0600. Public Enemy
Fear Of A Black Planet

Exactly 500 albums later, Public Enemy's back (coincidentally with the follow-up to It Takes A Nation Of Millions...). I'm really starting to feel that the Random Page Generator's not so random.

And to be frank I don't like the track Pollywanacraka, and there are some other lyrical content that's doubtful to say the least. But the other parts, when Chuck D booms black power and equality, there's probably nothing better in the world at that moment.

This is, in their own words, their Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album, while It Takes A Nation... was their version of What's Going On?. And while you can have a lengthy dispute about the comparisons, they do have a point: this is almost as fragmented as Sgt. Pepper's is and while not as influential on the popular mainstream (apart from, you know, helping getting the mainstream to notice hiphop), made its mark on hiphop production techniques with its extensive use of layered samples.
In the chart-busting Fight The Power there's at least 14 different picks - from Uriah Heep to Rick James to Afrika Bambaata & The Soulsonic Force (interesting how many of the GotToGets are represented on P.E:s releases, by the way) - and I dare you to identify 'em all without checking the Internet first.

As original for its content as for its cover image, Fear Of A Black Planet still holds its own today.