It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

Public Enemy: Chuck D, Flavor Flav (vocals); Norman "Terminator X" Rogers (scratches); Professor Griff (background vocals); The Security Of The First World.
Additional personnel: Eric "Vietnam" Sadler, Hank Shocklee (programming); Johnny Juice Rosado (scratches); The Black To The Future Sample Stars (background vocals).
Engineers include: Nick Sansano, Matt Tritto, Chris Shaw.
Recorded at Greene Street Recording, Chung King House Of Metal, New York, New York, Sabella Recording, Roslyn, New York & Spectrum City Studios, Hempstead, New York.
The title says it all. In 1988, when this album was released, Public Enemy's music cut with a wholly revolutionary edge. Rarely has fear, anger, paranoia and anxiety been so masterfully compressed onto a record's grooves. The Bomb Squad's artistry is the keynote to the hard, lean delivery, while Chuck D's supremely pointed lyrics leave no stone of the black experience unturned. It is not comfortable listening, but on tracks such as 'Don't Believe The Hype', 'Night Of The Living Baseheads' and 'Rebel Without A Pause' the listener is left in no doubt that they are facing a fantastically potent force.