The way I remember it, when NWA were in their prime Public Enemy was always bigger.

[Ron Fox]

This is what PE looked like in 1987:

This is what NWA looked like in 1987:

 

[IllmaticDelta]

Public Enemy was just big in the realm of rap alone but not really much else.

not true

Overall IMO, the 3 biggest rap groups in Hip Hop history are Run DMC, NWA and Wu Tang...I'm not sure PE cracks the top 5.

 

[Ron Fox]

Even in London in 1988, PE was considered the world's greatest rock n roll band

Oct 1988......Notices that is not NWA on the cover.

 

[Wear My Dawg's Hat]

Rock star and frontman of the hard rock band guns n roses had a NWA hat when he was performing during a live concert who was broadcasted by MTV in 1990 or 1991. And he toured with them.

Part of the reason for NWA's explosion in sales was that they took a part of Guns N Roses 15-24
white male fanbase.

Appetite For Destruction is selling 30 million copies '87-'90. It gave some of it sales coattails over
to Straight Outta Compton, 100 Miles and Runnin, and even nikkaz4Life.

You would see white kids at the cash register at Coconuts buying both GNR and NWA cassettes at the same time.

 

[Ron Fox]

Part of the reason for NWA's explosion in sales was that they took a part of Guns N Roses 15-24
white male fanbase.

Appetite For Destruction is selling 30 million copies '87-'90. It gave some of it sales coattails over
to Straight Outta Compton, 100 Miles and Runnin, and even nikkaz4Life.

You would see white kids at the cash register at Coconuts buying both GNR and NWA cassettes at the same time.

 

[Homeboy Runny-Ray]

Overall IMO, the 3 biggest rap groups in Hip Hop history are Run DMC, NWA and Wu Tang...I'm not sure PE cracks the top 5.

public enemy was def bigger than wutang.

wutang isn't even the biggest group from their era.

 

[CoryMack]

Some people did try to wear those clocks like Flav. I remember seeing some people with em, but it wasn't like you could just walk into a store and get one. Same with the African medallions - my homeboy went to visit Fam up in NY back when we were in Jr high and brought mine back cause at that time you couldn't find em.

But you could find kings and raiders hats easy.

PE was as big during their time, but they weren't the only conscious rap group out at that time. PRT was doing they thing, X-Clan,etc.

NWA was like an atomic bomb when they dropped though. They were building momentum with that album where Arabian prince and all them are in the picture but after Straight Outta Compton that was all she wrote. They eclipsed everything that was out.

 

[CoryMack]

wutang isn't even the biggest group from their era.

they were about the biggest of their era. One of the few groups that had that same kinda impact as NWA when they hit.

 

[DANJ!]

There's really no wrong answer to this one. Between '88 and '91, these two were tier zero.

What's dope AF about that time is that these two groups, neither of which had support from radio, neither of which ever had a big pop hit, and both of whom were viewed as controversial for challenging racism & the police... were the two biggest groups in hip-hop whose influence went mainstream.

 

[Ron Fox]

There's really no wrong answer to this one. Between '88 and '91, these two were tier zero.

What's dope AF about that time is that these two groups, neither of which had support from radio, neither of which ever had a big pop hit, and both of whom were viewed as controversial for challenging racism & the police... were the two biggest groups in hip-hop whose influence went mainstream.

One thing I noticed in this thread is that people forget that in the 80's Hip Hop was still underground for the most part. U said it yourself they had no support from radio. Hip Hop was word of mouth and what came out of cars. It was played at partys and passed around thru tapes. It came on at a certain time on radio and on TV. It was not on the level of pop, rock or R&B yet. Hip Hop didnt bust that mainstream door wide open till Hammer and Fresh Prince Of Bel Air in 1990 and even then it was still in the minority mainstream wise. We only had glimpses with Run DMC , Beastie boys, Tone Loc, Young MC and Salt N Pepa making mainstream noise in the 80's. 1990 really set everything off for Hip Hop to now settle on that mainstream level. But if u were into Hip Hop before 1990 it was your world, especially if u lived in the hood. So I think people in here were confusing what was big in their world(hood) compared to were mainstream music actually was in 88 and 91. You had Madonna, U2, MJ, Guns and Roses, New Kids On The Block, George Michael, Van Halen, Janet Jackson Nirvana all selling 7 million and over. Hip Hop wasnt competing with any of that back then, not NWA, not Public Enemy. Pop and rock was just bigger. So when dudes are talking about NWA being "everywhere" compared to the names I just mentioned...I dont remember it being like that unless u are talking about what was going on in your hood.

 

[DANJ!]

One thing I noticed in this thread is that people forget that in the 80's Hip Hop was still underground for the most part. U said it yourself they had no support from radio. Hip Hop was word of mouth and what came out of cars. It was played at partys and passed around thru tapes. It came on at a certain time on radio and on TV. It was not on the level of pop, rock or R&B yet. Hip Hop didnt bust that mainstream door wide open till Hammer and Fresh Prince Of Bel Air in 1990 and even then it was still in the minority mainstream wise. We only had glimpses with Run DMC , Beastie boys, Tone Loc, Young MC and Salt N Pepa making mainstream noise in the 80's. 1990 really set everything off for Hip Hop to now settle on that mainstream level. But if u were into Hip Hop before 1990 it was your world, especially if u lived in the hood. So I think people in here were confusing what was big in their world(hood) compared to were mainstream music actually was in 88 and 91. You had Madonna, U2, MJ, Guns and Roses, New Kids On The Block, George Michael, Van Halen, Janet Jackson Nirvana all selling 7 million and over. Hip Hop wasnt competing with any of that back then, not NWA, not Public Enemy. Pop and rock was just bigger. So when dudes are talking about NWA being "everywhere" compared to the names I just mentioned...I dont remember it being like that unless u are talking about what was going on in your hood.

RIGHT! These two groups in particular went mainstream totally by accident, and definitely not because mainstream outlets wanted them to. The controversy around them and their music sold them and made them big. Some people don't remember the years before radio (and even "black" radio) was embracing hip-hop. Some of the people posting in this thread probably recall ALWAYS getting to hear/see their favorite rappers on TV/radio every day. There was a time you could only catch the real shyt at night on the mixshows (which is why so many radio DJs from back then were so important), and the only rap that played in rotation was very R&B or pop-friendly. But to us, it didn't matter, long as we knew it was out there and we listened to it. That's what made PE and NWA even greater- you could see their t-shirts worn by pop stars and in movies, and they didn't make ONE attempt to be mainstream-accepted.

 

[Homeboy Runny-Ray]

they were about the biggest of their era. One of the few groups that had that same kinda impact as NWA when they hit.

bone thugs were bigger than wutang.

wutang had nowhere near the impact of an NWA. I think people get caught up in the hype and their brand.

wutang's brand & logo >>>> the popularity of their music across the map.

PE was as big during their time, but they weren't the only conscious rap group out at that time. PRT was doing they thing, X-Clan,etc.

NWA was like an atomic bomb when they dropped though. They were building momentum with that album where Arabian prince and all them are in the picture but after Straight Outta Compton that was all she wrote. They eclipsed everything that was out.

breh. public enemy was the 1st group of its kind. PRT & X-Clan got deals off of their impact.

NWA came out after Ice T and schooly d.

You had Madonna, U2, MJ, Guns and Roses, New Kids On The Block, George Michael, Van Halen, Janet Jackson Nirvana all selling 7 million and over. Hip Hop wasnt competing with any of that back then, not NWA, not Public Enemy.

mc hammer & vanilla ice tho.......

 

[Biscayne]

public enemy was more mainstream accessible.

while NWA was the tape that I couldn't touch.

sidenote: I didn't understand why I was allowed to play DOC's tape, seeing that he was their artist. didn't realize until recent years later that he didn't cuss.
lol. that last cut on the album with NWA tho......

How'd your parents know that DOC didn't cuss?

 

[timothy_strickland]

You mean Axl Rose?

https://www.google.ca/search?q=guns...m4715rjWAhXB1CYKHUZyBJwQ_AUICigB&biw=1182&bih
=820


@Meh

@cartierhoe

 

[Biscayne]

https://www.google.ca/search?q=guns...m4715rjWAhXB1CYKHUZyBJwQ_AUICigB&biw=1182&bih
=820


@Meh

@cartierhoe

Didn't know axl rose chilled with them. On San Andreas he hated rap.