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It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

Public Enemy  Main Performer

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Audio Compact Disc

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Track
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1 Countdown to Armageddon D./Shocklee/Sadler 1:42
2 Bring the Noise Shocklee/D./Anthrax 3:45
3 Don't Believe the Hype D./Shocklee/Drayton 5:19
4 Cold Lampin' with Flavor Sadler/Shocklee/Dra 4:17
5 Terminator X to the Edge of Panic D./Drayton/Flavor F 4:31
6 Mind Terrorist Sadler/D./Shocklee 1:21
7 Louder Than a Bomb Sadler/D./Shocklee 3:38
8 Caught, Can We Get a Witness? Shocklee/Sadler/D. 4:53
9 Show 'Em Whatcha Got D./Shocklee/Sadler 1:56
10 She Watch Channel Zero?! D./Flavor Flav/Shoc 3:49
11 Night of the Living Baseheads Sadler/D./Shocklee 3:14
12 Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos Drayton/Public Enem 6:23
13 Security of the First World Sadler/D./Shocklee 1:20
14 Rebel Without a Pause Sadler/Rogers/Shock 5:02
15 Prophets of Rage Flavor Flav/Sadler/ 3:18
16 Party for Your Right to Fight D./Shocklee/Sadler 3:24
  • Overview
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It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

Audio Compact Disc

Label: Ral

It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

UPC: 731452735829

Release Date: 05/02/1995

Original Release Date: 05/02/1995

Number of Discs: 2

Tracks: [Countdown to Armageddon, Bring the Noise, Don't Believe the Hype, Cold Lampin' with Flavor, Terminator X to the Edge of Panic, Mind Terrorist, Louder Than a Bomb, Caught, Can We Get a Witness?, Show 'Em Whatcha Got, She Watch Channel Zero?!, Night of the Living Baseheads, Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos, Security of the First World, Rebel Without a Pause, Prophets of Rage, Party for Your Right to Fight]
Contributors:

Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Yo! Bum Rush the Show was an invigorating record, but it looks like child's play compared to its monumental sequel, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, a record that rewrote the rules of what hip-hop could do. That's not to say the album is without precedent, since what's particularly ingenious about the album is how it reconfigures things that came before into a startling, fresh, modern sound. Public Enemy used the template Run-D.M.C. created of a rap crew as a rock band, then brought in elements of free jazz, hard funk, even musique concr?te, via their producing team, the Bomb Squad, creating a dense, ferocious sound unlike anything that came before. This coincided with a breakthrough in Chuck D's writing, both in his themes and lyrics. It's not that Chuck D was smarter or more ambitious than his contemporaries -- certainly, KRS-One tackled many similar sociopolitical tracts, while Rakim had a greater flow -- but he marshaled considerable revolutionary force, clear vision, and a boundless vocabulary to create galvanizing, logical arguments that were undeniable in their strength. They only gained strength from Flavor Flav's frenzied jokes, which provided a needed contrast. What's amazing is how the words and music become intertwined, gaining strength from each other. Though this music is certainly a representation of its time, it hasn't dated at all. It set a standard that few could touch then, and even fewer have attempted to meet since. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi