On this date in 1991, legendary Hip-Hop collective Public Enemy launched their fourth full-length album, Apocalypse ’91…The Enemy Strikes Again, on the Def Jam/Columbia imprint.
Drawn from the fictional films Apocalypse Now and Star Wars sequel The Empire Strikes Again, the Bomb Squad produced venture was a rush job, in accordance with Hank Shocklee, having to re-create the manufacturing after the discs from the previous 5 years with album contents have been stolen. “When you lose all of your knowledge, it’s very troublesome to get that knowledge again…you could get a few of it again, however you’ll by no means get the whole set. You gained’t even know what the whole set is, as a result of there’s knowledge in there you didn’t actually know you had,” Shocklee mentioned of the lacking venture.
The licensed platinum album provided up a few timeless singles, together with “Shut Em Down”, “Can’t Truss It,” and “By The Time I Get To Arizona,” the place within the video the depicted killing of Arizona Governor Evan Mecham was seen in response for not recognizing MLK Jr. Day as a nationwide vacation.
Salute to the whole P.E. for this timeless 14-track piece of Hip Hop historical past!
