In the early seventies, “rap” was virtually non-existent. The decade was dominated by clubs infected with the glitzy beats and tunes of artists such Gloria Gaynor, Donna Summers, and the Bee-

Entering into the third decade of hip-hop, both Public Enemy and NWA competed for a divided crowd. The debate was on; which was better – political or gangster rap? In 1991 it was clear that gangster rap had won out. With Public Enemy not able to come out with a hit record, NWA capitalized with their second album, Niggaz 4 Life (Blow, 7). Although the record was a success, the group split up shortly after due to business complications. However, the mark they left on the world of hip-hop became indelible. One of the founding members, Dr. Dre went on to establish a sensational solo career, releasing his own debut album in 1992, The Chronic, which sold over three million copies and spent eight months in the Billboard Top 10 (Blow, 7).

Earning notoriety with their sophomore record release, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Public Enemy focused their words on delivering a political message (D’Cook, 5). They stressed various issues concerning the world around them, from racial tension to corporate corruption. Their aim was to inform the listener about the impact society is having in our everyday lives. Public Enemy’s lead singer, Chuck D. summed up the group’s purpose most concisely, once referring to [the group] as the “African American CNN” (D’Cook, 6).

Some topics in this essay:
Webster’s Dictionary, Hollywood DJ, Public Enemy, Zulu Nation, Biggie Smalls, Moving Barbados, Aerosmith Ogg, Magazine’s Top, Beastie Boys, Vanilla Ice, rap music, public enemy, rap industry, gangster rap, beastie boys, “walk way”, world hip-hop, hip hop, subject matter, hip-hop industry, numerous block parties, dj kool herc, public enemy nwa,