More is always better. Right? In theory, sequels are supposed to be better than the original, but that isn't always the case.
Of course for every sequel dud there is the fantastic "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" or "The Empire Strikes Back", or in this case, the influential hip-hop album "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back".
Public Enemy's debut album, "Yo! Bum Rush the Show" was a critical success, but for the most part failed to bring Public Enemy to the mainstream. But one thing the album did do was lay the groundwork for what the group would accomplish with their second and superior effort, "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back".
Released in 1988, the record rewrote the rules of what hip-hop could do and firmly supplanted Public enemy as one of the top hip-hop groups of all time. The group tackles some serious political and cultural issues on the album including racism, political exile, the media and even the industry itself.
The album is filled with great tracks from top to bottom, but "Bring the Noise", "Don't Believe the Hype", "Caught, Can We Get a Witness?", and "Rebel Without a Pause" stand out as the best of the bunch.
"Bring the Noise" is one of the best tracks on the album and features fantastic lyrics that are delivered rapid-fire style by Chuck D. Along with Flavor Flav, Chuck D raps about the superiority of Public Enemy and a bevy of shout outs to other artists including LL Cool J, Run DMC and Eric B.
You can hear the confidence and incredible talent as Chuck D raps: Once again back is the incredible/The thyme animal/The incredible D Public Enemy Number One
"Five O" said "Freeze!" and I got numb/Can I tell 'em that I really never had a gun?" Also oddly enough, "Bring the Noise" was included on the soundtrack of the 1987 film "Less Than Zero", helping to add to its popularity.
"Night of the Living Baseheads" is one of the most unique and serious tracks on the album. The lyrics deal with the effects of crack on African-Americans during the 1980s crack epidemic.
The song uses more samples than any other track on the album, including "Fame" by David Bowie, "I Can't Get Next to You" by The Temptations, and "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" by James Brown. The title, like a few of the tracks on the album, is a reference to a film, "Night of the Living Dead".
The lyrics compare people addicted to crack cocaine with zombies in a creative analogy that is both clever and significant. The lyrics are illustrative as the group raps: "This is the dope jam/But lets define the term called dope/And you think it mean funky now, no
Here is a true tale/Of the ones that deal/Are the ones that fail."
"Rebel Without A Pause" is one of my favorite tracks on the album. Like "Night of the Living Baseheads", the track is a play on a film, the 1955 landmark, "Rebel Without a Cause". The cultural reference is just one of many on the album.
The track was actually the first one that the group worked on for the album and it had Chuck D experimenting with the speed of beats. Going against the grain, he sped things up and the track, which turned out to be extremely popular. Music production would be influenced for years by these moves. The track sampled another James Brown song, "Funky Drummer" & "Get Up Offa That Thing" as well.
You can hear the lyrical precision as they open the track: "Yes - the rhythm, the rebel/Without a pause - I'm lowering my level/The hard rhymer - where you never been I'm in/You want stylin' - you know it's time again/D the enemy - tellin you to hear it/They praised the music - this time they play the lyrics."
Although twenty years is a long time, the influence of "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" can still be felt today. The album is distinctly from the eighties, yet when you listen to it, it sounds and feels timeless. It raised the bar extremely high back then, and it is still a capable barometer for what hip-hop is meant to be, and what artists always aspire to be.
"It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" is Public Enemy's defining work, and it is most definitely a classic.
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