April 10, 1990: Fear of a Black Planet

The revolutionary album was released and changed the world of music on this day in 1990.

April 10, 1990 was the release date of a cornerstone in hip hop music:  Public Enemy’s Fear of a Black Planet.  Still known as one of the most empowering albums of its time, the album was written during a pivotal era both in America and music: the Golden Age of Hip Hop.


Preceding the time where samples required clearance and approval to be used in sample-based music, the album is layered heavily with elements providing space and depth to levels of complexity previously unheard.  Fear of a Black Planet‘s production team, The Bomb Squad, worked tirelessly to bring their signature sound to the album.  As Rolling Stone’s Christopher Weingarten said in an interview late last year with leading Public Enemy MC Chuck D, it was one of the…

“most sonically adventurous and politically stirring records of all time.”

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