Disco de Public Enemy: “It Takes a Nation: The First London Invasion Tour 1987 [DVD & CD]”

As someone who saw Public Enemey appear live around the time this video was shot, I would say that this may be one of their best concert videos. Yes, they rapped over their own records (as did all Def Jam acts around this time--if the record skipped on the instrumental, there was no way for the artist to catch up with the beat. The teopry was who cared if you were 70 rows away--you came to SEE them, not hear) However, the picture and audio quality on this DVD is terrible, obviously dubbed from Chuck's 20 year old VHS. This is not a "home shot" video, but an actual broadcast on the BBC. An awesome time capsule, the broadcast also featured Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, Whodini and LL Cool J. This is PE's full performance (it was clipped on the original show) but it's disappointing that the original masters weren't sought for this DVD. True fans should seek out the two out-of-printlongform PE VHS tapes that Sony released back in the day. They are also PE concerts but they are so overedited in an attempt to match the energy of the show that they'll give the casual watcher a seizure. Hopefully these an the other early Def Jam Videos will make it to DVD one of of these days (or even the rest of the performances filmed for this special). Until then this will have to make due.

"I got flame in my eyes, I'm obsessed with this London thing."

--- Chuck D

This is a groundbreaking document for you -- if you call yourself a real hip-hop head. It features my favorite rap group of the month, Public Enemy, in a semi-documentary-semi-live-show DVD, filmed back in 1987, when the P.E. were not yet recognized in the US, as Chuck D, the mind behind, says:

"...But over here [in England] it's what we say rather than how we kick it. It means a lot to me."

Highlights of the film include the now retired from showbiz-original-genius DJ - Terminator-X, Leader of the S1Ws Professor Griff, Flavor Flav - young and raw as ever, and of course - the voice of the group, Chuck D. Most of the film features the actual London show, with bits and pieces of group interviews by Brit journalists, some crazy wicked behind the stage licks PLUS an extra freestyle from LL Cool J, which was a part of the tour alongside Eric-B & Rakim.

"Everything is real. Real real real real..."

---Flavor Flav

True, Video quality is poor, but it doesn't get any better than this for the London show. I don't mind, in half-screen it's still pure gold.

More of the same?

The audio version of this show:

Public Enemy's debut album - so relevant to this era:

Chuck D's book, gives you the details behind the 1987 show, and the complete history of the group. I found the 2nd chapter especially fascinating:

Terminator X's Solo album - ORIGINAL hip-hop from the mind of a genius:

Enjoy.

I'm very disappointed... I'm purshased with great expectations, but it's te wost original DVD I saw ever!! very very poor video & audio quality, even with traking problems from original tape!! It's a home video, made with a ordinary and cheap camera of 80's, and viewed millions of times. The earliest Public Enemy VHS saw too much better. REALLY. I am #1 latin Public Enemy fan, and I'll always be. But this DVD sucks.