He Got Game (Soundtrack)

Public Enemy springs back into action with this album, which doubles as the soundtrack to Spike Lee's film. Reuniting the original Bomb Squad production team of Hank & Keith Shocklee, Eric Sadler and Gary G-Wiz with Flavor Flav, Professor Griff and Terminator X makes for an impressive mix of styles and songs. In classic Public Enemy fashion, sampling is timely and well used.

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Public Enemy springs back into action with this album, which doubles as the soundtrack to Spike Lee's film. Reuniting the original Bomb Squad production team of Hank & Keith Shocklee, Eric Sadler and Gary G-Wiz with Flavor Flav, Professor Griff and Terminator X makes for an impressive mix of styles and songs. In classic Public Enemy fashion, sampling is timely and well used.
The title cut features a sample from the Buffalo Springfield classic "For What It's Worth", as well as a newly recorded performance from Steven Stills. As such, it is Public Enemy's most radio friendly, commercial song to date. "Unstoppable" is a collaboration between PE and KRS-One. Producer Gary G-Wiz brings the two most pioneering rappers in history together for the first time on his underground head-banger. On "House of the Rising Sun", producer Kerwin Young makes clever use of a sample from The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again". On the surface, HE GOT GAME is a soundtrack, but closer inspection reveals a classic PE album.

Spin (8/98, pp.137-138)
- 8 (out of 10)
- "...This comeback album lacks the R&B ease Puffy commands, but it proves PE will carry on. It's timeless rather than timely rap, made with doubt that it's going to have an impact on trendy hip-hop consumers..."