In 1990 rap revolutionaries Public Enemy released their third album, Fear Of a Black Planet, and former N.W.A. member Ice Cube released his solo effort, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted. At the other end of the spectrum MC Hammer, who rose to fame as pop-rap exploded in popularity with the masses.



Vanilla Ice

By the 1990, the specter of pop-rap was every- where. Borrowing a riff from the Queen David Bowie song "Under Pressure", Miami-based rapper Vanilla Ice scored a NO. 1 hit with "Ice, Ice Baby". The song propelled his album, To The Extreme, to the top of the charts. Trough most hip-hop fans were horrified by his rapid accent others quickly sought to capitalize on it - as this action figure demonstrates.



MC Hammer

MC Hammer rose to the top of the charts with 1990's Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em. Built on the groove fro Rick James "Super Freak", the single "U Can't Touch This" was a huge success. Hammer was an energetic performer employing dancers, complex lighting and wildly colored clothing. With his success came merchandizing - among the items was this "MC Hammer" action figure.



Ice Cube

Former N.W.A. member Ice Cube released AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted in 1990. Produced in collaboration with East Coast crew (and Public Enemy producers) the Bomb Squad, Ice Cube's solo debut went Platinum. While critics decried the album's brutal and violent lyrics, fans celebrated and embraced its harsh, in-your-face realism as a much-needed slap in the face to privileged Americans.

Public Enemy

In 1990, hardcore rappers Public Enemy released Fear of a Black Planet. With this release, the group continued to preach pro-Black politics, encouraging social and political activism on the part of the African-American community from a perspective that some critics decried as too militant. Sonically, the Bomb Squad was def as ever, producing dense, surging soundscapes that were a perfect match for Chuck D's distinctive, booming vocals. Controversial tracks like "Welcome to the Terrordome" and "911 is a Joke" were immediate hits, and the prominent appearance of "Fight The Power" in director Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing also helped fuel album sales.