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It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is the second studio album by American
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 hip hop
Hip hop music

Hip hop music is a music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rapping which is accompanied with backing beats. Hip hop music is part of hip hop culture, which began in the Bronx, in New York City in the 1970s, predominantly among African Americans and Latino Americans....
 group Public Enemy, released on Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings

Def Jam Recordings is a United States based hip hop music record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Music Group....
 in the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 on April 14, 1988 (see 1988 in music
1988 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988....
).

Enormously influential, the album's mix of The Bomb Squad
The Bomb Squad

The Bomb Squad is an influential hip hop production team, known for their work with Public Enemy . The Bomb Squad are noted for their dense, distinct, innovative production style, often utilizing dozens of samples on just one track....
's dense, sample
Sampling (music)

In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an musical instrument or a different sound recording of a song....
-heavy production and Chuck D
Chuck D

Carlton Douglas Ridenhour , better known by his stage name, Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. He helped create politically and socially conscious rap music in the late 1980s as the leader of the rap group, Public Enemy ....
's politically charged lyrics turned the album into a sensation, peaking at #42 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200

The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling Albums and extended play in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine....
, and at #1 on the Billboard
Billboard

Billboard is a weekly United States magazine devoted to the music industry. It maintains several internationally recognized Record chart that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis....
 R&B/Hip hop
Hip hop

Hip hop is a cultural movement built largely around the music genre of hip hop music, which developed in New York City during the 1970s primarily among African Americans and Latino Americans....
 Album charts.

ly regarded as the group's magnum opus
Magnum opus

Magnum opus , from the Latin meaning great work, refers to the largest, and perhaps the best, greatest, most popular, or most renowned achievement of an author, artist, or composer....
, the album regularly ranks as one of the greatest and most influential recordings of all time in various publications.






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Encyclopedia


It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is the second studio album by American
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 hip hop
Hip hop music

Hip hop music is a music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rapping which is accompanied with backing beats. Hip hop music is part of hip hop culture, which began in the Bronx, in New York City in the 1970s, predominantly among African Americans and Latino Americans....
 group Public Enemy, released on Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings

Def Jam Recordings is a United States based hip hop music record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Music Group....
 in the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 on April 14, 1988 (see 1988 in music
1988 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988....
).

Enormously influential, the album's mix of The Bomb Squad
The Bomb Squad

The Bomb Squad is an influential hip hop production team, known for their work with Public Enemy . The Bomb Squad are noted for their dense, distinct, innovative production style, often utilizing dozens of samples on just one track....
's dense, sample
Sampling (music)

In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an musical instrument or a different sound recording of a song....
-heavy production and Chuck D
Chuck D

Carlton Douglas Ridenhour , better known by his stage name, Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. He helped create politically and socially conscious rap music in the late 1980s as the leader of the rap group, Public Enemy ....
's politically charged lyrics turned the album into a sensation, peaking at #42 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200

The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling Albums and extended play in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine....
, and at #1 on the Billboard
Billboard

Billboard is a weekly United States magazine devoted to the music industry. It maintains several internationally recognized Record chart that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis....
 R&B/Hip hop
Hip hop

Hip hop is a cultural movement built largely around the music genre of hip hop music, which developed in New York City during the 1970s primarily among African Americans and Latino Americans....
 Album charts.

Reception and influence

Widely regarded as the group's magnum opus
Magnum opus

Magnum opus , from the Latin meaning great work, refers to the largest, and perhaps the best, greatest, most popular, or most renowned achievement of an author, artist, or composer....
, the album regularly ranks as one of the greatest and most influential recordings of all time in various publications. In 2003, the album was ranked number 48 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone is a United States-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J....
 magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time

The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time is the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone magazine published in November 2003.Related news articles:* The list was based on the votes of 273 rock musicians, critics and industry figures, each of whom submitted a weighted list of 50 albums....
. It is the highest ranking hip hop album on the list. Acclaimedmusic.net ranks the album as the 17th best album of all time and also the greatest hip-hop album. Time
Time (magazine)

Time is a weekly United States newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report. A European edition is published from London....
 Magazine hailed it as one of the 100 greatest albums of all time in 2006. It was listed in The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. Even Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain

Kurt Donald Cobain was an American musician who served as Singer, guitarist, and songwriter for the Grunge music band Nirvana .With the lead single "Smells Like Teen Spirit" from Nirvana's second album Nevermind , Cobain with Nirvana entered into the mainstream, bringing along with them a subgenre of alternative rock called Grunge musi...
, the lead guitarist and singer of the grunge band Nirvana
Nirvana

In sramana thought, Nirvana is the state of being free from both dukkha and the cycle of rebirth. It is an important concept in Buddhism and Jainism....
, listed 'It Takes A Nation of Millions' as one of his top 50 favorite albums in his journals.

Professional reviews:
  • Rolling Stone - "Loud, obnoxious, funky, avant-garde, political, uncompromising, hilarious."


  • Spin - Included in Spin's list of the Top Ten College Cult Classics - "In any context, a revolutionary work."
    • Spin (12/03, p.122) - "Nation of Millions lived up to its hype and then some."


  • Q
    Q (magazine)

    Q is a music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom, with a circulation of 130,179 as of June 2007.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology — from artists suc...
     magazine (10/01, p.44) - Ranked #47 in Q's "Best 50 Albums of Q's Lifetime."
    • Q (9/95, p.132) - 5 Stars - Indispensable - "...the greatest rap album of all time, a landmark and classic."
      • Q magazine (p.140) - 4 stars out of 5 - "Packed full of loud, obnoxious classics....You really should own this by now."


  • Alternative Press (11/00, p.144) - Included in AP's "10 Essential Political-Revolution Albums."
    • Alternative Press (8/01, p.112) - Included in AP's "10 Essential '80s Albums".
      • Alternative Press (7/95, pp.76-77) - Ranked #6 in AP's list of the 'Top 99 Of '85-'95' -"After It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, rap couldn't just be stupid and boom and yelp--it had to have production values and 'relevance'."


  • Vibe (12/99, p.158) - Included in Vibe's 100 Essential Albums of the 20th Century.
    • Vibe (6/02, p.108) - Ranked #1 in Vibe's "Top 10 rap albums".


  • Melody Maker
    Melody Maker

    Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was 1926 in music as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 in British music it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express....
     (7/22/95, p.35) - Bloody Essential - "I hadn't believed it could get harder [than Yo! Bum Rush The Show]. Or better....It was like being beaten over the head in four/four time with a skip."


  • Mojo (6/00, pp.124-5) - "Responsible for the angriest polemic since The Last Poets....[They] revolutionized the music, using up to 80 backing tracks in the sonic assault....to these ears PE sound like the greatest rock'n'roll band in history."


  • NME
    NME

    The New Musical Express is a popular music magazine in the United Kingdom which has been published weekly since March 1952. It was the first British paper to include a singles chart, which first appeared in the 14 November 1952 edition....
     (9/25/93, p.18) - Ranked #5 in NME's list of The 50 Greatest Albums Of The '80s - "...[It Takes a Nation...] drags punk, rock, and hip-hop screaming towards the end of the century....Definitive."
    • NME
      NME

      The New Musical Express is a popular music magazine in the United Kingdom which has been published weekly since March 1952. It was the first British paper to include a singles chart, which first appeared in the 14 November 1952 edition....
       (10/2/93, p.29) - Ranked #9 in NME's list of the 'Greatest Albums Of All Time.'
      • NME
        NME

        The New Musical Express is a popular music magazine in the United Kingdom which has been published weekly since March 1952. It was the first British paper to include a singles chart, which first appeared in the 14 November 1952 edition....
         (7/15/95, p.47) - 10 (out of 10) - "...the greatest hip-hop album ever....this wasn't merely a sonic triumph. This was also where Chuck wrote a fistful of lyrics that promoted him to the position of foremost commentator/documentor of life in the underbelly of the USA."


Track listing

All songs written by Carlton "Chuck D" Ridenhour
Chuck D

Carlton Douglas Ridenhour , better known by his stage name, Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. He helped create politically and socially conscious rap music in the late 1980s as the leader of the rap group, Public Enemy ....
, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler
The Bomb Squad

The Bomb Squad is an influential hip hop production team, known for their work with Public Enemy . The Bomb Squad are noted for their dense, distinct, innovative production style, often utilizing dozens of samples on just one track....
, and Hank Shocklee
The Bomb Squad

The Bomb Squad is an influential hip hop production team, known for their work with Public Enemy . The Bomb Squad are noted for their dense, distinct, innovative production style, often utilizing dozens of samples on just one track....
, except where noted.

  1. "Countdown to Armageddon" – 1:40
  2. "Bring the Noise
    Bring the Noise

    "Bring the Noise" is a song by the hip hop music group Public Enemy . It was included on the Soundtrack album of the 1987 film Less Than Zero and was also released as a Single that year....
    " – 3:46
  3. "Don't Believe the Hype
    Don't Believe the Hype

    "Don't Believe the Hype" is the second single of Public Enemy 's second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. The song's lyrics are mostly about the political issues that were current in the United States at the time of its release....
    " (Ridenhour, Sadler, Shocklee, William "Flavor Flav" Drayton
    Flavor Flav

    William Jonathan Drayton Jr. , better known by his stage name Flavor Flav, is an United States rapper, television star, and member of the politically and socially conscious rap group Public Enemy ....
    ) – 5:19
  4. "Cold Lampin' With Flavor" (Sadler, Shocklee, Drayton) – 4:17
  5. "Terminator X to the Edge of Panic" (Ridenhour, Norman "Terminator X" Rogers, Drayton) – 4:31
  6. "Mind Terrorist" – 1:21
  7. "Louder Than a Bomb" – 3:37
  8. "Caught, Can We Get a Witness" – 4:53
  9. "Show 'Em Whatcha Got" – 1:56
  10. "She Watch Channel Zero?!" (Ridenhour, Sadler, Shocklee, Richard "Professor Griff" Griffin
    Professor Griff

    Richard "Professor Griff" Griffin is an United States rapper and spoken word artist and is a former member of the hip hop group Public Enemy and head of the S1W ....
    , Drayton) – 3:49
  11. "Night of the Living Baseheads
    Night of the Living Baseheads

    "Night of the Living Baseheads" is the third single released by hip hop music group Public Enemy , from their critically acclaimed album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back....
    " – 3:14
  12. "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
    Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos

    "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" is a song by the United States Hip hop music group Public Enemy from their second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back....
    " (Ridenhour, Sadler, Shocklee, Drayton) – 6:23
  13. "Security of the First World" – 1:20
  14. "Rebel Without a Pause" (Ridenhour, Sadler, Shocklee, Rogers) – 5:02
  15. "Prophets of Rage" (Ridenhour, Sadler, Shocklee, Drayton) – 3:18
  16. "Party for Your Right to Fight" – 3:24


Don't Look Back tour May 2008

Public Enemy performed the album in its entirety to audiences in the UK during May 2008 as part of the 'Don't Look Back' series of concerts which saw classic rap albums such as 'Nation of Millions' and Raekwon's 'Only Built 4 Cuban Linx' performed for the first time in years.

These performances were also included on the extended tour in Australia, including shows in Brisbane and Sydney.

Song title references

Certain track titles refer to other titles from popular culture. These include:
  • The title of the track "Louder Than a Bomb" was influenced by the title of The Smiths
    The Smiths

    The Smiths were an English Rock music band formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the songwriting partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce ....
    ' album Louder Than Bombs
    Louder Than Bombs

    Louder Than Bombs is a compilation album by The Smiths. It was released as a double album in March 1987 by their United States record company, Sire Records....
    .
  • "Party for Your Right to Fight" is a rearrangement of the Beastie Boys'
    Beastie Boys

    Beastie Boys are an American hip hop music group from New York City consisting of Michael Diamond, Adam Yauch, and Adam Horovitz. Since around the time of the Hello Nasty album, the DJ for the group has been Mix Master Mike, who was first featured in the song "Three MC's and One DJ"....
     song, "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)" (frequently referred to as: "Fight For Your Right to Party").
  • The track title "Rebel Without a Pause" is influenced by the iconic 1955 film "Rebel Without a Cause
    Rebel Without a Cause

    Rebel Without a Cause is a 1955 in film film directed by Nicholas Ray that tells the story of a rebellious Adolescence#Teenagers played by James Dean, who comes to a new town, meets a girl, defies his parents, and faces the local high school bullies....
    " starring James Dean
    James Dean

    James Byron Dean was a two-time Academy Award-nominated American film actor. Dean's status as a cultural icon is best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause, in which he starred as troubled stereotypical high school rebel Jim Stark....
    .
  • Night of the Living Baseheads references the film Night of the Living Dead
    Night of the Living Dead

    Night of the Living Dead, directed by George Romero, is a 1968 in film independent film black-and-white horror film. Ben and Barbra are the protagonists of a story about the mysterious Corporeal reanimation of the recently dead, and their efforts, along with five other people, to survive the night while trapped in a rural Pennsylvania...
    . It connects people addicted to crack cocaine with zombies.


Personnel

  • Producers – Rick Rubin
    Rick Rubin

    Frederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an United States record producer and is currently the co-head of Columbia Records. He is given credit for merging hip hop music and heavy metal music as well as producing the "Johnny Cash discography#American Recordings" albums with Johnny Cash....
     (exec.), Eric "Vietnam" Sadler (assistant producer), Carl Ryder, Hank Shocklee
  • Vocals – Professor Griff
    Professor Griff

    Richard "Professor Griff" Griffin is an United States rapper and spoken word artist and is a former member of the hip hop group Public Enemy and head of the S1W ....
    , Chuck D., Fab 5 Freddy, Flavor Flav
    Flavor Flav

    William Jonathan Drayton Jr. , better known by his stage name Flavor Flav, is an United States rapper, television star, and member of the politically and socially conscious rap group Public Enemy ....
    , Erica Johnson, Oris Josphe, Harry Allen
  • Engineers – John Harrison, Jeff Jones, Nick Sansano, Chuck Valle, Greg Gordon, Jim Sabella, Matt Tritto, Christopher Shaw
  • Mixing – Steven Ett, Rod Hui
    Rod Hui

    Rod Hui was one of the early pioneers of hip-hop and rap recording. Based out of Greene St. Recording, he worked on albums such as Run-D.M.C.'s Run-D.M.C....
    , Keith Boxley, Chuck Chillout
  • Scratching – Norman Rogers, Johnny Juice Rosado
  • Turntables – Terminator X, Johnny Juice Rosado
  • Photography – Glen E. Friedman
    Glen E. Friedman

    Glen E. Friedman is an American photographer and artist....
  • Programming – Hank Shocklee, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler
  • Production supervisor – Bill Stephney


Chart positions


Album

Album chart positions are taken from Billboard magazine (North America
North America

North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost totally in the western hemisphere....
).
Chart (1988)Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200
Billboard 200

The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling Albums and extended play in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine....
42
U.S. Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums1

Singles

Singles chart positions are taken from Billboard magazine (North America
North America

North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost totally in the western hemisphere....
).
SongChart (1988)Peak
position
"Bring the Noise
Bring the Noise

"Bring the Noise" is a song by the hip hop music group Public Enemy . It was included on the Soundtrack album of the 1987 film Less Than Zero and was also released as a Single that year....
"		U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks56
"Don't Believe the Hype
Don't Believe the Hype

"Don't Believe the Hype" is the second single of Public Enemy 's second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. The song's lyrics are mostly about the political issues that were current in the United States at the time of its release....
"		U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks18
U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play21
U.S. Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales17
"Night of the Living Baseheads
Night of the Living Baseheads

"Night of the Living Baseheads" is the third single released by hip hop music group Public Enemy , from their critically acclaimed album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back....
"		U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks62
SongChart (1989)Peak
position
"Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos

"Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" is a song by the United States Hip hop music group Public Enemy from their second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back....
"		U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks86
U.S. Hot Rap Singles11


Singles information

Single information
"Bring the Noise
Bring the Noise

"Bring the Noise" is a song by the hip hop music group Public Enemy . It was included on the Soundtrack album of the 1987 film Less Than Zero and was also released as a Single that year....
" Single from the Less Than Zero
Less Than Zero (film)

Less Than Zero is a 1987 film loosely based on the Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis. It stars Andrew McCarthy as Clay, a college freshman returning home for Christmas to find his ex-girlfriend has been having sex with his high school friend who is also a junkie and being hassled by his dealer to whom he owes money....
 soundtrack
  • Released: 1987
  • A-side: "Are You My Woman?" by The Black Flames
"Don't Believe the Hype
Don't Believe the Hype

"Don't Believe the Hype" is the second single of Public Enemy 's second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. The song's lyrics are mostly about the political issues that were current in the United States at the time of its release....
"
  • Released: 1988
  • B-side: "Prophets of Rage"
    • "Night of the Living Baseheads
    Night of the Living Baseheads

    "Night of the Living Baseheads" is the third single released by hip hop music group Public Enemy , from their critically acclaimed album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back....
    "
  • Released: 1988
  • B-side: "Cold Lampin' With Flavor" & "Terminator X to the Edge of Panic"
    • "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
    Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos

    "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" is a song by the United States Hip hop music group Public Enemy from their second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back....
    "
  • Released: 1989
  • B-side: "Caught, Can We Get A Witness? (Pre Black Steel Ballistic Felony Dub)"


    • Partial list of samples

    The following lists some of the songs and sounds sampled on It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. In an interview years later, producer Hank Shocklee said that in the face of increased clearance costs for copyrighted material that replicating the number of samples used on the album wouldn't be impossible, but would be far more expensive than it was at the time.

    "Bring the Noise"
    • Intro speech by Malcolm X
      Malcolm X

      Malcolm X , also known as Hajji Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister, public speaker, and human rights activist. To his admirers, he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its crimes against black Americans....
       (the "too black... too strong" quote is extracted from the full quote where he says "It's just like when you've got some coffee that's too black, which means it's too strong. What do you do? You integrate it with cream, you make it weak. But if you pour too much cream in it, you won't even know you ever had coffee. It used to be hot, it becomes cool. It used to be strong, it becomes weak. It used to wake you up, now it puts you to sleep.) .
    • "It's My Thing" by Marva Whitney
      Marva Whitney

      Marva Whitney is an African American funk singer. She is considered by many funk enthusiasts to be one of the "rawest" and "brassiest" music divas....
    • "Funky Drummer
      Funky drummer

      "Funky Drummer" is a funk song recorded by James Brown and his band. The recording's drum solo, performed by drummer Clyde Stubblefield, is one of the most frequently sampling break in hip hop music and popular music; indeed, it lays a strong claim to being the most sampled recording ever....
      " by James Brown
      James Brown

      James Joseph Brown, Jr. was an United States entertainer. He is recognized as one of the most influential figures in 20th century popular music and was renowned for his vocals and feverish dancing....
        (drums during the "Never badder than bad..." verse)
    • "Get Off Your Ass and Jam
      Get Off Your Ass and Jam

      "Get Off Your Ass and Jam" is a song by Funkadelic, track number 6 to their 1975 in music album Let's Take It to the Stage. It was written by George Clinton , although the lyrics are comprised entirely of repetitions of the phrase, "Shit! Goddamn! Get off yo' ass and jam!", interspersed with lengthy guitar solos performed by Michael Hampt...
      " by Funkadelic
      Funkadelic

      Funkadelic was an African American music band most prominent during the 1970s. It and its sister act Parliament , both led by George Clinton , began the funk culture of that decade....
        (opening guitar solo)
    • "Fantastic Freaks at the Dixie" by DJ Grand Wizard Theodore (scratch phrase: "say turn it up")
    • "Give It Up Or Turn It A Loose" by James Brown
      James Brown

      James Joseph Brown, Jr. was an United States entertainer. He is recognized as one of the most influential figures in 20th century popular music and was renowned for his vocals and feverish dancing....
       (the backwards loop in the chorus)
    • "Get On Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" by James Brown
      James Brown

      James Joseph Brown, Jr. was an United States entertainer. He is recognized as one of the most influential figures in 20th century popular music and was renowned for his vocals and feverish dancing....
       (the scratching done before the last verse)
    • "The Assembly Line" by The Commodores (drum loop and "UGH! chants in the scratching bridge)
    • "I Don't Know What this World is Coming To" by the Soul Children


    "Don't Believe the Hype"
    • "Synthetic Substitution" by Melvin Bliss(drums)
    • "Do the Funky Penguin" by Rufus Thomas
      Rufus Thomas

      Rufus Thomas, Jr. was a rhythm and blues, funk and soul music singer and comedian fromMemphis, Tennessee, Tennessee, who recorded on Sun Records in the...
    • "I Got Ants in my Pants" & "Escape-ism" by James Brown (trumpet squeak)


    "Cold Lampin' With Flavor"
    • "Funk It Up!" by Sweet
      Sweet (band)

      Sweet were a popular 1970s United Kingdom glam rock band ....
    • "Jungle Fever" by Chakachas
    • "Here We Go" (Live) by Run-DMC (vocals: 'Aah yeah!')
    • "Gimme Some More" by The J.B.'s
      The J.B.'s

      The J.B.s were James Brown's band during the first half of the 1970s. On record the J.B.s were sometimes billed under various alternate names such as The James Brown Soul Train, Maceo and the Macks and The Last Word....
    • "I Know You Got Soul" by Bobby Byrd
      Bobby Byrd

      Bobby Byrd born Robert Howard Byrd was an African American funk/soul music/Rhythm and blues/gospel music musician, songwriter and record producer....
    • "Lesson One (The Payoff Mix)" by Double Dee and Steinski
      Double Dee and Steinski

      Doug DiFranco and Steve Stein were Hip hop music producers who achieved notoriety in the early 1980s for a series of Underground music hip-hop sampling -based collages known as the Lessons....
        (vocals: "Now we come to the payoff")
    • "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party)" by The Beastie Boys (vocals: "Yeah!")


    "Terminator X to the Edge of Panic"
    • "Flash
      Flash (song)

      "Flash" is a song by Queen . It was written by Brian May. This song is the theme tune of the 1980 movie Flash Gordon . The soundtrack released to coincide with the film contained only that music composed and performed by the rock band Queen ....
      " by Queen
      Queen (band)

      Queen were an England rock music band formed in 1970 in London by guitarist Brian May, lead vocalist Freddie Mercury and drummer Roger Meddows-Taylor, with bassist John Deacon completing the lineup the following year....
        (vocals: "Ah Ah. Savior of the universe")
    • "The Grunt
      The Grunt

      "The Grunt" is a funk instrumental recorded in 1970 in music by James Brown's band The J.B.'s. It was released as a two-part Single on King Records ....
      " by The J.B.'s
    • "B.A.D." by Big Audio Dynamite
      Big Audio Dynamite

      Big Audio Dynamite were a British musical group formed in 1984 by the ex-guitarist and singer of The Clash, Mick Jones . The group were noted for their effective mixture of varied musical styles, incorporating elements of punk rock, dance music, hip-hop, reggae, and funk....
    • "Rebel Without a Pause" by Public Enemy
    • "Love Rap" by Spoonie G & the Treacherous Three
      Treacherous Three

      The Treacherous Three was a pioneering hip hop group that was formed in 1978 and consisted of DJ Easy Lee, Kool Moe Dee, LA Sunshine, Special K and Spoonie G with occasional assistance from DJ Dano B, DJ Reggie Reg and DJ Crazy Eddie....
    • "Funky Drummer" & "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" by James Brown


    "Louder Than a Bomb"
    • "Long Red" by Mountain
      Mountain (band)

      Mountain is an United States rock music Band . The band broke up in 1972, reformed two years later, and have since reconvened and resumed performing and recording....
       (Vocals: "Louder!")
    • "It's Yours" by T La Rock
      T La Rock

      Clarence "Terry" Ronnie Keaton , known by the stage name, T La Rock, is an United States old school hip hop best known for his collaboration with Def Jam Recordings co-founder Rick Rubin and the 1984 in music Single , "It's Yours." He disappeared from the hip-hop/rap scene after a traumatic brain injury in 1994, but as of 2008 he is ba...
       (Vocals: "It's yours!")
    • "AJ Scratch" by Kurtis Blow
      Kurtis Blow

      Curtis Walker , signed with Uncle Louie Music Group is better known by his stage name Kurtis Blow, is one of the first commercially successful rapping and the first to sign with a major record label....
    • "Here We Go" (Live) by Run-DMC (Vocals: "Aww yeah!")
    • "One for the Treble" by Davy DMX
      Davy DMX

      Davy DMX is the stage name of David Reeves, an influential figure in hip-hop music. His career began in his hometown of Queens, New York as a DJ in the late 1970s....
    • "Feel Like Making Love" by Bob James
      Bob James (musician)

      Bob James is a smooth jazz and jazz fusion keyboardist, arranger and Record producer....
    • "Who's Gonna Take the Weight?" by Kool & the Gang
      Kool & the Gang

      Kool & the Gang are an American jazz/R&B/soul music/funk/disco group. They originally formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. in 1964 in music. They went through several musical phases in their career, starting out with a purist jazz sound, becoming practitioners of R&B and funk, progressing to a smooth disco ensemble, and ended the successfu...
        (Intro/drums and guitar)
    • "Fantastic Freaks at the Dixie" by DJ Grand Wizard Theodore
    • "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party)" by The Beastie Boys (Vocals: "Yeah!")


    "Caught, Can We Get a Witness?"
    • "Blow Your Head" by The J.B.'s
    • "Son of Shaft" by The Bar-Kays (wah wah guitar)
    • "Theme from Shaft
      Theme from Shaft

      "Theme from Shaft", written and recorded by Isaac Hayes in 1971 in music, is the soul music- and funk music-styled theme song to the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film Shaft ....
      " by Isaac Hayes
      Isaac Hayes

      Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. was an United Statesn Academy Award-winning singer-songwriter, actor and musician. Hayes was one of the main creative forces behind southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served as both an in-house songwriter and producer with partner David Porter during the mid-1960s....
        (wah wah guitar)
    • "Terminator X Speaks With His Hands" by Public Enemy
    • "Soul Power" (Revolution Of The Mind 1971) by James Brown
    • "Hot Pants. . . I'm Coming, I'm Coming, I'm Coming" by Bobby Byrd


    "Show 'Em Whatcha Got"
    • "Darkest Light" by the Lafayette Afro Rock Band
      Lafayette Afro Rock Band

      Lafayette Afro Rock Band was a French funk rock band formed in Long Island, New York in 1970. Though almost unknown in their native United States, they are now universally celebrated one of the standout funk bands of the 1970s and admired for their use of break ....
       (saxophone, drums)


    "She Watch Channel Zero?!"
    • "Angel of Death
      Angel of Death (song)

      "Angel of Death" is the opening track on the American thrash metal band Slayer's 1986 album Reign in Blood. The lyrics and music were written by Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman and are based on Nazi Germany physician Josef Mengele, who conducted human experiments at the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II....
      " by Slayer
      Slayer

      Slayer is an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California, formed in 1981. The band was founded by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King....
        (guitar)
    • "Funky Drummer" by James Brown (drums)


    "Night of the Living Baseheads"
    • A speech by Louis Farrakhan
      Louis Farrakhan

      Louis Farrakhan , is the Supreme Minister and National Representative of the Nation of Islam and Elijah Muhammad. He is an advocate for African American interests, and a critic of American society....
        (Intro)
    • "UFO" by ESG
      ESG (band)

      ESG are a band from the South Bronx, New York, United States. The band originally consisted of sisters Maria Scroggins , Renee Scroggins , and Valerie Scroggins , and friends David Miles and Leroy Glover ....
       (sirens)
    • "Fame
      Fame (David Bowie song)

      "Fame" is a song recorded by David Bowie, initially released in 1975 and in remixed versions, in 1990.With the Young Americans sessions mostly concluded in late 1974, the material was delayed while Bowie extricated himself from his contract with manager Tony DeFries....
      " by David Bowie
      David Bowie

      David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and Arrangement. Active in five decades of rock music and frequently reinventing his music and image, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s....
    • "The Grunt" by The J.B.'s (horn riff)
    • "Scorpio" by Dennis Coffey
      Dennis Coffey

      Dennis Coffey is an United States guitarist. He was a recording studio musician for many soul music and Rhythm and blues sound recording and reproduction....
        (drums)
    • "Son of Shaft" by The Bar-Kays
    • "Funky Man" by Kool & The Gang
    • "Bring the Noise" by Public Enemy (vocals: 'Bass!')
    • "Christmas Rappin'" by Kurtis Blow (vocals: "Twas the night"/"Hold it now")
    • "Do the Funky Penguin" by Rufus Thomas
    • "I Can't Get Next to You" by The Temptations
      The Temptations

      The Temptations are an American vocal group that achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, funk , disco, soul music, and adult contemporary music....
        (vocals: "Everybody hold it, listen")
    • "Pick Up the Pieces
      Pick Up the Pieces

      "Pick Up the Pieces" is a 1974 in music song by the Average White Band from their eponymous album, AWB . It was the group's most successful song, and features one of the most recognizable groove in funk music....
      " by Average White Band
    • "You Can Make It If You Try" by Sly & the Family Stone
      Sly & the Family Stone

      Sly & the Family Stone is an Music of the United States Funk music, soul music and rock music band from San Francisco, California. Originally active from 1966 to 1983, the band was pivotal in the development of soul, funk, and psychedelic music....
       (drums)
    • "I Don't Know What This World Is Coming To" by Soul Children(vocals: "Brothers and sisters")
    • "Here We Go" (Live), & "Sucker M.C.'s (Krush-Groove 1)" by Run-DMC
    • "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" & "Soul Power Pt. I" by James Brown
    • "Rappin' Ain't No Thang" by Boogie Boys
      Boogie Boys

      Boogie Boys were an United States old school hip hop group from Harlem, New York. They had a major hit in America in 1985 with the single "A Fly Girl" and several successful albums....
       featuring Kool Ski, Kid Delight & Disco Dave (Vocals: "We are willing")


    "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
    Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos

    "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" is a song by the United States Hip hop music group Public Enemy from their second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back....
    "
    • Spoken intro taken from a documentary film on country singer Johnny Cash
      Johnny Cash

      Johnny Cash was a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter and one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Primarily a country music artist, his songs and sound spanned many other genres including rockabilly and rock and roll , as well as blues, folk music and Gospel music....
       upon his 1969 visit to San Quentin State Prison
      San Quentin State Prison

      San Quentin State Prison is a California State Prison located near the city of San Rafael, California. Opened in July 1852, it is the oldest prison in the state....
      , where he would record a live album released later that year.


    (edit note the spoken intro is actually from :*"Little Green Apples" by The Escorts NOT the aforementioned Cash documentary)
    • "Living for the City
      Living for the City

      "Living for the City" is a 1973 hit single by Stevie Wonder for the Tamla label, from his Innervisions album. Reaching #8 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and #1 on the Billboard Black Singles chart, the record is driven by a slow bass synth groove that manages to exude a certain amount of tension, an appropriate soundscape for the a...
      " by Stevie Wonder
      Stevie Wonder

      Stevie Wonder is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. A prominent figure in popular music during the latter half of the 20th century, Wonder has recorded more than thirty US top ten hits, won twenty-two Grammy Awards , plus one for Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, won an Academy Award for Best Song, an...
       (spoken vocal: "get in that cell, nigger")
    • "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic" by Isaac Hayes (piano riff)
    • "Bring the Noise" by Public Enemy (scratched vocal: "now they got me in a cell", "death row, what a brother know")


    "Rebel Without a Pause"
    • "The Grunt" by The J.B.'s (trumpet glissando)
    • "Funky Drummer" & "Get Up Offa That Thing" by James Brown (drums)/(horns)
    • "I Don't Know What This World Is Coming To" by the Soul Children (vocals: "Brothers and sisters", as spoken by the Rev. Jesse Jackson
      Jesse Jackson

      Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an American civil rights activism and Baptist Minister of religion. He was a candidate for the Democratic Party presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as "shadow senator" for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997....
      )


    "Prophets of Rage"
    • "Hum Along And Dance" by The Jackson 5
    • "Cold Sweat
      Cold Sweat

      "Cold Sweat" is a song performed by James Brown and written by his bandleader Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis. Brown recorded it in May 1967 in music. An edited version of "Cold Sweat" released as a two-part Single on King Records was a #1 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart....
      " by James Brown (drums)
    • "Shining Star" by Earth, Wind & Fire
      Earth, Wind & Fire

      Earth, Wind & Fire is an United States R&B band led by Maurice White. Formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969, they are known for a number of hit singles, including "Shining Star " and "September ", for their fusion of Latin music, Funk, Soul Music, Jazz, Pop Music, rock music and other genres into one unique sound and the dynamic sound of their...
    • "Bring the Noise" & "Miuzi Weighs a Ton" by Public Enemy
    • "Pump That Bass (Get A Little Stupid)" by Original Concept (vocals: "get a little stupid")


    "Party for Your Right to Fight"
    • Live version of "Do That Stuff" by Parliament
      Parliament (band)

      Parliament was an African American music band most prominent during the 1970s. It and its sister act Funkadelic, both led by George Clinton , began the funk culture of that decade....
    • "I Know You Got Soul" by Bobby Byrd (vocals: 'You got it!')
    • "Butt-to-Butt Resuscitation" by Funkadelic
      Funkadelic

      Funkadelic was an African American music band most prominent during the 1970s. It and its sister act Parliament , both led by George Clinton , began the funk culture of that decade....
    • "Get Up, Stand Up" by Bob Marley & the Wailers
      Bob Marley & The Wailers

      Bob Marley & The Wailers was a reggae band created in 1974 by Bob Marley, after Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer left the precursor band, The Wailers ....
        (vocals: "Don't give up the fight")
    • "Sing a Simple Song" by Sly & The Family Stone (vocals)
    • "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" by James Brown (vocals: "Get involved, get into it")
    • "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party)" by The Beastie Boys (vocals: "Fight for your right")

    Adaptations

    The track "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" was covered by Tricky
    Tricky

    Tricky is an England musician. As a producer and a musician, he is noted for a dark, rich and layered sound and a whispering sprechgesang lyrical style....
     on the album Maxinquaye
    Maxinquaye

    Maxinquaye is the debut album of Bristol, England rapper/music producer Tricky, released in 1995. Expanding on the sonic template of fellow Bristolians Massive Attack, and featuring then-girlfriend Martina Topley-Bird on vocals, Maxinquaye is a dark, mysterious album featuring a combination of Hip hop music, soul music, Dub music, roc...
    . It was also covered by thrash metal
    Thrash metal

    Thrash metal , is an extreme metal subgenre of heavy metal music that is characterized by its fast tempo and aggression. Thrash metal songs typically use fast, percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with Shred guitar-style lead work....
     group Sepultura
    Sepultura

    Sepultura is a Brazilian Heavy metal music band from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal and thrash metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, and their later experiments melding hardcore punk and industrial music with extreme metal provided a blueprint for the groove metal gen...
     on their Revolusongs
    Revolusongs

    Revolusongs is an EP of cover songs released by Brazilian thrash metal band Sepultura in 2003 through SPV GmbH. It was exclusively released in Brazil and Japan....
     EP. During their 1996 European tour Rage Against the Machine
    Rage Against the Machine

    Rage Against the Machine is an American Rock music band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1991. The band's lineup, unchanged since formation, consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, guitarist Tom Morello, bassist Tim Commerford, and drummer Brad Wilk....
     would frequently play alternative versions of this song including one at the Pinkpop Festival where they brought Chuck D out onto the stage to perform with them. This was later included on the Live & Rare album and the People of the Sun
    People of the Sun

    "People of the Sun" is a song by the United States band Rage Against the Machine. The song was about the Zapatista Army of National Liberation revolution, and was featured on the LP Evil Empire , the CD & DVD Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium, the DVD Rage Against the Machine ....
     10" single. The West-Coast Hip-Hop group The Pharcyde also referenced the song "Black Steel in the Hour of Choas" in their song "Officer" on their album "Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde", were the paraphrase the lyrics, saying "I got a letter from the DMV the other day/I opened and read it, it said they were suckers."

    Chuck D
    Chuck D

    Carlton Douglas Ridenhour , better known by his stage name, Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. He helped create politically and socially conscious rap music in the late 1980s as the leader of the rap group, Public Enemy ....
     recorded a new version of "Bring the Noise" in a 1991 collaboration with the thrash metal
    Thrash metal

    Thrash metal , is an extreme metal subgenre of heavy metal music that is characterized by its fast tempo and aggression. Thrash metal songs typically use fast, percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with Shred guitar-style lead work....
     band Anthrax
    Anthrax (band)

    Anthrax is a New York City-based Heavy metal music band that released its first full-length album in 1984. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene and is notable for being the first to combine heavy metal with Hip hop music music....
    .

    In 2008, the album was performed live in its entirety as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties
    All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)

    All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place in England at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset....
    -curated Don't Look Back
    Don't Look Back (concert series)

    Don't Look Back is a yearly series of concerts in which London based promoters All Tomorrow's Parties ask artists and bands to play one of their seminal albums live in its entirety....
     series. First it was be debuted as a UK tour featuring special guest DJ Hank Shocklee (Bomb Squad), and then it appeared on July 18th, 2008 at Pitchfork Music Festival
    Pitchfork Music Festival

    The Pitchfork Music Festival is an annual summer music festival organized by Pitchfork Media held in Union Park, Chicago....
    . Chuck D has expressed reservations about the format of the Don't Look Back series.

    On April 1 2008 BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe featured the album in a two-hour 'masterpiece' program. The album was played in its entirety, preceded by interviews with various prominent musicians.

    Later Samples

    • "Show ‘Em Whatcha Got"
      • "Show Me What You Got
        Show Me What You Got

        "Show Me What You Got" is a single by hip hop music artist Jay-Z from his album Kingdom Come ....
        " by Jay-Z
        Jay-Z

        Shawn Corey Carter , better known as his stage name, Jay-Z, is an American hip hop artist and businessman. He is the former Chief executive officer of Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records....
         from the album Kingdom Come
        Kingdom Come (album)

        Kingdom Come is the Grammy-nominated ninth studio album by United States hip hop music Jay-Z released on November 21, 2006. This is considered a come-back album for the established rapper as his The Black Album was said to be his last release....
      • "Friday" by Ice Cube
        Ice Cube

        O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube is an United States of America rapper, actor, screenwriter, and film producer.He began his career as a member of the rap group N.W.A along with group leader Eazy-E, and later launched a successful solo career in music and Film....
         from the Friday
        Friday (film)

        Friday is a 1995 in film Comedy-drama-buddy film directed by F. Gary Gray. Starring Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, Bernie Mac, Tommy Lister, Jr....
         soundtrack
        Friday (soundtrack)

        Friday is the soundtrack from the film Friday ....
         album.
    • "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos"
      • "Remedy" by The Game
        The Game (rapper)

        Jayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name The Game, is an American rapper. He rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, and his two Grammy nominations....
         from the album Doctor's Advocate.
    • "Security of the First World"
      • "Justify My Love
        Justify My Love

        "Justify My Love" was the first single by United States singer-songwriter Madonna from her 1990 greatest hits compilation The Immaculate Collection and was released on November 6, 1990 by Sire Records....
        " by Madonna
        Madonna (entertainer)

        Madonna is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan and raised in Rochester Hills, Michigan, Madonna moved to New York City in 1977, for a career in modern dance....
         from the album The Immaculate Collection
        The Immaculate Collection

        The Immaculate Collection is the first greatest hits compilation album by United States singer-songwriter Madonna , released on November 13, 1990 by Sire Records....


    Deluxe Edition

    In the liner notes to their most recent album , How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul?
    How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul?

    How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul? is a studio album by United States hip hop group Public Enemy . Released on August 7, 2007 in music, it is the group's tenth full length album and marks the 20th Anniversary of the release of their first studio album, Yo! Bum Rush the Show, and the 25th anniversary of their c...
    , Public Enemy listed "Soul of a Nation - Deluxe edition of 'It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back'" under "Coming 2008 and beyond", but no other information is currently available.