It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

It's good, hard-hitting and powerful stuff. Beats are exceptionally funky and varied. Some of the tracks do tend to get a bit too much with repetitive yells and callouts.

Punk rock as all hell and with wild beats for the time. Loved it.

If I had to rank the top 100 hip hop albums of all time - It Takes a Million is a top 5 for sure and perhaps top 3. There is a magnetic energy and charge to Chuck D's lyrics that make this an important album for the ages.

So confusing. "Don't Believe the Hype" they tell us. But what do I do if the hype is entirely justified.

Yes. The best by the best. Although being in the same room as either Flava Flav or Professor Griff for more than two minutes seems like a nightmare.

Unapologetically militant and clever. The album flows like a live concert and is aggressive and focused like a revolutionary manifesto.
That is, until Flava Flav does his thing. The skits take away from making this album a 5*

Ok, I'm done with that quickly. I played the hits and thought they all sucked. Then I didn't bother with the rest at all. 1/5

Shoutout to Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 for bring the noise. First time hearing Flavor Flav rap, cold lampin was silly af. Enjoyable, 4*

“I got a letter from the government the other day. I opened and read it, it said they were suckers.” Is the greatest line in the history of lyrics. And more relevant now than it was back then.

This is one of the best hip hop albums of all time. It’s long, but unlike some of PE’s albums this one does not feel bloated. Everything on here works and feels necessary.

I think these guys have been pretty consistent across all the albums I've heard. Once again, this is an album full of energy and I'm pretty on-board with it. I really like the mad squealing on all the tracks. Kna' what I'm sayin'? YeeeeeAAAH booOOOiiii.

Side note: I've noticed a bunch of references from other artists. 'I'm the epitome of public enemy' is lifted by Weezer, and I've only just had the Tricky album that lifts the words from 'Black Steel In The Hour of Chaos'.

3.5 rounded up.

Rap is crap

This is hip-hop I can truly get into and enjoy! After my first listen, I immediately played the album back-to-back three more times—it’s that good.

Lyrically, musically, and through its well-chosen samples, this album delivers on every level. It manages to be funny, powerful, and even intimidating all at once, showcasing brilliant craftsmanship.

The variety here is incredible—different sounds, styles, and rappers all coming together to create something special. This album has it all.

Favorite song: Don't Believe the Hype is an absolute banger, and I also loved Terminator X.
Least favorite: Honestly, every track is worth listening to—there’s no filler or weak spots apart from possibly show em wathcha got.
Album artwork: Not something I’d hang on my wall, but that doesn’t take away from the music

Probably my least favorite of the Public Enemy albums we listened to.

I feel more or less the same about this one as Fear of a Black Planet. I dig it, but am exhausted by the somewhat monotonous rhythmic onslaught.

Für meine Ohren unerträgliches Album, dass ich zur Vermeidung von chronischen Kopfschmerzen nach 5 Songs abrechen musste - das ist der bislang (nach 385 Titeln) tiefste Tiefpunkt im Mariannengraben.

Yeeeaah Boooy! I especially liked Night of the Living Baseheads. There's a few reviews here calling out Flavor Flav as a weak point, but he's an essential component IMO.

Really good album. Not the biggest Hip Hop fan but these guys are legends.

This was a hard one for me because if you took out the screechy noise I would have loved this album

This was great. Chuck D laying down truths and Flavor Flav doing his thing.

My one complaint is that it’s so long. Maybe my attention span is just shot.

I like it and respect its importance, but once again, I find myself wishing I liked it more than I did.

3.5/5