Public Enemy

by **°[~CHR!$~]°** » Feb 21st, '10, 18:47

Biography
Public Enemy, also known as PE, is a hip hop group from Long Island, New York, known for its politically charged lyrics and criticism of the American media, with an active interest in the frustrations and concerns of the African American community.

Public Enemy pioneered a variation of hardcore rap that was musically and politically revolutionary. With his powerful, authoritative baritone, lead rapper Chuck D rhymed about all kinds of social problems, particularly those plaguing the Black community, often condoning revolutionary tactics and social activism.Chuck D (born Carlton Ridenhour) formed Public Enemy in 1982, as he was studying graphic design at Adelphi University on Long Island. He had been DJing at the student radio station WBAU, where he met Hank Shocklee and Bill Stephney. All three shared a love of hip-hop and politics, which made them close friends. Def Jam co-founder and producer Rick Rubin heard a tape of "Public Enemy No. 1" and immediately courted Ridenhour in hopes of signing him to his fledgling label.

Public Enemy's debut album, Yo! Bum Rush the Show, was released on Def Jam Records in 1987. Its spare beats and powerful rhetoric were acclaimed by hip-hop critics and aficionados, but the record was mainstream. However, the second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, was impossible to ignore. A Nation of Millions was hailed as revolutionary by both rap and rock critics, and it was -- hip-hop had suddenly become a force for social change. Public Enemy spent the remainder of 1989 preparing their third album, releasing "Welcome to the Terrordome" as its first single in early 1990. Despite controversy, Fear of a Black Planet was released to enthusiastic reviews in the spring of 1990, and it shot into the pop Top Ten as the singles "911 Is a Joke," "Brothers Gonna Work It Out," and "Can't Do Nuttin' for Ya Man.On the track "Louder Than a Bomb" from It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Chuck D reveals that the D in his nickname stands for Dangerous.The group was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2007.

Discography:
1987: Yo! Bum Rush the Show
1988: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
1990: Fear of a Black Planet
1991: Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black
1992: Greatest Misses
1994: Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age
1998: He Got Game
1999: There's a Poison Goin' On
2002: Revolverlution
2005: New Whirl Odor
2006: Rebirth of a Nation (with Paris)
2007: How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul?

Members:
Chuck D
Flavor Flav
Professor Griff
DJ Lord
Brother Mike, James Bomb & Pop Diesel
Terminator X, Brother James & Brother Roger (orginal members retired from the stage)