Studio Albums
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Yo! Bum Rush the Show | Def Jam |
| 1988 | It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back | Def Jam |
| 1990 | Fear of a Black Planet | Def Jam |
| 1991 | Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black | Def Jam |
| 1994 | Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age | Def Jam |
| 1998 | He Got Game | Def Jam |
| 1999 | There's a Poison Goin On | Atomic Pop |
| 2002 | Revolverlution | Elektra / Slam Jamz |
| 2006 | New Whirl Odor | Slam Jamz |
| 2007 | How You Sell Soul to a People Who Sold Their Soul??? | Slam Jamz |
| 2012 | Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp | Slam Jamz |
| 2015 | Man Plans God Laughs | SpitDigital |
| 2017 | Nothing Is Quick in the Desert | Def Jam / UMe |
EPs / Special Releases
| Year | EP | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Early Def Jam EP Sessions | Def Jam Promo |
| 1990 | Fear of a Black Planet Remix EP | Def Jam |
| 1991 | Apocalypse 91 Remix Sessions | Def Jam |
Mixtapes / Rare & Unreleased Material
| Year | Project | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1985–1987 | Long Island Demo Recordings | Independent |
| 1992 | Bomb Squad Session Tapes | Def Jam |
| 1995 | Post-Muse Sick Outtakes | Def Jam |
Selected Singles
- Public Enemy No. 1 (1987)
- Rebel Without a Pause (1987)
- Bring the Noise (1987)
- Don’t Believe the Hype (1988)
- Fight the Power (1989)
- 911 Is a Joke (1990)
- Welcome to the Terrordome (1990)
- He Got Game (1998)
Style and Influence
Public Enemy are known for dense, sample-heavy production and politically driven lyricism, combining hip-hop with social commentary that challenged mainstream narratives in American culture.
Their sound, shaped heavily by the Bomb Squad production team, introduced layered sonic collage techniques that influenced generations of hip-hop and experimental music producers.
Legacy
Public Enemy remain one of the most influential hip-hop groups of all time, particularly for their role in elevating rap music into a vehicle for political expression and activism.
Albums like It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and Fear of a Black Planet are widely regarded as foundational works in the history of hip-hop.