It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

Amazon.com essential recording
It Takes a Nation of Millions was the sign that hip-hop had exploded like a grenade. A rap record as abrasive, hardcore, and eloquent as a JFK speech, the 1988 disc is one classic track after another: tense, multilayered, harmonically wild music. Chuck D. declaims like a master preacher with foil Flavor Flav's voice darting around his. They've got the desperate energy of people fighting for their lives, and everything from their pumped-up rhetoric ("Prophets of Rage") to the group's quasi-paramilitary organization to the sirens and sax squeals in nearly every track declares how urgent their mission is. It's a hugely influential album, and it still sounds fresh and frightening after all these years. --Douglas Wolk

It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back,Public Enemy,Simply Vinyl,East Coast Rap,Golden Age,Hardcore Rap,Hip-Hop,Political Rap,Pop,Rap,Rap & Hip-Hop,United States of America

Average customer rating: the most remarkable event in my history with HIP HOP Who are the idiots?? As eerie as a siren. PUBLIC ENEMY Wall of Sound

It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back Public Enemy Manufacturer: Def Jam ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD East Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Rap & Hip-Hop General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Rap & Hip-Hop General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music $7.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $7.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Rap & Hip-Hop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Fear of a Black Planet Straight Outta Compton Yo! Bum Rush the Show Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Strikes Black The Low End Theory ASIN: B0000024K1 Release Date: 1995-05-02

Tracks:

1. Countdown To Armageddon
2. Bring The Noise
3. Don't Believe The Hype
4. Cold Lampin' With Flavor
5. Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic
6. Mind Terrorist
7. Louder Than A Bomb
8. Caught, Can We Get A Witness?
9. Show Em Whatcha Got
10. She Watch Channel Zero?!
11. Night Of The Living Baseheads
12. Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos
13. Security Of The First World
14. Rebel Without A Pause
15. Prophets Of Rage
16. Party For Your Right To Fight

Amazon.com essential recording

It Takes a Nation of Millions was the sign that hip-hop had exploded like a grenade. A rap record as abrasive, hardcore, and eloquent as a JFK speech, the 1988 disc is one classic track after another: tense, multilayered, harmonically wild music. Chuck D. declaims like a master preacher with foil Flavor Flav's voice darting around his. They've got the desperate energy of people fighting for their lives, and everything from their pumped-up rhetoric ("Prophets of Rage") to the group's quasi-paramilitary organization to the sirens and sax squeals in nearly every track declares how urgent their mission is. It's a hugely influential album, and it still sounds fresh and frightening after all these years. --Douglas Wolk

Customer Reviews:

the most remarkable event in my history with HIP HOP.......2007-07-24

MEXICO CITY 1989.... 15 Y.O. AM JUST A LIL KID HANG'N AROUND PLAYING SOCCER...AND MY COUSIN JUST CAME BACK FROM VISITING FAMILY IN ANAHEIM CALIFORNIA. HE RECORDED A TAPE FROM THIS RADIO STATION CALLED K.D.A.Y.
BROUGHT IT BACK........FIRST TIME I WAS EXPOSE TO THE PHENOMENA OF PUBLIC ENEMY.... BRING THE NOISE.... THE ADRENALINE RUSH WAS LIKE NOTHIN' EVA'....YO NO MATTER WHAT RACE U WERE.... THE PROPHETS OF RAGE.... JUST BLEW MY MIND..... IF U DONT HAVE IT YOUR MISERABLE COLLECTION OF HIP HOP RECORDS IS INCOMPLETE.

Who are the idiots??.......2007-04-14

I'm compelled to provide a review. For one reason. Why the f isn't this a five star album? Some reviewers out their need their keyboards revoked. I've been listening to this record on and off for almost 20 years. Each time I get the same old buzz. My old (much loved) Pixies albums don't come close in terms of providing everlasting pleasure.

For those that don't own this, just "do yourself a favour."

BTW - DJ Spooky Trojan Records excursion is a blast....(on the platter as I write)

As eerie as a siren........2007-02-18

You know, I once saw someone say that this shouldn't be considered music, and in one way, that person is right: it's an aural explosion on record, in a way not even an industrial band could execute it. This record came out at a time I was still coloring walls, but even I could connect well with it, it is that good. The record hasn't aged a bit. The first I heard from P.E. was "Fear of a Black Planet" a few years back, and I really enjoyed that one. I got to this and was shocked at how it was EVEN better.

Chuck D. and Flavor Flav have a delivery that can't be missed, and the Bomb Squad use some awesome loops and samples. The 3 or 4 interludes on here are great too, and not even those come off as filler. The lyrics are intellectual social/political message. There's not much quite like this today, in fact that might even be an understatement. Some tracks come off like siren tracks, like listening to songs like "Night of the Living Baseheads" and such. The live samples add to the energy of this record. It is a hip-hop record, but you don't have to be a fan of the genre to enjoy this. The energy could be appreciated by a rock fan, and the instrumental of a track like "Black Steel..." could be appreciated by a jazz fan maybe. It doesn't need to be limited to genres. It's a great record, period. The influence is something that's even been going on through the times, and that doesn't need to be explained or even justified.

It's cheaply priced and an amazing album, even sounding fresh nearly 20 years. It doesn't even need remastering any time soon! That's all the more impressive. There is so little not to like about this record, it is recommended to everyone from me.

PUBLIC ENEMY.......2006-11-13

WELL, BEING FROM "THE OLD SCHOOL"...YOU KNOW, "THE POSSITIVE ERA", ITS HARD TO FIND TODAY'S HIP-HOP SATISFYING TO MY SOUL.......SO I GO BACK, AND THERE I FIND WHAT I NEED.
PEACE

Wall of Sound.......2006-11-10

Possibly the greatest rap album of all time. The hard rhymer Chuck D. paired with the multi-layered production of Hank Shocklee(Bomb Squad) still packs as potent a punch as when it first dropped. Not to sleep on Flava, the greatest hype man in the business is essential to the final product; I can't imagine this album being as perfect as it is without him.

Average customer rating:

It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back Public Enemy Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music East Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Rap & Hip-Hop General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Rap & Hip-Hop General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Similar Items: Fear of a Black Planet Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Strikes Black Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) Paul's Boutique Straight Outta Compton ASIN: B00000DS9Q Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Countdown to Armageddon
2. Bring the Noise
3. Don't Believe the Hype
4. Cold Lampin' With Flavor
5. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
6. Mind Terrorist
7. Louder Than a Bomb
8. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
9. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
10. She Watch Channel Zero?!
11. Night of the Living Baseheads
12. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
13. Security of the First World
14. Rebel Without a Pause
15. Prophets of Rage
16. Party for Your Right to Fight

Average customer rating:

Outsiders Common Enemy Manufacturer: Spine Punch Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music | Vinyl Records | American Punk | British Punk | Emo | Garage Punk | Hardcore | Post Hardcore | Proto Punk | Punk | Punk Revival | Punk-Pop | Riot Grrl | Ska Punk | Straight Edge Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B000CAGWQE Release Date: 2003-02-11

Tracks:

1. Nihilistic
2. Drug Culture
3. 7 Ply
4. Paralyzed
5. British Invasion
6. Weaned on Lies
7. Nose Candy
8. Schools 'R' Brainwash
9. Laugh and Grow Fat
10. Assimilate
11. Prayer for Profit

Average customer rating: the most remarkable event in my history with HIP HOP Who are the idiots?? As eerie as a siren. PUBLIC ENEMY Wall of Sound

It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back Public Enemy ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD East Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Rap & Hip-Hop | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Fear of a Black Planet Straight Outta Compton Yo! Bum Rush the Show Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Strikes Black The Low End Theory ASIN: B00004SRJ5 Release Date: 2000-04-04

Tracks:

1. Countdown to Armageddon
2. Bring the Noise
3. Don't Believe the Hype
4. Cold Lampin' With Flavor
5. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
6. Mind Terrorist
7. Louder Than a Bomb
8. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
9. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
10. She Watch Channel Zero?!
11. Night of the Living Baseheads
12. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
13. Security of the First World
14. Rebel Without a Pause
15. Prophets of Rage
16. Party for Your Right to Fight

Amazon.com essential recording

It Takes a Nation of Millions was the sign that hip-hop had exploded like a grenade. A rap record as abrasive, hardcore, and eloquent as a JFK speech, the 1988 disc is one classic track after another: tense, multilayered, harmonically wild music. Chuck D. declaims like a master preacher with foil Flavor Flav's voice darting around his. They've got the desperate energy of people fighting for their lives, and everything from their pumped-up rhetoric ("Prophets of Rage") to the group's quasi-paramilitary organization to the sirens and sax squeals in nearly every track declares how urgent their mission is. It's a hugely influential album, and it still sounds fresh and frightening after all these years. --Douglas Wolk

Customer Reviews:

the most remarkable event in my history with HIP HOP.......2007-07-24

MEXICO CITY 1989.... 15 Y.O. AM JUST A LIL KID HANG'N AROUND PLAYING SOCCER...AND MY COUSIN JUST CAME BACK FROM VISITING FAMILY IN ANAHEIM CALIFORNIA. HE RECORDED A TAPE FROM THIS RADIO STATION CALLED K.D.A.Y.
BROUGHT IT BACK........FIRST TIME I WAS EXPOSE TO THE PHENOMENA OF PUBLIC ENEMY.... BRING THE NOISE.... THE ADRENALINE RUSH WAS LIKE NOTHIN' EVA'....YO NO MATTER WHAT RACE U WERE.... THE PROPHETS OF RAGE.... JUST BLEW MY MIND..... IF U DONT HAVE IT YOUR MISERABLE COLLECTION OF HIP HOP RECORDS IS INCOMPLETE.

Who are the idiots??.......2007-04-14

I'm compelled to provide a review. For one reason. Why the f isn't this a five star album? Some reviewers out their need their keyboards revoked. I've been listening to this record on and off for almost 20 years. Each time I get the same old buzz. My old (much loved) Pixies albums don't come close in terms of providing everlasting pleasure.

For those that don't own this, just "do yourself a favour."

BTW - DJ Spooky Trojan Records excursion is a blast....(on the platter as I write)

As eerie as a siren........2007-02-18

You know, I once saw someone say that this shouldn't be considered music, and in one way, that person is right: it's an aural explosion on record, in a way not even an industrial band could execute it. This record came out at a time I was still coloring walls, but even I could connect well with it, it is that good. The record hasn't aged a bit. The first I heard from P.E. was "Fear of a Black Planet" a few years back, and I really enjoyed that one. I got to this and was shocked at how it was EVEN better.

Chuck D. and Flavor Flav have a delivery that can't be missed, and the Bomb Squad use some awesome loops and samples. The 3 or 4 interludes on here are great too, and not even those come off as filler. The lyrics are intellectual social/political message. There's not much quite like this today, in fact that might even be an understatement. Some tracks come off like siren tracks, like listening to songs like "Night of the Living Baseheads" and such. The live samples add to the energy of this record. It is a hip-hop record, but you don't have to be a fan of the genre to enjoy this. The energy could be appreciated by a rock fan, and the instrumental of a track like "Black Steel..." could be appreciated by a jazz fan maybe. It doesn't need to be limited to genres. It's a great record, period. The influence is something that's even been going on through the times, and that doesn't need to be explained or even justified.

It's cheaply priced and an amazing album, even sounding fresh nearly 20 years. It doesn't even need remastering any time soon! That's all the more impressive. There is so little not to like about this record, it is recommended to everyone from me.

PUBLIC ENEMY.......2006-11-13

WELL, BEING FROM "THE OLD SCHOOL"...YOU KNOW, "THE POSSITIVE ERA", ITS HARD TO FIND TODAY'S HIP-HOP SATISFYING TO MY SOUL.......SO I GO BACK, AND THERE I FIND WHAT I NEED.
PEACE

Wall of Sound.......2006-11-10

Possibly the greatest rap album of all time. The hard rhymer Chuck D. paired with the multi-layered production of Hank Shocklee(Bomb Squad) still packs as potent a punch as when it first dropped. Not to sleep on Flava, the greatest hype man in the business is essential to the final product; I can't imagine this album being as perfect as it is without him.

Average customer rating:

It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back [Limited Edition] Public Enemy Manufacturer: Universal/Def Jam ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD East Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Rap & Hip-Hop | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B000026XAP Release Date: 1999-06-02

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