In 1988, Public Enemy released a genre-redefining epic album that changed the face of hip hop and pop music forever.
:: It was the second studio album from Public Enemy, released on Def Jam Recordings on June 28th 1988, produced by the Bomb Squad (Hank and Keith Shocklee, Chuck D and Eric "Vietnam" Sadler) with Rick Rubin as executive producer.
:: Recorded at Greene Street Recording and Chung King House of Metal in New York City.
:: This album showed Public Enemy leading the way for sampling: "Night of the Living Baseheads" is complied from 17 different samples, ranging from David Bowie to the Temptations. The production on the album was like no other at the time.
:: Chuck D's lyrics got the album noticed. The album subsequently became a symbol for the political potential of a demographic that was considered to be politically unaware.
:: Directing hip hop away from itself and the audience to the world around them ("I don't rhyme for the sake of riddlin'" - Chuck D on "Don't Believe the Hype") in the time of Regan, Thatcher, Mandela and The Cold War - the album was seen as wake up call - politically and socially. It still inspires a range of artists from Rage Against the Machine to M.I.A.
:: Though the album peaked at number 42 on the Billboard 200 when it was released, it regularly features in lists of most influential/greatest recordings from various publications. In 2003 the album ranked number 48 in Rolling Stone's list of 500 greatest albums of all time; the highest ranking hip hop album on the list.
'It's the DNA of hip hop today…every artist has been influenced by it.' Semtex
Download the Public Enemy Basement podcast:
Hear a selection of tracks on the web:
Don't Believe The Hype
She Watch Channel Zero (live)
Rebel Without A Pause
Listen to the whole album
More from bbc.co.uk:
Zane Lowe - Masterpieces
BBC album review
More from the web:
Documentary on the making of the album
(Warning: Contains language and content that some may find offensive)
Wikipedia
The album's legacy
Official site
MySpace
More classic 1988 albums:
:: Eric B and Rakim - Follow The Leader
