“…I guarantee you…No more music by the suckas…no more music by the suckas…no more music by the suckas…” PUBLIC ENEMY celebrated the 28 year anniversary of their certified Platinum ground breaking album “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back” on June 28th! It is the second studio album by P.E. and was released on June 28, 1988 by Def Jam Recordings. The album charted on Billboard for 49 weeks , making it to #42. By August of 1989, it was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)…PLATINUM! Music critics praised it for its production techniques and the socially and politically charged lyricism of lead MC Chuck D. It also appeared on many publications’ year-end top album lists for 1988, and was the runaway choice as the best album of 1988 in The Village Voice’s Pazz & Jop critics’ poll, a poll of the leading music critics in the US! 
Russell Simmons, Def Jam Recordings’ co-founder, was quoted saying: “ It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back was the greatest record Def Jam ever made…” Simmons continually praises the platinum album. “That’s the best record (of my time at) Def Jam Records. That album is great.” Simmons added. “The only thing that fucks with it (It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back) is Ice Cube’s AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted… It’s in the same category.” Rick Rubin was listed as executive producer, in one of his final Def Jam Records credits.
