From their form in New York in the mid/late 1980s, Public Enemy were a highly influential rap group. Over an innovative brand of hip hop employing samples and scratching by DJ Terminator X, Chuck D's raps were frequently explicitly political, often concentrating on black pride and black power and taking a militant stand on many issues. Their earlier work was also explicitly influenced by the teachings of the Nation of Islam. Other members of the group were Professor Griff, who was accused of anti-Semitism, and Flavor Flav, who provided some comic relief.

Members:

Discography:

  • Yo! Bum Rush The Show (1987)
  • It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back (1988)
  • Fight The Power...Live (1989)
  • Fear Of A Black Planet (1990)
  • Apocalypse 91 The Enemy Strikes Black (1991)
  • Greatest Misses 1986-1992 (1992)
  • Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age (1994)
  • He Got Game (1998)
  • BTN 2000 (online released mega-mix which initialized PE's leaving Def Jam records) (1999)
  • There's A Poison Goin On (1999)
  • Revolverlution (2002)
  • There's A Poison Goin On (worldwide re-release via Slamjamz.com) (2004)

See also http://www.publicenemy.com/ and Chuck D's online record label http://www.slamjamz.com