1987 was the world’s introduction to Chuck D’s powerful lyrics and the comic persona of Flava Flav, sharp scratches from DJ Terminator X, as well as Bomb Squad’s bombastic production. An album of furious resistance and consciousness, ‘Yo! Bum Rush The Show’ includes tracks like “Miuzi Weighs A Ton,” “Sophisticated Bitch,” and “Public Enemy No. 1,” which avalanched listeners with lectures and uncanny beat construction.

The overall sound of the album, devoid of any real melody or soft patches, is a hard-driving recording that ushered in a new sound—conscious but not corny, hard but not gangsta.