bigd99999's Full Review: Fear of a Black Planet by Public Enemy
Public Enemy is one of the greatest groups in the history of hip-hop. Their controversial, yet classic albums, caused such humongous uproars in the late 80s, and early 90s, due to their powerful, anti-racial and civil rights messages. Chuck D's powerful vocals, Flavor Flav's amazing charisma, Professor Griff's back up, and Terminator X's instrumentals were the driving force behind Public Enemy's rise to power. Giving us a plethora of classic albums, most memorable of which being It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back have catapulted them into being hip-hop's elite. In 1990's Fear of a Black Planet, Public Enemy continues to be the most hated rap group in history...
Track List & Rating
1. Contract on the World Love Jam (instrumental) (NOT RATED)
2. Brothers Gonna Work it Out (*****)
3. 911 is a Joke (******)
4. Incident at 66.6 FM (instrumental) (NOT RATED)
5. Welcome to the Terrordome (******)
6. Meet the G That Killed Me (****)
7. Pollywannacracka (*****)
8. Anti-N*gger Machine (****)
9. Burn Hollywood Burn f/ Big Daddy Kane, Ice Cube (******)
10. Power to the People (******)
11. Who Stole the Soul? (*****)
12. Fear of a Black Planet (******)
13. Revolutionary Generation (*****)
14. Can't Do Nuttin' 4 Ya Man (****)
15. Reggie Jax (****)
16. Leave This Off Your Fu*kin Charts (instrumental) (NOT RATED)
17. B Side Wins Again (*****)
18. War at 33 1/3 (******)
19. Final Count of the Collision Between Us & the Damned (instrumental) (NOT RATED)
20. Fight the Power (******)
Terminator X and The Bomb Squad provide the instrumentals mixed with Flavor Flav's humor and Chuck D's in your face vocals are the perfect mix. Each time Chuck D touches a mic, you know he's got something to say. Chuck D's political messages, social consciousness, intelligence, and extremely powerful, almost preaching voice, was Public Enemy's main weapon towards the world. Chuck D's powerful, intelligent and well-written lyrics scream out on the track in a narrative style which is unmatched by very few emcees.
Fear of a Black Planet is kicked into high gear with "Brothers Gonna Work it Out". Chuck D gives us introspective rhymes about the grimy and gritty lifestyle on the streets, and sort of sarcastically states that they will work it out, but of course, they always will with weapons and violence. Chuck D touches on tons of topics including the misjustice of black individuals, the lies and stories told about history, and what has brought the world to this. Chuck D gives us strong messages about unity and combining the soul of the african american nation together into one, instead of separate. Definetely a strong message, backed by a memorable scratch beat and Flav's background vocals. Chuck D's positive lyrics are a tremendous insight into one of the goals of Public Enemy, and he continues the trend a bit later on the album with the two tracks "Revolutionary Generation" and "Burn Hollywood Burn". The second of these two features legends Ice Cube and Big Daddy Kane, and is a much angrier track, but still contains a positive message deep within its innards. The three emcees lash out against black roles given to actors and the racism that lies within Hollywood itself.
Public Enemy pokes fun at the weakness of the police department with "911 is a Joke". Following in the traditions of N.W.A. and Ice-T, Public Enemy gives us an anti-police song, loaded with humor. Flavor Flav decides to lend his voice to this song and actually rap. Flavor Flav pokes fun at the inability of the cops saving people too late at times, and only showing up whenever they feel like it. Flavor Flav gives us a bunch of clever punchlines, injecting humor to the track, even without the voice of Chuck D. The instrumental uses a variety of drums, snares, and synthesized scratches.
"Welcome to the Terrordome" is a Public Enemy classic. Featuring a loud banging instrumental, with banging synthesized steel drums, a basic drum loop, hard base, and bizarre background sound, this provides a loud backdrop for Chuck D's delivery. Chuck D raps an extremely controversial song, backed by a very controversial video which nobody remembers, where Chuck D gives us a vivid glimpse of his future and what could happen if African-Americans were to continue to be treated injustfully. He predicts and prophesizes riots, chaos, and the downfall of societ. Flavor Flav's background vocals lighten the tone of the track, but this is still as hardcore as Public Enemy can get. Public Enemy's mission to liberate blacks is clear and to the point on this classic.
"Anti-N*gger Machine" is pure controversy at its best, even from the title. After a long instrumental intro, Chuck D begins the song rapping about his own past experiences and childhood, and delves deeper into the fact that the planet is fueled by racism all over the streets, as well as hate crimes. Chuck D spits powerful lyrics about the police firing at him for no reason on the streets during his childhood. He raps about this situation in a first person narrative mode, giving us descriptive lyrics as to what occured that night.
Public Enemy returns to their unique brand of street poetry with "Who Stole the Sole". On this track, Chuck D raps about the lower denominators that african american individuals have to do, and the low levels they have to sink for survivals. Chuck D raps about hate crimes and racial violence in the inner-city suburbs, projects, and neighborhoods around the United States. Chuck D plays on the fact that individuals in this new age are lacking a soul, and touches on everything even remotely close to that subject matter. The instrumental is extremely fast, loud, and cool. Featuring a hoard of drum loops, scratching, sampling, guitars, synthesized guitars, and some unique sound effects, it is perfect for Chuck to rap over.
The title track "Fear of a Black Planet" is a bit more complex, lighthearted, and humorous. Chuck D addresses the fact that black men and white women are not interloping, which will untilmately lead to the end of the white race due to the fact that black babies come more often than not from interratial pregnancies. Chuck D cockily addresses racist white individuals about their fear of having their white daughters go out with black guys, and Chuck D even says himself that he doesn't need the problem. Chuck D's positive lyrics also explode, as he touches on the fact that if they both love each other, that color can definetely not separate them. This is definetely a creative and unique track, masterfully produced.
Of course, the most famous song from Fear of a Black Planet, and possibly the most famous Public Enemy track ever is the infamous "Fight the Power". The single was originally released in the summer of 1990, from the soundtrack to the infamously good Spike Lee movie Do the Right Thing. The instrumental features fast snares, drum loops, hard bass, and synthesized backgrounds, and samples. Chuck D raps with Flavor Flav in the background about fighting towards your beliefs in a very positive way. Chuck D's amazing poetic lyrics about freedom of speech and civil rights fuel this track into being a pure classic.
Fear of a Black Planet is a definitive Hip-Hop Classic. Yet to me it seems that every thing that Public Enemy puts together and every album that they touch is pretty much a classic, or as close to classic as it can get. They have notably become the most controversial group in hip-hop history, hands down. So if you're in the mood to hear realness in every single form, this is a must-have album which should be owned by every hip-hop fan.
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