Thirty-five years ago (4/10/90), a cosmic shift occurred in Hip Hop. The year was 1990, a new decade had begun, and the genre was gaining traction in popular culture, at least on a commercial level. Of course, as anyone who has witnessed the rise of anything will tell you, the trip to the top is not without controversy. When it comes to controversy, no one understands the backlash of it all better than Public Enemy. From the start of their career, the Chuck D-led Hip-hop powerhouse has been criticized for their “radical views” on Black empowerment. Now, this concept has since been proven far from problematic and inevitably led to the group’s lasting legacy and undeniable impact on popular music.
While the mainstream media was worried about Public Enemy’s views on the world at the time, the group kept their heads down and crafted a discography that would outlast any negative press. April 10 marks the 35th anniversary of one of their finest creative achievements: Fear of Black Planet, which significantly changed Public Enemy, Hip-hop, and pop culture. The twenty-song monster marked the third LP for PE and changed the way the world viewed sampling thanks to the chaotic sonic collages pieced together by The Bomb Squad. While Public Enemy was already basking in the success of their first two critically acclaimed LPs, Fear of a Black Planet seemingly cemented the group’s place on Hip-hop’s Mount Rushmore, and its impact continues to create a ripple effect in modern Hip-hop.
The creation of the politically charged LP began on a controversial note. Around the time Public Enemy was brainstorming their ambitions for their third album, a member landed the group in international headlines. Professor Griff, the group’s Minister of Information, was interviewed in The Washington Post, where he made anti-Semitic comments. This created a media firestorm, forced Chuck D to make a public statement denouncing Griff’s claims, and ultimately led to the Minister of Information’s departure from Public Enemy. The situation inspired a lot of the writing on Fear of a Black Planet, but putting out fires wasn’t the only thing Public Enemy was up to heading into what would become some of Hip-hop’s most iconic recording sessions.
On July 4, 1989, Public Enemy released “Fight the Power” as a single for Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing film soundtrack. The single exploded upon release, reaching number one in the U.S. Rap Singles Billboard charts, number three on the U.K. Singles chart, and 30 in the Dutch Top 40. An extended version of “Fight the Power” closed out Fear of a Black Planet, which only scratches the surface of the sociopolitical nature of PE’s third LP.
Moments like “911 Is A Joke” touch on the topic of police brutality and the fact that cops take their time responding to calls from Black neighborhoods, while “Who Stole the Soul” questions the morals of label executives and their involvement in Hip-hop. Fear of a Black Planet is the marriage of Public Enemy’s hyperactive vocals and thought-provoking lyrics with production value that can match their energy, and what a beautiful ceremony they put together.
Thanks to The Bomb Squad, the production on Fear of a Black Planet is still awe-inspiring to this day. The sample-heavy textures pushed the PE’s creativity to new heights, allowing their vocalists to deliver iconic verses like on the title track or “Reggie Jax.” The Bomb Squad looked at sampling as shattered pieces of the past meant to be pieced together like a stained-glass window, giving the instrumentals they provided for the LP an abstract nature. A song like “Pollywanacraka” is drenched in record scratches and soaring vocal samples, all filtered through a lo-fi warmth, while “Can’t Do Nuttin’ For Ya Man” is a funky break in the hectic tracklist.
Despite the LP containing an interlude like “Leave This Off Your Fuckin’ Charts,” Fear of a Black Planet was an instant success and continued PE’s streak of unforgettable releases. The album reached number three on Billboard’s Hip Hop album charts and number ten on the Billboard 200, along with landing on charts around the world. The LP would go on to sell two million copies worldwide and receive a perfect 10 from NME, along with landing on numerous album of the year lists. Even as recently as 2020, Rolling Stone named it the 176th greatest album of all time on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.
Thirty-five years later, it is hard to comprehend the scope of Fear of a Black Planet’s impact. The story goes that Chuck D wanted Fear of a Black Planet to be “a deep, complex album.” Not only did Public Enemy achieve this goal, they raised the bar for the generations who would look to do the same.
