I’ve heard it stated around here before that PE and the Bomb Squad have had little in the way of influence in terms of people copying or being influenced by their production style, and or social commentary.

Just speaking on the first of those, the Bomb Squad’s style of production – perhaps the reason so few have copied that style is firstly because it’s such a hard style to master.

Another reason no doubt is that the sampling laws made that more difficult. But that didn’t stop people sampling at all. So PE’s style could technically still be achieved; nevertheless, people didn’t go there.

So what I’m saying is its works of art like that, that do some shit that is so original that it is un-biteable, say Saafir’s whole style, or Freestyle Fellowship, ODB, Cappadonna on Winter Warz – the stuff hasn’t been replicated – some of that should be held up as much as those whose influence is easily observed, e.g. Dilla and his impact on drum programming etc.

I digressed a bit but what I’m trying to say is that the Bomb Squad/PE is up there with Dilla and Primo etc, despite PE’s lesser influence.

Actually, come to think of it, the fact that so few picked up on social commentary based hip hop, or did it to the extent that PE did - that lack of influence shouldn't be seen as a strike against PE. That's a strike against everyone else really; and it's a further reason why PE is the shit.

Their lack of influence, musically and subject matter wise, it what makes them one of the illest ever.

I saw this presentation by Hank Shocklee which inspired this post:

Hank Shocklee: Musical Influences on the Makings of Public Enemy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbOE_FJ6Oo8

>Actually, come to think of it, the fact that so few picked up
>on social commentary based hip hop, or did it to the extent
>that PE did - that lack of influence shouldn't be seen as a
>strike against PE. That's a strike against everyone else
>really; and it's a further reason why PE is the shit.

^^^ Perfectly stated.

I also agree that a lack of people biting your
style doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't great.
Sometimes it just means your shit ain't that
easy to master. I've felt this way for a long
time about certain artists and styles. Alotta
artists do falsetto, because it's easy... much
easier than the discipline it takes to sing like
Luther Vandross. Damn near ANYbody with any
chops can pull off a falsetto.

Definitely not shitting on the great, but alotta
people bit Prince because it's easy to throw a Linn
drum kick in your beat and sing falsetto. Who was
biting his guitar playing tho?
Alotta people tried to bite MJ's singing style but very
few could master his dancing, because his dancing
wasn't easily mastered. Some stuff is just style,
but truly disciplined accomplishments aren't easy
to bite.

with all the sampled songs right in front of you then you know why on the production side..

"Straight outta Compton." That song sounds way more Bomb Squad than anything else L.A. made at the time. "Murder Rap" also feels a bit like it came from their template

>"Straight outta Compton." That song sounds way more Bomb
>Squad than anything else L.A. made at the time. "Murder Rap"
>also feels a bit like it came from their template


good ones...definitely those were influenced by bomb squad

he left NWA, so there is some truth to that.

That sound was not something many could duplicate, which is why most didn't even try...

Their stuff was way too intricate for most people to even understand, let alone attempt to copy.

The way they had that shit sounding was crazy with the stereophonics and still is, some times they would have the same sample playing at different speeds like 95.0 bpm on the right channel and 85.5 bpm on left every 2 bars, shit like that nobody was really doing, or having layered samples while one was in stereo in the back but have some mono sample in the front with reverb but have other samples in between with no efx or in one channel comin' in at different times but never the same time.

Now that's what I call layering and mixing cause they paid attention to that shit, it's tedious work doing that for a song after song.

You just put me on to a dope album. I never heard this until you mentioned it.

---------------------------------------


---------------------------------------

I have to revisit this. Had the tape back in day.

Buck Whylin' , as the single, is still my favorite song from it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZO-6YAWbG8

But it was a little too "current" and now is dated on other songs:
Terminator X - Homey Don't Play Dat (Feat. Bonnie 'N' Clyde)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKvl1kzbp-k


Some of it LEGIT sounds like music tracks the didn't use on Fear:
Terminator X - back to the scene of the bass
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GJCmVwGJrc


The followup album Super Bad wasn't it for me.

terms of how his beats sound kinda chaotic and Bombastic, and his lyrics often are political

Him linking up with Killa Mike just furthered strengthened comparisons

Not sure who influenced who but listeners, in general, were more capable of appreciating chaotic beats back in the day.



**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

>I’ve heard it stated around here before that PE and the
>Bomb Squad have had little in the way of influence in terms of
>people copying or being influenced by their production style,
>and or social commentary.
>
>Just speaking on the first of those, the Bomb Squad’s style
>of production – perhaps the reason so few have copied that
>style is firstly because it’s such a hard style to master.
>
>Another reason no doubt is that the sampling laws made that
>more difficult. But that didn’t stop people sampling at all.
>So PE’s style could technically still be achieved;
>nevertheless, people didn’t go there.
>
>So what I’m saying is its works of art like that, that do
>some shit that is so original that it is un-biteable, say
>Saafir’s whole style, or Freestyle Fellowship, ODB,
>Cappadonna on Winter Warz – the stuff hasn’t been
>replicated – some of that should be held up as much as those
>whose influence is easily observed, e.g. Dilla and his impact
>on drum programming etc.
>
>I digressed a bit but what I’m trying to say is that the
>Bomb Squad/PE is up there with Dilla and Primo etc, despite
>PE’s lesser influence.
>
>Actually, come to think of it, the fact that so few picked up
>on social commentary based hip hop, or did it to the extent
>that PE did - that lack of influence shouldn't be seen as a
>strike against PE. That's a strike against everyone else
>really; and it's a further reason why PE is the shit.
>
>Their lack of influence, musically and subject matter wise, it
>what makes them one of the illest ever.
>
>I saw this presentation by Hank Shocklee which inspired this
>post:
>
>Hank Shocklee: Musical Influences on the Makings of Public
>Enemy
>
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbOE_FJ6Oo8
>

once Rebel Without a Pause hit piercing horn loops became pandemic throughout Hip hop

Like there are a million and one G-Funk producers and even more boom-bap producers by way of Premier or RZA. (very few of them coming close to the level of mastery shown by the originators)

But outside of the examples listed above, there was no copycat of The Bomb Squad. For a group with such a revolutionary and marketable sound (PE was the #1 selling group of their time, right?) and in a genre that bites as much as hip-hop (although not as much as the time The Bomb Squad was active) it's remarkable that no one tried to ape their style much less take it in a new or fresh direction.

That is a sign of a truly unique take on music.

The Boogie Men (Sir Jinx, DJ Pooh, and DJ Bobcat) were considered The Bomb Squad-West in the early '90s

Check out the following albums:
Ice Cube - multiple albums (Kill At Will, Death Certificate, Th Predator)
Yo-Yo - Make Way for the Motherlode and Black Pearl
Del The Funke Homosapien - I Wish My Brother George Was Here
Threat

Then you had DJ Muggs (of Cypress Hill)

Cypress Hill - their early 90's stuff definitely sounds like some Bomb Squad shit
House Of Pain - Fine Malt Lyrics

I forgot about those producers.

I was like, oh that's bomb squad influenced