Hank Shocklee, one of the founding members of Public Enemy's production team the Bomb Squad (along with Chuck D, Keith Shocklee, Bill Stephney and Eric "Vietnam" Sadler) is currently at work on a book about the making of It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, one of Public Enemy's (and hip-hop's) greatest albums. The 1989 record displayed the power of hip-hop as a revolutionary political force, and also revolutionized production techniques with its use of noisy, aggressive samples and feedback funk. Slated for a Spring 2006 release, the book will provide insight into the production design, techniques and philosophy behind the classic record. Now if only the Library of Congress would add this record to its collection, like it did Fear Of A Black Planet, all would be right with this messed-up world.
