Re: Album Of The Week: Public Enemy-It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
I'm gonna have to go with overrated.
Let me start off with stating that I don't like rap/hiphop. That being said, I've tried a lot of different rap/hiphop and I've even liked a few songs. This album, however, is not really my thing. I haven't found a single song I really liked, just a few I thought were ok.
Still, there's much worse out there, and I guess it's deserving of it's praise as one of the best (if not the best) hiphop album ever.
Re: Album Of The Week: Public Enemy-It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
I was born & raised on heavy rock music, so i never expected an album (especially a Rap album) without live instruments to be heavy, but that was my first impression when i heard this album as a 10 year old - HEAVY. Heavy beats, heavy vocals & heavy lyrics.
I still list predominantly rock based albums in my top 10, but sitting at #1 is It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back.
Like most classic albums you have to listen to it a handful of times to take it in & appreciate it, but even now i still pick up things i haven't heard or understood before.
If the current batch of so called rappers used this album as the yard stick to measure themselves against hip hop wouldn't be in the sad state that it is and has been for the last 5 - 10 years
I will leave the reviews up to the experts, but i ask anyone who hasn't listened to this album or doubts it's credentials to give it a spin (more than once!) and let it do it's thing.
Re: Album Of The Week: Public Enemy-It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
I really loved this album when it was first released, and for about two straight years afterwards, but I never listen to it now. I'm too old now, I guess.
Re: Album Of The Week: Public Enemy-It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Part of my triple play from the Golden Age, along with Paul's Boutique & 3 Feet High & Rising. Although, for me, Nation still remains a fresher and more satisfying listen the latter two today. This album was undoubtedly revolutionary, nothing close to it's tenacity before it, and with all the possible avenues it opened up for hip hop's future in 1988, it seems nobody took any of those roads to today's rap scene.
This was really where Chuck D's, the Bomb Squad, and Flava were at their tightest and it does come off with a hard dense, almost rocking' vibe. Definitely deserves the acclaim.
Faves: Bring the Noise, Don't Believe The Hype, Black Steel..., Party For Your Right To Fight
Re: Album Of The Week: Public Enemy-It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
The dense production was way ahead of it's time and still stands up today. Chuck D's angry, politically savy flow is unmatched, and Flava Flav was the perfect comic foil. 10/10.
