Public Enemy is an American group formed in 1982 in New York and composed of Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Professor Griff, Khari Wynn and Dj Lord. Group whose trademark apart from its musical style Rap is to attack the media in particular in their songs. Particularly on their approach to the frustrations and concerns of the African American community.
Chuch D (real name Carlton Ridenhour) will be behind the name Public Enemy, because he would have felt more or less persecuted by people on the local scene when the band started.
The first album “Yo! Bum rush the show "was released in 1987 and immediately hit the public and critics alike.
But it was not until the album "It takes a nation of millions to hold us back" and the year 1988 to see the group record its first notorious successes. In particular thanks to 2 flagship singles that are "Don’t believe the hype" and "Bring the noise". The album will sell 1,3 million copies, in the United States alone !
The year 1990 saw the release of the album "Fear of a black planet", still as vindictive in terms of texts. Album of all records, both on the sales side and on the classification side in the Charts. It’s a real planetary success.
He will mainly produce the top hits "Welcome to the terrordome", "Brothers gonna work it out" and "Fight the power", considered one of the most striking songs of the Hip-Hop wave. As well as "911 is a joke" which is a particularly violent tribune on the slowness of help in taking care of patients of color.
They re-offend a year later in 1991 with the album "Apocalypse 91 ... The enemy strikes black" which is almost as strong as its predecessor. With the flagship title "Can’t truss it", a once again dissenting single that talks about slavery and how the black community must fight oppression.
1994 saw the release of the album "Muse sick-n-hour message". New planetary success but less than the previous ones. Album that will only produce one hit with "Give it up". The craze for the group is declining ...
To the point that the albums that will be released later will not know the level of success of the previous ones.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Public Ennemy N° 1 1987
You're gonna get yours 1987
Rebel without pause 1987
Bring the noise 1988
Bring the noise (Remix) 1988
Don’t believe the hype 1988
Night of the living baseheads 1988
Black steel in the hour of chaos 1989
Fight the power 1989
Welcome to the terrordome 1990
Brothers gonna work it out 1990
911 is a joke 1990
Can't do nottin' for ya man 1990
Can’t truss it 1991
Shut’ em down 1991
Give it up 1994
He got game 1998
Clips :
1987 ... the shocking arrival of the "persecuted". First title and first classified title directly ! And they immediately display the colors, that's clear. It promises !
1987 ... the paradox of their career start is that the first titles are not even classified in the USA. The first in Australia, this one in England. No one is a prophet in his own country. Not even them ...
1987 ... ditto for this one. A first year of running in to stand out, both positively and negatively ...
1988 ... the title that will really reveal them and completely change the situation. This beginning of 1988 propels them to the front of the stage and creates a dynamic that is not ready to stop ...
1988 ... the bis version. And what a version ! The remix will simply become one of the biggest Dance hits of the end of this decade. Who would've believed that !
1988 ... their watchword : "Don't believe the hype !". The first but not the last of the subliminal messages ! They take advantage of the system while criticizing it openly. Mighty paradox ...
1988 ... a BIG year 1988 which saw them produce for the first time 3 tops hits. Their controversial style is beginning to establish itself as one of the phenomena of the moment ...
1989 ... we set out on more or less the same basis as the previous year. The group is gaining strength, it is obvious, but success remains confined for the moment ...
1989 ... the flagship song of the Hip Hop wave. A end of decade which sees the group fly away and start to fly towards stratospheric heights !
1990 ... a little more music does not harm, quite the contrary ! The group is finally evolving rather positively at this level. And above all, a year will start which will prove to be absolutely amazing !
1990 ... two tops planetary hits in quick succession, we see that the group is now on a particularly favorable dynamic. And we are only halfway through the year ...
1990 ... another tribune against the American society and its inability to take care of the most disadvantaged. Each title is an open platform against the system. So, in the system or outside the system concerning them. Good question...
1990 ... an exceptional 1990 for the group which will have no less than 4 tops planetary hits that year. A record they will never equal again ...
1991 ... change of year, but in terms of all kinds of challenges, nothing has changed ! That doesn't prevent them from signing one of their biggest hits. A systematic challenge that pays for now ...
1991 ... we take the same and start again. What is certain is that it is sorely lacking in music. And yet, that does not prevent this title from making a more than honorable journey in the Charts ...
1994 ... the last major hit. "Give up !" they say ... it's rather their audience who will soon give up
1998 ... surely the most accomplished musical title. It was time ! We despaired of seeing one of this ilk arrive. What better to finish ...
Wiki :
Official Website :
https://www.publicenemy.com/ Greatest Hits :
Discography :