Kill Your Idols: "It Takes a Nation of Millions"

[Dick Whitman]

We haven't had one of these for a while.

I'll go a different route here. The last couple of these I started I selected works of art that I was very familiar with, "Citizen Kane" and "The Great Gatsby." I'm familiar with "It Takes a Nation of Millions" in that I know the album, owned it as a kid, own it now, and realize vaguely that it was important as perhaps the first time a prominent, mainstream hip-hop outfit had gone political. But other than that, hip-hop is a big time weakness in my music knowledge, and I'm a little bit fascinated to hear from some of the experts here about their experiences and impressions and interpretations of it after I recently dusted it off.* To this day, Chuck D.'s delivery gives me goose bumps, so powerful and immediate is it. One of the few vocalists in any genre who can do that.

So, dreunc, Bodie, and other rap afficianados, fire away ...

* The impetus was reading a story in the NYT this week about how Detroit citizens are frustrated by the slowness of emergency response. Of course, I got the wrong Public Enemy album out, as I now know. But since this seems like the big breakthrough, let's go with this as the selection, with comparisons and contrasts with "Fear of a Black Planet," of course, also welcome.

 

[Songbird]

Rap was in my wheelhouse as a teenager in L.A. in 1986, '87 and so on.

I was big into LL, Kool Moe Dee, Eric B and Rakim, Stetsasonic, Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane, Sugar Hill Gang, UTFO, the Dream Team, Roxanne Shante and all the other pioneers of rap. Public Enemy hit the scene and took me by storm, just like Boogie Down Productions did with its message. I wore PE cassettes out. I enjoyed their mojo. Loved Chuck D.'s anger and rage -- not sure there's ever been a more powerful voice in rap. And who didn't love Flavor Flav? Amusing little bugger and an entertainment genius.

"Fear of a Black Planet" is another dynamic album but the fireworks really explode and **** hits the fan with "Apocolypse '91" and the song and video for "By the Time I Get to Arizona" causes an immediate ruckus.

I remember thinking how all the scenes of black retribution in the video is going to scare the bejesus out of White America, and it did. Yet it served as a catalyst for change. The NFL pulled the Super Bowl from Arizona, other conventions followed and Arizona's tourist industry was demolished that year (somewhere to the tune of $350 million). What happened as a result of losing $350 million? A state referendum is held soon thereafter and Arizona starts honoring MLK Day as a national holiday. That doesn't happen without "By the Time I Get to Arizona".

PE began to fizzle after that album and then disappeared.

Anyway, "It Takes a Nation of Millions" is an all-time album. Loved Bring the Noise but it got overplayed and then the mash-up with Anthrax ruined the song.

The songs that continue to hold up 25 years later ...

Don't Believe the Hype:

Louder Than a Bomb:

Night of the Living Baseheads (Flav is very funny in this vid, which features a very young MC Lyte):

Caught, Can We Get A Witness:


It's really too bad there aren't message-makers like PE and BDP anymore.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I don't think it was on the album, but the collaboaration with Anthrax on Bring The Noise was the first rap/rock combination that I was aware of, with the obvious exception of Walk This Way.

I was definitely a Public Enemy fan as a teenager. I've seen them in concert several times, although a couple times were when they toured with U2.

It Takes a Nation of Millions may be considered more groundbreaking, but I prefer Fear of a Black Planet. Both are great, but my favorite Public Enemy songs are "Welcome to the Terrordome" "911 is a Joke" and Flav's "Can't Do Nuthin for you man" is a fun one.

 

[Versatile]

I listened to this two days ago, so unlike previous discussions, it's very fresh in my head. A few thoughts:

1. While It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back was a statement album, Fear of a Black Planet was an album of statements. There's merit to each approach, for sure. I prefer Millions because it is fueled by better raw lyricism. "Bring the Noise" and "Louder than a Bomb" and "Prophets of Rage" feature great rap, even without the messages. Black Planet sacrificed that for more direct and pointed social criticism. There's a worthwhile debate, though, as to which serves as the Bomb Squad's masterpiece. Black Planet sounds like no album before or after, with all sorts of influences spewed out with so much anger and loudness. Millions sonically was more similar to contemporaries but was more energized and angry than anything before it. There are times where even Chuck D has trouble with the overpowering beats on Black Planet.

2. Though its place in rap history tends to be overstated by the masses of rock critics who fell in love with it, Millions does have a case as the best album in rap history. "She Watch Channel Zero?!" was overdone, particularly since the lyrics didn't match the ferocious guitar beat. "Caught, Can We Get a Witness?" feels more like something off Black Planet, but the sampling debate was so important in 1988 (a year before Paul's Boutique and 3 Feet High and Rising) that its place is merited.

3. This album was neither the most political or the first political rap album. Public Enemy itself had made a political album of much lower quality before Millions, and most of the group's follow-ups were more directly political. What's important is that it sounded as good as the best boasting rap of the day. Again, this comes back to Chuck D's ferocious lyricism, a standard he never again reached. Boogie Down Productions' By All Means Necessary came out a few months after Millions, but as with Criminal Minded, the heft behind the beats is lacking. BDP's first two albums feel old in comparison even to their contemporaries. Millions and Black Planet don't. The Bomb Squad's studio innovations and Chuck D's completely unique delivery are the keys. Basically, Public Enemy made political rap more listenable and interesting.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Best rap album of all-time would be a great thread.

 

[Versatile]

On this board, my money would be on Licensed to Ill.

 

[Songbird]

Licensed to Ill was/is fun but the Beasties' best album is Paul's Boutique.

For me, as much as I enjoyed PE's albums, the one rap album that remains close to my heart 25 years later is BDP's By All Means Necessary.

And because YouTube is the greatest invention of this generation:

 

[bigpern23]

Rap was in my wheelhouse as a teenager in L.A. in 1986, '87 and so on.

I was big into LL, Kool Moe Dee, Eric B and Rakim, Stetsasonic, Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane, Sugar Hill Gang, UTFO, the Dream Team, Roxanne Shante and all the other pioneers of rap. Public Enemy hit the scene and took me by storm, just like Boogie Down Productions did with its message. I wore PE cassettes out. I enjoyed their mojo. Loved Chuck D.'s anger and rage -- not sure there's ever been a more powerful voice in rap. And who didn't love Flavor Flav? Amusing little bugger and an entertainment genius.

Off topic, but your mention of Rakim reminded me of the time I met him after a show he performed with KRS-One when I was in college. KRS-One freestyled about me (gave me props for reppin' NY with my Yankees hat, but I don't remember the exact line anymore) and Rakim came out and met people after the show. He was very short. His set blew the other three acts (KRS-One, Grandmaster Flash and someone else I don't remember) away.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

On this board, my money would be on Licensed to Ill.

I love the Beasties, but I don't think I'd have it No. 1.

Granted, I'm a 39-year-old white guy, but I would think Straight Outta Compton, The Low End Theory, Chronic and at least one PE album would be at the top of my list.

 

[Songbird]

Cool story, bigpern.

Rakim is the best rapper of all-time and second place is far far behind.

Obviously "Paid in Full" and "Follow the Leader" usually are listed among the favorites and you know, I love those songs, especially Paid in Full. But I think he was at the top of his game for "Casualties of War" ...



Several years later he returned but without Eric B. and I really enjoyed the album The Master and especially the song "Uplift"

 

[Big Circus]

32-year-old white dude. My top 5 rap albums, in no particular order: The Chronic, Aquemini, Enter the Wu-Tang, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Ready to Die.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I'd have to have Wu-Tang up there really high...

I'll listen to the Beastie Boys now and then, but I listen to Tribe, Wu Tang and Dr. Dre pretty regularly. They all hold up really well.

 

[Versatile]

Calling Rakim the best rapper ever made sense in 1995. At this point, you're ignoring 20-plus years of development. Rakim was incredibly important within the context of his brief era. "Casualties of War" and "The Punisher" are good examples of an exceptional, iconic figure not understanding his genre's movements.

And Straight Outta Compton is by far the most overrated rap album ever. "If It Ain't Ruff," "Something Like That," "I Ain't tha 1" and "Quiet on tha Set" are such fillers. There are a handful (five, by my count: "Straight Outta Compton," "**** tha Police," "Gangsta Gangsta," "Parental Discretion Iz Advised" and "Express Yourself") of great songs, sure. But I would take each of Ice Cube's first three solo albums over Straight Outta Compton for their sonic innovations (again, the Bomb Squad was way ahead of its time) and consistency.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I like Chronic better than Straight Outta Compton, there is filler on it, no question about it, but probably at least four "classics" as well.

 

[Versatile]

The Chronic is miles better than Straight Outta Compton. Every track is great. I don't know what you'd call filler. Certainly nothing sinks as low as the MC Ren solo tracks on Straight Outta Compton.

 

[Songbird]

The Master came out in '99 or 2000 and while Rakim's style slowed down a bit he was still dynamic.

What rapper since, let's say 2000, would be in the same stratosphere as Rakim at his height?

 

[Versatile]

The Master came out in '99 or 2000 and while Rakim's style slowed down a bit he was still dynamic.

What rapper since, let's say 2000, would be in the same stratosphere as Rakim at his height?

Jay-Z. And The Master was uneven, with a handful of great songs but mostly a bunch of filler.

 

[Bubbler]

Chuck D had the best rap voice of all-time. I mean that literally and with what he said.

By Time I Get To Arizona was in major rotation on MTV at the time. Different times.

 

[Songbird]

The Master came out in '99 or 2000 and while Rakim's style slowed down a bit he was still dynamic.

What rapper since, let's say 2000, would be in the same stratosphere as Rakim at his height?

Jay-Z. And The Master was uneven, with a handful of great songs but mostly a bunch of filler.

I'll accept your Jay-Z answer but if I'm pitting Jay-Z against Rakim, I'm taking Rakim 7 ways till Sunday and that's not a knock against Jay-Z.

 

[Versatile]

That's perfectly understandable as a preference. It's silly if using the term "greatest." Rakim failed to adjust to new standards and never successfully crossed over (despite several attempts throughout the 1990s).