Public Enemy

About

Few rap groups have ever sounded as urgent or as dangerous as Public Enemy. Formed in Roosevelt, New York in 1985 around the tandem of Chuck D and Flavor Flav, they built their reputation on politically charged hip hop that took direct aim at American racism, media manipulation, and systemic inequality. Their second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, was the first hip hop record to top The Village Voice's Pazz and Jop critics' poll, and Fear of a Black Planet followed with singles like Fight the Power and 911 Is a Joke that remain as sharp as ever. Music critic Robert Hilburn called their first four albums the most acclaimed body of work ever by a hip hop act. The Bomb Squad's dense, layered production gave Public Enemy a sound unlike anything else in the genre, and that sonic intensity matched the weight of the message. Stephen Thomas Erlewine called them the most influential and radical band of their time, and their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 made that verdict official. They picked up the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award too, a rare honour for a hip hop act. Chuck D and Flavor Flav have remained the group's core through numerous lineup changes, with DJ Lord joining in 1998 and Enemy Radio emerging as a parallel project featuring Chuck D alongside Jahi and DJ Lord.