Public Enemy

USA, 1985–now

Long Island group of Chuck D and Flavor Flav. The Bomb Squad's dense, sample-layered production on It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back carried explicitly political lyrics.

MusicRoots documents 1 artist who influenced Public Enemy and 12 artists Public Enemy influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Public Enemy?

• James Brown — Brown is the most-sampled artist in Public Enemy's catalogue — the Bomb Squad built its wall from his breaks, 'Funky Drummer' first of all.

Which artists did Public Enemy influence?

• Massive Attack — Massive Attack grew from the hip-hop the Wild Bunch spun; the breakbeats and politically charged production of acts like Public Enemy shaped their approach.
• The Prodigy — Public Enemy and the Bomb Squad's dense, layered production were, in Howlett's words, an influence that 'never left him' — the sample-collage backbone of The Prodigy.
• Rage Against the Machine — Tom Morello has described RATM's formula as 'Black Sabbath meets Public Enemy' — Chuck D's political fire was the explicit vocal model.
• Anthrax — Anthrax's collaboration with Public Enemy on 'Bring the Noise' (1991) grew from Scott Ian's documented PE devotion — he wore their shirts on stage for years first.
• The Chemical Brothers — Rowlands and Simons have said they set out to make dance records that hit like the Bomb Squad — Public Enemy was the declared sonic benchmark.
• Tricky — Public Enemy is among the records Tricky cites from growing up, and he rebuilt 'Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos' on Maxinquaye with a woman singing it.
• Eminem — Public Enemy's dense, aggressive lyricism was among the golden-age influences Eminem has named.
• 2Pac — Tupac's socially conscious rap grew out of the pro-Black militancy of 'Fight the Power'-era Public Enemy.
• Wu-Tang Clan — Public Enemy's dense, aggressive, politically charged hip-hop is a foundational influence on Wu-Tang's gritty East Coast sound.
• Cypress Hill — Public Enemy's noisy, aggressive production is a clear influence on Cypress Hill's dense, hard-hitting hip-hop.
• The Roots — Public Enemy's dense, politically charged rap is part of the conscious hip-hop tradition behind the Roots.
• Run the Jewels — Public Enemy's dense, politically charged, sample-heavy hip-hop is a clear model for Run the Jewels' hard-hitting, activist rap.