Twenty-eight years ago, today, Public Enemy released their third studio album, “Fear of a Black Planet,” on Def Jam and Columbia Records.
In an effort to piggy back on the group’s second studio album, “It Takes a Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back,” which was released just two years prior, the group’s lead rapper, Chuck D, wanted to pursue a different direction and create “a deep, complex album” something “that not only epitomized the standard of an album, but would stand the test of time by being diverse with sounds and textures, and also being able to home in on the aspect of peaks and valleys.”
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With singles such as “Fight the Power” and “911 Is A Joke,” the album was a critical and commercial success, selling two million copies in the United States. Thanks to its political and confrontational lyrics, themes of organization and empowerment within the African-American community and The Bomb Squad’s production, the album has been revered as one of hip-hop greatest and most important records.
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“Fear of a Black Planet” debuted at number 40 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart and peaked at number 10 during its 27 week run on the chart.
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