Public Enemy

Public Enemy is an American hip hop group consisting of Chuck D, Flavor Flav, DJ Lord, The S1W group, Khari Wynn and Professor Griff. Formed in Long Island, New York, in 1982, Public Enemy is known for their politically charged lyrics and criticism of the American media, with an active interest in the frustrations and concerns of the African American community. Their first four albums during the late 1980s and early 1990s were all certified either gold or platinum. The group have been controversial with members supporting a black supremacist organisation called the Nation of Islam, who have been known for advocating anti-semitism and homophobia.

Links To Peel
The group got the attention of Peel, who was impressed with their innovative use of sampling and scratching, using riffs from bands such as Slayer in the track She Watch Channel Zero to the band's political lyrics that promoted black awareness, rather than the stereotypical hip hop image of degrading women''. ''The band were regularly played on Peel's show and even entered in the Festive Fifty in 1987 and 1988. After 1992 Peel lost interest in them, until a few remixes of the band's material were played on his show, including one from Evolution Control Committee, who used a mashup of Public Enemy's "By the Time I Get To Arizona" and "Rebel Without a Pause" with music from Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, which entered at number 20 in the 1998 Festive Fifty.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * 1987 Festive Fifty: 'You're Gonna Get Yours #38
 * 1987 Festive Fifty: 'Rebel Without A Pause #14
 * 1988 Festive Fifty: Night Of The Living Baseheads #50

Sessions

 * None

Other Shows Played
(The following list was compiled only from the database of this site and Lorcan's Tracklistings Archive and is certainly incomplete. Please add further details if known.)

1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 2000 2002 2004
 * 25 March 1987: You're Gonna Get Yours (LP - Yo! Bum Rush The Show) Def Jam
 * 01 April 1987: Public Enemy No.1 (LP - Yo! Bum Rush The Show) Def Jam
 * 13 April 1987: Yo! Bum Rush The Show (album - Yo! Bum Rush The Show) Def Jam 450482-1 (JP: "It's always bottoms with you Americans, isn't it?"
 * 27 April 1987: Timebomb (LP - Yo! Bum Rush The Show) Def Jam
 * 11 May 1987: Yo! Bum Rush The Show (LP - Yo! Bum Rush The Show) Def Jam
 * 26 May 1987: You're Gonna Get Yours (album - Yo! Bum Rush The Show) Def Jam Recordings 450482-1
 * HO John Peel 2 1987: Yo! Bum Rush The Show (album - Yo! Bum Rush The Show) Def Jam Recordings
 * 24 June 1987: 'You're Gonna Get Yours (12 inch-Dub/Terminator X Getaway Mix)' (Def Jam) (This was the version that made the 1987 Festive Fifty at #38)
 * 30 June 1987: 'Rebel Without A Pause (12 inch)' (Def Jam)
 * 08 July 1987: You're Gonna Get Yours (Dub / Terminator X Getaway Version) (12") Def Jam
 * Peel Late 1987 / 08 December 1987: Bring The Noise (No Noise Version) (12") Def Jam Recordings 651335 6
 * 23 December 1987: 'You're Gonna Get Yours (12 inch-Dub/Terminator X Getaway Version)' (Def Jam) FF #38
 * 29 December 1987: 'Rebel Without A Pause (LP-It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back)' (Def Jam) FF #14
 * 05 January 1988: Bring The Noise (v/a LP - Less Than Zero (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)) Def Jam
 * Peel June 1988 Lee Tape 11: Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic (album - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back) Def Jam Recordings 462415 1
 * Peel June 1988 Lee Tape 11: Cold Lampin With Flavour (album - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back) Def Jam Recordings 462415 1  "Only heard first side" dating this to probably 29th June or 4th July
 * HO John Peel 6 1988: Louder Than A Bomb (album - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back) Def Jam Recordings 462415 1
 * 04 July 1988: Caught, Can I Get A Witness? (album - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back) Def Jam Recordings 462415 1
 * 05 July 1988: She Watch Channel Zero?! (LP - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back) Def Jam
 * 06 July 1988: Night Of The Living Baseheads (album - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back) Def Jam
 * 11 July 1988: Cold Lampin With Flavour (LP - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back) Def Jam
 * 27 July 1988: 'Louder Than A Bomb (LP-It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back)' (CBS)
 * July 1988 (BBC World Service): She Watch Channel Zero?! (LP - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back) Simply Vinyl
 * 05 October 1988: Night Of The Living Bassheads (LP - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back) Def Jam
 * 11 October 1988: Night Of The Living Baseheads (12”) Def Jam
 * 25 October 1988: Night Of The Living Baseheads (12”) Def Jam
 * 20 December 1988: 'Night Of The Living Baseheads (LP-It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back)' (Def Jam) FF #50
 * 27 December 1989: 'Welcome To The Terrordome (vocal) (12 Inch)' (Def Jam)
 * 09 January 1990: Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos (Radio Version) (CD single - Welcome To The Terrordome) Def Jam
 * HO John Peel 20 1990: Revolutionary Generation (album - Fear Of A Black Planet) Def Jam 466281 1
 * 09 April 1990: Who Stole The Soul? (album - Fear Of A Black Planet) Def Jam 466281 1
 * 10 April 1990: War At 33 1/3 (album - Fear Of A Black Planet) Def Jam 466281 1
 * 12 April 1990: Brothers Gonna Work It Out (album - Fear Of A Black Planet) Def Jam 466281 1
 * 19 April 1990: Who Stole The Soul? (LP - Fear Of A Black Planet) Def Jam
 * 18 June 1990: Brothers Gonna Work It Out (Remix) (12") Def Jam Recordings 656018 6
 * 28 October 1990: 'Can't Do Nuttin' For Ya Man (Bass In Your Face 7 inch mix)' (Def Jam)
 * 05 November 1990 (BBC World Service): Can't Do Nuttin' For Ya Man (Bass In Your Face 7" Mix) (7") Def Jam
 * HO John Peel 36 1991: Can't Truss It (album – Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black) Def Jam 468751 2
 * 15 September 1991: Can't Truss It (12") Def Jam
 * 06 October 1991: How To Kill A Radio Consultant (LP – Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black) Def Jam
 * 13 October 1991: Nighttrain (LP – Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black) Def Jam
 * 18 October 1991 (BFBS): By The Time I Get To Arizona (LP - Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black) Def Jam
 * 18 October 1991 (BFBS): How To Kill A Radio Consultant (LP - Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black) Def Jam
 * 19 October 1991: By The Time I Get To Arizona (LP – Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black) Def Jam
 * 20 October 1991: 1 Million Bottlebags (LP – Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black) Def Jam
 * 26 October 1991: How To Kill A Radio Consultant (album – Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black) Def Jam 468751 2
 * Peel Late Autumn 1991: Shut 'Em Down (12") Def Jam
 * 21 December 1991: By The Time I Get To Arizona (CD – Apocalypse 91: The Enemy Strikes Black) Def Jam
 * 28 December 1991: Bring The Noise (duet with Anthrax)
 * Best Of 1991 Vol 1: By The Time I Get To Arizona (CD – Apocalypse 91: The Enemy Strikes Black) Def Jam
 * Best Of 1991 Vol4ii: Lost At Birth (Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black LP) Def Jam
 * 11 January 1992: 'Shut Em Down (12 inch)' (Def Jam) (JP: 'Just a trifle repetitious.')
 * 04 September 1992: Welcome To The Terrordome (12") (Def Jam)
 * 06 September 1992 (BFBS): Welcome To The Terrordome (12") Def Jam
 * 02 October 1992: Tie Goes To The Runner (LP – Greatest Misses) Def Jam
 * 17 October 1992: Hazy Shade Of Criminal (album - Greatest Misses) Def Jam
 * 24 October 1992: 'Hazy Shade Of Criminal (12 inch])' (Def Jam Recordings)
 * Best Of 1992 Vol 1: 'Shut Em Down (12 inch)' (Def Jam) (JP: 'Just a trifle repetitious.')
 * 21 June 2000: Do You Wanna Go Our Way (23 Skidoo Mix) (12" - Poison Remixes) Pias
 * 24 April 2002: Da Noise (single) white label (with Freak Nasty)
 * 20 April 2004: 'Seven Nation Army/Bring the Noize/Rebel Without A Pause (CD Single)' (White Label)
 * 01 December 2004 (Rob Da Bank): 'Rebel Without a Pause' (LP - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back) (Def)
 * 16 December 2004: 'Bring The Noise (CD-It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back)' (Def Jam)