Very bottom-heavy, but starting from track 9 this album is absolutely brilliant.

One of the ground breaking records of its time. Chuck and Flav play off each other brilliantly.

Where would modern hip-hop be without Public Enemy? They took the meaningful side of rap and brought it to the masses. More significant than Run DMC by far.

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Who is the "oppressed" and who the "oppressors" though? Last I've heard there was 1% of oppressors that were oppressing the rest of us. Now I certainly don't have the money or power to belong into the "elite" group, but there are non-white people who have it. Can I thus speak anything that comes to my mind to them, talking about how my race is superior, just because they technically speaking have the power over me? And another thing that bugs me.. The "system". What is "the system"? Who belongs there?
There are injustices in the world when it comes to races, but that doesn't mean that "all whites" are better off than blacks or are at fault for these injustices. I certainly don't feel at fault for what groups of people of my race did (and are still doing) to people of other races. Should I?!

I don't see the lyrics here to be racist because I think they're criticizing specific groups of people (media, radio, government) who are according to Chuck's belief at fault for these injustices; they're not putting all white people (as a race) at fault and they're not putting this criticism as a base for believing in the superiority of the black race or discrimination of other races

Then again it's been a while since I last heard this album.

P.S. if you want we can open a new thread in the forums, though I think this does relate to the album's lyrics which is why I wrote this here.

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I don't follow... Blacks can't be racist? Women can't be sexist? What's going on here?

(having said that, when I listened to this album I never sensed any racism)

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The beats and production values were definitive at the time and it's clear that Chuck D was a visionary lyricist in the rap genre. Throughout time this will always stand as a landmark in hip hop and arguably a Top 1,000 album of all time. Not to be denied its place alongside the great albums.