◇ image via WikipediaPublic Enemy
Public Enemy is an act on the Starverb influence map. Their sound grew out of Average White Band, Mandrill, The Chakachas, Run–D.M.C. and Beastie Boys. Those roots explain a lot about how Public Enemy arrange songs and choose their tones. They run in the same orbit as Eric B. & Rakim, Boogie Down Productions, EPMD, De La Soul and Beastie Boys, sharing audiences, venues and reference points rather than a straight line of influence. Their influence carried into YG, The Bug, Racionais MC's, Cypress Hill and Tech N9ne, where the same ideas turn up rearranged for a later generation. Altogether the chart holds 144 connections around Public Enemy, reaching back through Average White Band and forward to YG. Follow any of those threads to keep travelling the influence between bands and genres on Starverb.
Background
Public Enemy is an American hip-hop group formed in Roosevelt, New York, in 1985 by Chuck D and Flavor Flav. The group rose to prominence for their political messages including subjects such as American racism and the American media. Their debut album, Yo! Bum Rush the Show, was released in 1987 to critical acclaim, and their second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988), was the first hip-hop album to top The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop critics' poll. Their next three albums, Fear of a Black Planet (1990), Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black (1991), and Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age (1994), were also well received. The group has since released eleven more studio albums, including the soundtrack to the 1998 sports-drama film He Got Game and a collaborative album with Paris, Rebirth of a Nation (2006). Their most recent album, Black Sky Over the Projects: Apartment 2025, was released in 2025.
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Public Enemy connections
Public Enemy grew out of Average White Band, Mandrill, The Chakachas and Run–D.M.C., shares an orbit with Eric B. & Rakim, Boogie Down Productions, EPMD and De La Soul, went on to shape YG, The Bug, Racionais MC's and Cypress Hill. 144 connections mapped across roots, kindred and legacy.
Who influenced Public Enemy
Sounds and acts that shaped Public Enemy.
- Average White Bandartist
- Mandrillartist
- The Chakachasartist
- Run–D.M.C.artist
- Beastie Boysartist
- S.A.R.S.artist
- Trouble Funkartist
- Lafayette Afro Rock Bandartist
- Im Nin'aluartist
- Clyde Stubblefieldartist
- Funky Drummerartist
- Grandmaster Melle Melartist
- Benny Benassi Presents The Bizartist
- C.L. Smoothartist
- Das EFXartist
- E.U.artist
- Boogie Down Productionsartist
- Marva Whitneyartist
- The Nextmenartist
- Whodiniartist
- Antipop Consortiumartist
- DJ Z-Tripartist
- Hot Action Copartist
- Portisheadartist
- Zack de la Rochaartist
- Benny Benassiartist
- MC Lyteartist
- Chakachasartist
- Branford Marsalisartist
- Russell Simmonsartist
- Arabian Princeartist
- Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Fiveartist
- Melle Melartist
- Papa's Got a Brand New Bagartist
- Wookieartist
- Syl Johnsonartist
Artists similar to Public Enemy
Artists and scenes sharing an orbit with Public Enemy.
- Eric B. & Rakimartist
- Boogie Down Productionsartist
- EPMDartist
- De La Soulartist
- Beastie Boysartist
- N.W.Aartist
- Cypress Hillartist
- Ultramagnetic MC'sartist
- Ice Cubeartist
- 3rd Bassartist
- A Tribe Called Questartist
- GZA/Geniusartist
- Jungle Brothersartist
- House of Painartist
- Ol' Dirty Bastardartist
- Biz Markieartist
- Method Manartist
- Naughty By Natureartist
- Pete Rock & C.L. Smoothartist
- Snoop Doggartist
- Mobb Deepartist
- The Pharcydeartist
- OutKastartist
Bands Public Enemy shaped
Where the influence of Public Enemy travelled next.
- YGartist
- The Bugartist
- Racionais MC'sartist
- Cypress Hillartist
- Tech N9neartist
- clipping.artist
- N.W.Aartist
- Billy Woodsartist
- Little Brotherartist
- Primitive Radio Godsartist
- People Under the Stairsartist
- Hilltop Hoodsartist
- Parisartist
- Aesop Rockartist
- Utah Saintsartist
- NUMBER GIRLartist
- The Cultartist
- Roc Marcianoartist
- Sonic Youthartist
- RIP SLYMEartist
- dälekartist
- Brownoutartist
- EPMDartist
- Cyneartist
- Ice Cubeartist
- The Pharcydeartist
- Betty Booartist
- Pussy Galoreartist
- 3 Feet High and Risingartist
- Rage Against the Machineartist
- Ebony Bonesartist
- Disco Infernoartist
- DJ Vadimartist
- Maxinquayeartist
- Murphy's Lawartist
- Underground Resistanceartist
- Food For Animalsartist
- Bomb the Bassartist
- Sonic Boom Sixartist
- Jane Childartist
- Leaders of the New Schoolartist
- Mongrelartist
- Da Weaselartist
- Sage Francisartist
- Poor Righteous Teachersartist
- Prince Paulartist
- Whodiniartist
- Asian Dub Foundationartist
- DJ Tomekkartist
- DJ Z-Tripartist
- FEVER 333artist
- Katalystartist
- Bluejuiceartist
- Afrobartist
- The Goatsartist
- Massive Töneartist
- London Posseartist
- Mobyartist
- Queen Latifahartist
- Chamillionaireartist
- Trickyartist
- Busta Rhymesartist
- KRS-Oneartist
- PJ Harveyartist
- Primusartist
- Rick Rubinartist
- Manic Street Preachersartist
- Vanilla Iceartist
- Chino Morenoartist
- Butch Vigartist
- Steve Harwellartist
- Dirk Verbeurenartist
- Daydream Nationartist
- Digital Undergroundartist
- Generation Terroristsartist
- Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tipartist
- Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)artist
- The Avalanchesartist
- Stankoniaartist
- Niggaz4Lifeartist
- Endtroducing.....artist
- Lose My Breathartist
- Kortatuartist
- Isn't Anythingartist
- Mayer Hawthorneartist
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