Public Enemy Album: “Yo! Bum Rush the Show”

While It Takes A Nation of Millions was catapulted into the upper eschelon of hip-hop, Yo! Bum Rush the Show remains widely unrecognized by the general public. Why it is largely ignored remains a mystery to this reviewer. In some aspects, Bum Rush is superior to Nation of Millions.

For example, Bum Rush is a straight up hip-hop record peppered with a message here and there. The rage which is so often the focus of Nation of Millions is present but with a little more diversity in subject matter that creates a more well rounded listen. What do I mean? Take the first track "You're Gonna Get Yours" which is Chuck D's ode to both his crew and his vehicle of choice. The significance of this record is that Chuck, believe it or not, had been rhyming since 77 and this style more exemplified his history. Unless you are really up on your hip-hop or were lucky enough to catch PE in it's earliest incarnations, this example may be hard to follow.

This track, however, is not an isolated incident. "Sophisticated B*tch" represents a misogynistic side to Chuck D where he attacks females that are of an uppity nature, (a side never visited by PE again due to it's negativity). "Public Enemy #1" also represents a time before Public Enemy were even called Public Enemy as the song was a favorite on Hank Shocklee's college radio show and this track is actually the birth of the name. Bum Rush represents a fusion of the old and the new PE.

The new PE would be the politically aware side. Tracks like "Myuziweighsaton" (my personal favorite), "MPE", and "Rightstarter" represent the side of PE that would become their focus on the following albums. My Uzi shows the "quite hostile" style that Chuck would embody perhaps more vehemently and threateningly than in later releases. The title track also shows Chuck's disgust with, this time, club promoters that have invoked his ire. This disgust would appear again toward radio programmers, record label execs, and major corporations like Nike.

We also see an unusual side to fan favorite Flavor Flav. "Too Much Posse" is not only Flav's solo cut, it shows a side to Flav not to be seen since except in public appearances. Flav is almost a thug by starndards of that time. No joke. Flav smacks up a girl who doesn't recognize his clout, threatens rival crews, and is all out rowdy and foulmouthed. None of the humor found in later cuts like "911 Is a Joke" is here. This moment is Flav at his most street. If he had stayed in this realm, PE would be looked at differently than it was the following year where Flav played joker to Chuck's straight man.

Finally, the evidence of the Bomb Squad's genius is here. While Rick Rubin's influence is more prevalent, (as it was with most releases in 87), "The Noize" that PE is so famous for is still intact. Excellent production ideas like loops from the JB's were pioneered here. And I, for one, enjoy the crisp 808 taps that represent so much of the bass on this album.

Overall, Bum Rush is highly enjoyable and points a clear finger at both PE's past and future. This album was a success in Europe, but somehow managed to slip through most peoples fingers in the States. Maybe it was a little too advanced for it's time? Maybe there was just too much strong competition in 87. The lines in the sand for positivity in hip-hop were yet to be drawn as deeply as they were in the years to follow. For whatever reason, Bum Rush remains a worthy addition to any quality hip-hop collection.

1987's "Yo! Bum Rush The Show" is probably one of the more underrated hip-hop debuts of the 80's. Most people tend to compare it to the three classic albums that P.E. would release after this, which is a big mistake. If you're looking for another "It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back" or "Fear of a Black Planet", you'll be disappointed. Simply put, "Yo! Bum Rush The Show" is in a league of it's own. Chuck D.'s flow, along with P.E.'s overall sound on "Yo!..." is reminiscent of other old-school rap groups, most notably Run-D.M.C. Like Run-D.M.C., a lot of the songs are dominated by an impressive display of turntablism, but what really made Public Enemy stand out was Chuck D.'s revolutionary lyrics and Flava Flav's outbursts. Overall, "Yo! Bum Rush the Show" is a good representation of the golden age of rap, although it doesn't compare to the next three albums the group would release. Still, this is a fantastic debut from one of hip-hop's greatest groups.

The first and the best from PE. Anyone who is anyone already has it. Rough, raw beats with slick lyrics from Chuck thrown in with Flav's crazy style gave PE the originality which has seen them survive nearly 14 years in hip-hop. If you don't have it...get it. If you do, stop playing on your computer and go and listen to it!

Yo! Bum Rush the Show-

Formerly a loose congregate of college-radio DJs and party promoters in the Long Island area, `Spectrum City' became Public Enemy when Def Jam exec Rick Rubin allegedly badgered Chuck D into accepting a record deal; Chuck insisted that Flav come along, and hip-hop history was begun. Along with producers Bill Stephney and Hank Shocklee, Chuck and company considered themselves hip-hop's answer to the Clash: The first album as almost a punk effort, more about rhythm & noise rather than rhythm & blues. The LP opens with "You're Gonna Get Yours", Chuck and Flav's ode to the Oldsmobile 98: "Smoke is coming, when I burn/ rubber when my wheels turn; tinted windows so super-bad; looking like the car the Green Hornet had." The riskiest cut may have been "Sophisticated Bi*ch": hardcore metal guitar (courtesy of Vernon Reid) and hip-hop bassline make for a powerful punch. The lyrics rail against a loose woman, though later statements by Chuck assert that this was an allegorical rant against the policies of urban radio stations at the time. Other standout joints include "Public Enemy #1" (covered years later by Puff Daddy), "Miuzi Weighs a Ton", "Timebomb" ("They go `ooh!' and `ah!' when I jump in my car, people treat me like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.."), and the anti-crack-cocaine diatribe "Megablast". This is the true beginning of the PE dynasty, even before "Nation of Millions". Not to be missed.

Maybe its just me but when you say an album is a classic, it should get 5 stars. There are reviewers on Amazon that call this album a classic and give it four stars. Hmmmmmmm, interesting. At any rate..

I fell in love with this album when I first heard it. Chuck D has a fantastic flow and a voice that commands authority. Flava Flav was wild and Terminator X comes through with the scratches. Chuck D also had something to say and that a definite plus. He helped open up the doors for social awareness in Hip Hop and still doesnt get enough credit for it.

In closing Public Enemy's Yo! Bum Rush The Show is a classic that should be a part of any hip hop heads collection. The rhymes were excellent and the production is superb. Two thumbs up from me.

Standouts: YOU'RE GONNA GET YOURS, SOPHISTICATED B***H, PUBLIC ENEMY NO.1, RIGHTSTARTER, MEGABLAST, TIMEBOMB, MIUZI WEIGHS A TON and the rest of this album!