Personnel: Fred Wells, Vernon Reid, Bill Stephney (guitar); Branford Marsalis (saxophone); Lorenzo Wyche, Tyrone Jefferson, Allan Givens (horns); Frank Able (keyboards); Rick Gordon (drums); Steve Moss (congas); Eric "Vietnam" Sadler, Hank Shocklee (programming, drum programming); Gary G Wiz, Keith Shocklee, Paul Shabazz, Stuart Robertz (programming); Keith Boxley, Norman Rogers (scratches).

Additional personnel: Stephen Stills (vocals); Sister Souljah (rap vocals); Al Macdowell (bass guitar); Vernon Reid.

Audio Mixers: Bill Stephney; Chris Shaw ; Chuck Chillout; Dan Wood; Keith Boxley; Hank Shocklee; Mike Bona; Mario Rodriquez; John Bradley; Nick Sansano ; Rod Hui; Steven Ett; Bob Fudjinski.

Liner Note Authors: Harry Allen; Adam Yauch.

Recording information: Chunk King House Of Metal, New York, NY; Darp Recording, Atlanta, GA; Greene Street Recording Studios, New York, NY; Hit Factory Studios, New York, NY; Sabella Recording Studios, Roslyn, NY; Sound Deluxe; Spectrum City Studios, Hempstead, NY; Strong Island; Studio 57; The Music Palace, West Hempstead, NY; The Spot.

Creators: Eric "Vietnam" Sadler; Carl Ryder; Gary G Wiz; Hank Shocklee; Keith Shocklee.

Directors: Eric "Vietnam" Sadler; Carl Ryder; Hank Shocklee; Keith Shocklee.

Illustrator: Owen Smith.

Photographers: Daniela Scaramuzza; David Corio; Andrew Catlin; Per Magnusson; Tom Sheehan; Danny Clinch.

Arrangers: Eric "Vietnam" Sadler; Carl Ryder; Gary G Wiz; House Of Tre; Hank Shocklee; Keith Shocklee.

Apart from their 2001 installment in Universal's ongoing 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection series, Public Enemy have not been given a career compilation prior to 2005's Power to the People and the Beats: Public Enemy's Greatest Hits. That comp overlooked such major cuts as "Rebel Without a Pause" and "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos," plus it was sequenced in a non-chronological order. Power to the People rights those two wrongs by including all of PE's major songs from 1987-1998 -- which doesn't mean it's all their best music, of course -- presented in a chronological fashion, beginning with "You're Gonna Get Yours" and ending with "He Got Game." As such, it provides not only a useful summary of their groundbreaking work, it's also a bracing, exciting listen in its own right. Of course, each individual Public Enemy recorded during the last ten years (as of this 2005 release) are worth hearing -- especially 1988's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and 1990's Fear of a Black Planet, which are two of the great works of art of the 20th century -- but for those who want a quick introduction to the greatest hip-hop group of all time, this fits the bill perfectly. [Power to the People and the Beats was also released in a clean version, containing no profanity.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Apart from their 2001 installment in Universal's ongoing 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection series, Public Enemy had not been given a career compilation prior to 2005's Power to the People and the Beats: Public Enemy's Greatest Hits. The 2001 comp overlooked such major cuts as "Rebel Without a Pause" and "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos," plus it was sequenced in a non-chronological order. Power to the People rights those two wrongs by including all of PE's major songs from 1987-1998 -- which doesn't mean it's all their best music, of course -- presented in a chronological fashion, beginning with "You're Gonna Get Yours" and ending with "He Got Game." As such, it provides not only a useful summary of their groundbreaking work, it's also a bracing, exciting listen in its own right. Of course, each individual Public Enemy release recorded during these ten years is worth hearing -- especially 1988's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and 1990's Fear of a Black Planet, which are two of the great works of art of the 20th century -- but for those who want a quick introduction to the greatest hip-hop group of all time, this fits the bill perfectly. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

One of the greatest groups in hip-hop history, Public Enemy emerged in the mid-1980s determined to take rap in a bold new direction. P.E.'s sound channeled elements of rock, funk, and soul through the conduit of the Bomb Squad's dense, inventive--and sometimes avant-garde--production techniques. While Chuck D was the focus, tackling weighty social and political issues through his fierce lyrics and booming delivery, the jester-like antics of Flavor Flav were just as crucial to the P.E. aesthetic.

This 2005 collection expertly represents Public Enemy's finest moments from 1987 to 1998, beginning with the one-two punch of "You're Gonna Get Yours" and "Public Enemy No. 1." Most importantly, the compilation boasts a generous sampling of tracks from P.E.'s groundbreaking masterpieces, 1988's IT TAKES A NATION OF MILLIONS TO HOLD US BACK and 1990's FEAR OF A BLACK PLANET. These include the original version of the blistering "Bring the Noise," the outraged "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" (later covered by Tricky), the defiant "Fight the Power," and the scathing, ridiculously catchy "911 Is a Joke." With its excellent selection, the 18-track POWER TO THE PEOPLE easily beats the group's 11-song 20TH CENTURY MASTERS collection, making it the essential Public Enemy anthology.