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Here we go with my first five star hip hop song posted to my blog. I know I do not feature too much rap music but it wasn't for the lack of trying. Back when I first started this blog in the summer I posted a cool new song called "Union Square" from the hip hop super group Wu Block. The post garnered a measly 2 page views on the day I wrote about it and to this day only15 people have gone in to listen to the song. After that I figured people are not looking for rap on my blog and have stuck to what interests readers including indie rock, synth pop, shoegaze and post punk. However there is always exceptions and Public Enemy is so iconic that you can't ignore them.
Public Enemy are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year and to celebrate they are releasing a career spanning six LP vinyl box set on April 15th. The socially conscious, politically minded band are led by the legendary MC Chuck D and are one of the most innovative and controversial bands to ever come out of the rap scene. The band were angry but also had a humorous side with the clown prince of of hip hop Flavor Flav adding comic relief to their hardcore songs. The band also features The Bomb Squad who dress in military fatigues and provide the production of their legendary cut and paste beats.
The limited edition box set catalogue will have all six Def Jam studio albums and will be on 180g heavyweight vinyl. (See below for all the details). The collection will include all of the Public Enemy anthems including “Public Enemy No 1”, “Bring The Noise”, “Fight The Power”, “Welcome To The Terrordome”, "911 Is a Joke", “He Got Game” and my favourite "Night Of The Living Baseheads".
"Night of The Living Baseheads" was a single from Public Enemy's second studio album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. The song deals with the devastation that crack cocaine had on African Americans in the 1980's. Base is slang for crack and the title equates crackheads to zombies, a play on words from the horror movie Night Of the Living Dead. Watch the video for the song below: (Unfortunately the clip is too full of theatrics to really appreciate the song)
Here are the details of the box set release:
KEY FEATURES:
- 12” LP vinyl box set combining the complete set of original Def
Jam studio albums
- Released to mark the band’s 25th Anniversary
- Features 6 original albums, on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl
FORMAT / INFO:
- Vinyl Box Set **LIMITED EDITION / INITIAL ORDER ONLY** – 9x12” LP
- UPC: 0600753408780
- Label: IDJ
- Rights: Worldwide excluding US & Canada
FULL CONTENT:
- 9 x 12” LPs:
6 original albums on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl
1. YO! BUM RUSH THE SHOW (1987)
2. IT TAKES A NATION OF MILLIONS TO HOLD US BACK (1988)
3. FEAR OF A BLACK PLANET (1990)
4. APOCALYPSE 91… THE ENEMY STRIKES BLACK (1991) (2xLP)
5. MUSE SICK-N-HOUR MESS AGE (1994) (2xLP)
6. HE GOT GAME (1998) (2xLP)
