March 23, 1998
Okay, here's the review you've all been waiting for. . . the ultimate Public Enemy catch-up megamix '98. For those who have been hibernating for the last 10 years and haven't heard of PE, let me fill you in. Public Enemy is one of the most beloved and universally respected rap groups of all time. Their line-up varied from time to time, but its core was in Chuck D, the powerful-voiced lead rapper; Flavor Flav, the goofy-voiced (and goofy-minded) supporter of Chuck's rhymes; and Terminator X, the DJ who only spoke with his hands. Also there for the first few albums was Professor Griff who. . . um, well. . . I'm not really sure what he did. . . damn, what did he do? Anyway, along with various producers, PE were able to drop some of the most revolutionary, not to mention some of the absolute best, rap music ever made. While they started to "fall off" with their last couple of albums, Public Enemy will always be the #1 Hip-Hop group of all time, in my mind. Read on, friend, read on.
Album: Yo! Bum Rush the Show THE GOOD NEWS:
A classic PE album. Chuck's delivery is great, as are the beats. When I first purchased Yo! Bum Rush the Show, I already owned It
Takes a Nation of Millions and Fear of a Black Planet, so I was just
a little disappointed. And I had my reasons. The lyrics here, just as on BDP's
Criminal Minded, aren't the socially conscious, politically minded scriptures
that were found on their later works. I was simply shocked when I first played this and,
instead of hearing the system being dissed, I heard Chuck D bragging about his car
("You're Gonna Get Yours").
Overall, though, that was a small flaw. As a debut, this is truly an excellent album.
While the production can't touch the Bomb Squad's best, there are some dope beats
on tracks such as "You're Gonna Get Yours" and "Sophisticated B*tch." As a
whole album, Yo! is very consistent, and gives everyone a chance to hear
a young, hungry, cocky group of guys, with some extremely innovative beats for their time
(instead of sparse drum beats, Chuck would rap over guitar-loops, car engines revving, and
all sorts of sound effects), that would soon rock the whole world.
8/10
Album: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back THE GOOD NEWS:
Can you say "perfect"? Incredible lyrics, incredible production, incredible album. Public Enemy's second album has to also be my favorite album ever released. This one is
just so damn good. . . I can't say a bad thing about it.
I can't even begin to describe how incredible the production is on Nation.
While on Yo! Bum Rush the Show PE were beginning to explore the uses of
sample manipulation, this album blew the whole concept open. Every track on here is
just a masterpiece of "organized noise." It's truly beautiful to listen to. The Bomb
Squad outdid themselves here. Whether they really knew what they came up with until after
the product is finished is anyone's guess, but I think that the album was more or less
an experiment with sound that was a gigantic triumph. I still to this day will hear new
things that I didn't notice before when I listen to It Takes a Nation of
Millions. Peep the looped Slayer guitar rift on "She Watch Channel Zero?!,"
the pure NOISE of "Terminator X to the Edge of Panic," and the fonke, fonke
sounds of "Party For Your Right to Fight." Witness the genius of these
multi-layered songs that show what samplers were designed for. To this day, there isn't a
better example of electronic music out than Nation of Millions. Some albums,
like DJ Shadow's Endtroducing and Emergency Broadcast Network's
Telecommunication Breakdown may be great, but nothing comes close to this
masterpiece.
As if the sounds alone weren't enough (and they would've been, believe me), the listener
is also treated to some of the greatest displays of rapping in the history of Hip-Hop.
Not only does Chuck come faster, stronger, and in every area better than he did on
Yo!, but the lyrics here are just unbelievable. Easily on par with some of
the lines by Chuck's contemporary Rakim, some of these lyrics are awesome. However, not
content to simply be dope, Chuck also drops some knowledge here. He was one
conscious brother, and addressed issues troubling the black population.
Even numbers without Chuck, like the Flavor Flav solo joint "Cold Lampin With
Flavor" and the several instrumental tracks on the album just add to the variety.
Like I said, this is my favorite album ever released, and there are plenty of reasons
why. Almost anyone that's into Hip-Hop will tell you that this is at least among the five
best rap albums ever released. If you don't own this one. . . you're buggin. Go out and
buy it, you'll thank me later.
10/10
Album: Fear of a Black Planet THE GOOD NEWS:
Falls just short of It Takes a Nation of Millions and is an excellent
follow-up. It's overall even more consistent and organized than Nation,
working even better as a total "album" than its predecesor. When this album was first released, I doubt many people thought PE would be albe to
even come close to touching It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.
Well, here's a surprise: Fear of a Black Planet is almost equal to
Nation of Millions, falling just short. Public Enemy's third album is truly
incredible, just as their second album was.
Lyrically, this album may be even stronger than Nation. Chuck is just
as impressive as before, and this time Flavor actually comes somewhat serious (but still
with plenty of humor) on "911 is a Joke" (discussing the emergency service's
inability to reach victims fast enough) and "Can't Do Nuttin' For Ya Man." The
guest appearances of Ice Cube and Big Daddy Kane on "Burn Hollywood Burn" add quite
a bit of variety to the album, and take nothing away, as PE were smart enough to only do
that one song with guest-spots, letting their own talent shine on the rest of the album.
And what talent it is. . . obviously, the production on this album is incredible. A
little more laid back than Nation and Yo!, yet still as
heavy-hitting as anyone could want.
This album was the absolute perfect follow-up to Nation of Millions.
Almost coming stronger in the way of organization, this album almost feels like one very
long song from the first few notes of "Contract on the World Love Jam" to the
cryptic ending of "Fight the Power." The message here is basically the same as
on Nation, that is, exposing racial injustices of "the system" against
Africans and other minorities, but somehow it comes across even stronger here. This album
was meant to be listened to as a whole album, rather than just a set of songs, and
as a complete album, this just may be Public Enemy's strongest. The individual
songs may not be quite at the level of some of the best on Nation of
Millions, but when listened to in its entirety, Fear of a Black
Planet reaches a dizzying height unmatched by many modern releases. Another
classic.
10/10
Album: Apocalypse 91: The Enemy Strikes Black THE GOOD NEWS:
PE just keep on going with another incredible album. This one was a change of pace,
but in a good way. They come different, but still correct, in terms of message and
beats. Well, a word to describe Public Enemy's fourth album would be interesting.
Excellent would be another. Apocalypse 91: The Enemy Strikes Back doesn't
sound quite like anything else that they've done, finding PE reaching out in an entirely
new direction.
The helm of the production is taken from the Bomb Squad by a new group of producers,
the Imperial Grand Ministers of Funk. As their name implies, they add a bit more of a
funk vibe, incorporating more live instruments than Nation or
Fear, while still keeping much of the noise of the Bomb Squad. As a whole,
the production here is a great success. I personally don't like it as much as PE's
second and third albums, but I can imagine that some people would like it even more.
Surprisingly, the message on Apocalypse 91 changed quite a bit from
on PE's previous efforts, as well. Instead of attacking the system for keeping black
people down, this time Public Enemy actually focus much of their attention on problems
within the black community itself that need to be fixed. As with the change in production,
this too is a successful change.
I guess I should note that Chuck's lyrics are still as dope as ever. The new angle that
he's coming from on this album actually allows him to mature even more as a lyricist,
assuming the role of a positive role-model, even a father figure, as opposed to the
angry, millitant freedom fighter on Nation and Fear or the
cocky kid on Yo!
Now to the bad news. . . Apocalypse 91 simply doesn't have that
"something" that made Nation of Millions and Fear of a Black
Planet virtually perfect albums. What this "something" is, I don't know. . .
But, other than the intangible, there are a few flaws on this album that should be brought
up. First of all, some of the swearing on this album annoyingly gets censored. Why this
was done, I have no clue. For instance, on the anti-alchohol song "1 Million
Bottlebags," when Chuck says:
The "f*ck"s are replaced by the sounds of bottles breaking. Now, that was just an
awesome line (almost makes me wanna quit drinking ;) ), but it sorta got ruined by the
censoring. . . no props for that.
On the subject of this album's flaws, it would only be natural to bring up PE's cover
of their own song, "Bring The Noise" from It Takes a Nation of
Millions, this time titled "Bring Tha Noize" featuring metal band Anthrax.
Well, it's a cool version and all, but it can't touch the original. What bothers me about
it is when the guys from Anthrax try rapping. . . how'd they get away with that? Chuck's
verses over all the guitars actually sound pretty dope, but when these guys rap. . . ouch.
However, even with these flaws, this is still a great album. It may not be Public
Enemy's best, but it is definitely close, and it's certainly much better than almost
anything out by anyone else. I wasn't too crazy about this album when I first picked it up,
but the more I listened, the more I realized that this was another PE classic. The very few
minor flaws aside, this one will definitely please all fans of Public Enemy, and probably
anyone that loves Hip-Hop, as well.
9/10
Album: Greatest Misses THE GOOD NEWS:
Well, it's another Public Enemy CD. For what this is, it's really not too bad, and some
of the tracks were decent enough. For the first time in their careers, Public Enemy DIDN'T come out with an awesome album.
In fact, Greatest Misses is quite ordinary. Why this happened, I'm really
not sure. But, all I now is that this album wasn't anywhere close to any of their previous
efforts. Of course, if you read the inside booklet, it says "this is not an album." So. . .
I guess they had room for error.
Divided into two halves, one of new material, another of remixes of past songs,
Greatest Misses comes with no central idea or vision like PE's other albums.
This isn't to say that some of the songs aren't fonke. . . but the album lacks whatever
made PE's previous records great.
The new songs are a mixed bag at best. While some manage to sound good, none are among
PE's finest. As for the remixes, none actually improve upon the original songs, and
therefore seem somewhat useless. Run-DMC DJ Jam Master Jay's remix of "Louder Than a
Bomb" and Greg Beasely's "Party For Your Right to Fight (Black Wax Metromixx)"
were the only real standouts, and even these couldn't touch the originals. . . if it ain't
broke, don't fix it.
Still, this album was somehow still cool and very fun to listen to. And, it definitely
belongs in the libraries of all Public Enemy fanatics. Is it worth buying for the casual
fan? Probably not.
5/10
Album: Muse Sick-N-Hour Mess Age THE GOOD NEWS:
The message here is as strong as ever, as are Chuck's lyrics. Wow. . . what a let-down. I would've never believed PE could release something this
sub-par. I REALLY wanted to like this album. But I just couldn't. I gave it a
chance. I kept on playing it, hoping it would get better. Well, if anything, I just grew
more tired of it. Sure, some of the tracks on here, such as "Hitler Day," are
interesting, as Chuck still has plenty to say and says it will. However, very few
tracks are actually good. I'll go as far as saying that even the best tracks on Muse
Sick-N-Hour Mess Age can't even come close to holding a candle to the worst tracks
on PE's first four albums.
Why, you ask? It's all about the production. Considering the heights they reached in
the past, it's a sad fact to hear such lame background tracks by the Bomb Squad. I don't
know what happened. . . my guess would be laziness. As far as effort goes, this one was
just awful. . . aside from Chuck, that is. After listening to this, I was under the
impression that Chuck D. was the only member of Public Enemy actually trying. He
does give it his best, writing superb lyrics and still making you think. . . but he can't
overcome the other faults in this album. The sounds here often sound like jumbled noise,
a far cry from the multi-layered samples of old. And Flav. . . boy, he just comes off
spouting nonsense. . . except this time it just seems old. What's with that Last Poets
cover? Just awful. . .
This is not to say that Public Enemy's sixth album is total garbage. It has its moments,
such as the funk-inspired "Give It Up" and the sleek-sounding "So Whatcha Gone
Do Now?" And, as I said, there's nothing wrong with the lyrics. But even a great
lyricist like Chuck D. can't overshadow a really, really wack beat. And that's what he's
faced with on Muse Sick-N-Hour Mess Age. Even the high points on Muse
Sick wouldn't belong on any of PE's first four albums. This was just a sad
album. . . I feel depressed everytime I listen to it. . . sorry.
Maybe I'm being too critical, as this is PE, and even a sub-par album by them is worth a
listen, but really, this was as big of a disappointment as I've ever heard in my life (and
I've heard plenty).
4/10
There you have it, Public Enemy. Not counting those last two albums, they had one of the
most impressive track records in Hip-Hop history. As influential as rap groups can get,
they not only inspired fellow rappers such as Ice Cube and Poor Righteous Teachers to
move into the political field, but were also a great inspiration on music as a whole,
forcing free speech issues upon people, as well as paving the way for successful Rap/Rock
groups such as Rage Against The Machine with their groundbreaking tours with Anthrax and
U2. Supposedly, the boys have a new album coming out sometime within the next couple of
months. . . we'll have to wait and see about that one, I guess.
Well, if you don't own any albums by Public Enemy yet, I suggest now's the time to go
get some. They shouldn't be too hard to find. . . try checking in your local record
store under the P's, right next to the billion or so Puff Daddy albums. But, even though
they might be next to Puff, make no doubt about it, PE are real Hip-Hop. This thing we call
Hip-Hop wouldn't be what it is today without them.
---Steve Clark
Did I get it wrong? E-mail me at
stevec@netnitco.net with all comments or questions you may have.
Go back to
GHETTO MUSIC.
Genre: Semi-"Old School," almost Run-DMC sounding Hip-Hop.
Producers and Musicians: Produced by Bill Stephney with Hank Shocklee and
Carl Ryder. Executive Producer: Rick Rubin.
Tracks: 12 tracks at 46:37.
Profanity: Maybe two or three vulgar words. A little bit, but not much.
Year of Release: 1987
THE BAD NEWS:
The lyrics here weren't as politically motivated as many of PE's later work, and Public
Enemy as a whole hadn't evolved to the perfection they would soon achieve.
Genre: Political Hip-Hop backed up by an unbelievable array of samples.
Producers and Musicians: Produced by Hank Shocklee, Carl Ryder. Assistant
Producer: Eric (Vietnam) Sadler.
Tracks: 16 tracks at 57:51.
Profanity: A very small ammount.
Year of Release: 1988
THE BAD NEWS:
Um. . . hmmmmmm. . . bad news? None here.
Genre: Political Hip-Hop backed up by an unbelievable array of samples.
Producers and Musicians: Produced by the Bomb Squad: Hank Shocklee, Carl
Ryder, Eric (Vietnam) Sadler, and Keith Shocklee.
Tracks: 20 tracks at 63:08.
Profanity: Sure, some. A little more than the first two. Still not tons
(I mean, nothing like N.W.A or Ice Cube or the like).
Year of Release: 1990
THE BAD NEWS:
Well, not much, to tell the truth. . . I suppose the only possible complaint could be that
it doesn't have too many "stand-out tracks."
Genre: Political Hip-Hop, this time with more of a "funk" feel.
Producers and Musicians: Produced by The Imperial Grand Ministers of Funk:
Stuart Robertz, Cerwin (C-Dawg) Depper, Gary G-Wiz, and "The JBL." Executive Produced by
The Bomb Squad.
Tracks: 14 tracks at 52:02.
Profanity: A little bit. Quite a bit of it got "bleeped out," though.
Year of Release: 1991
THE BAD NEWS:
Not much bad news here. The censoring of profanity is annoying, as are the verses by the
guys from Anthrax. The album also isn't quite a Nation of Millions or
Fear of a Black Planet.
"He call it gettin f*cked up
Like we ain't f*cked up already"
Genre: Political Hip-Hop.
Producers and Musicians: The first half is produced by The Bomb Squad,
The Imperial Grand Ministers of Funk, and Dr. Treble N Mr. Bass. The second half remixes
are by Damon Dollars, Jam Master Jay and Chy-Skills, Jeff Trotter (Terminator X), DJ Chuck
Chillout and Salami Remi, Sir Jinx, and Greg Beasely.
Tracks: 13 tracks at 55:37.
Profanity: A tad bit here, a tad bit there.
Year of Release: 1992
THE BAD NEWS:
The new tracks aren't great, nor are most of the remixes. Overall, this album just couldn't
do it like previous PE efforts did.
Genre: Political Hip-Hop.
Producers and Musicians: Gary G-Wiz, Bomb Squad Production, Flavor Flav,
Keith Shocklee, Carl Ryder, Studdah Man.
Tracks: 21 tracks at 71:53.
Profanity: Yeah, actually a lot this time. Much more than on any of their
previous albums.
Year of Release: 1994
THE BAD NEWS:
Sloppy production is its major flaw. The album simply fails miserably in any sort
of comparison to the records of PE's glory days.