What was Public Enemy’s third studio album, released in 1990?

Public Enemy’s third studio album, released in 1990, was Fear of a Black Planet.

The album followed the group’s influential 1988 release It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and continued Public Enemy’s dense, politically focused sound. Production by The Bomb Squad used layered samples, sharp rhythmic edits, and deliberately crowded textures, creating a forceful backdrop for Chuck D’s direct lyrics.

Fear of a Black Planet includes “Welcome to the Terrordome,” “911 Is a Joke,” and “Fight the Power.” The latter had already become prominent through Spike Lee’s 1989 film Do the Right Thing, while the album expanded the group’s examination of racism, media representation, and social power.

The title is often misunderstood as a science-fiction reference. It is better understood as a provocative phrase about racial anxiety and the changing cultural balance of the United States. The album was certified platinum in the United States and remains one of Public Enemy’s defining recordings.