There’s a Poison Goin’ On

Released on July 20, 1999, Public Enemy’s seventh album is their first independent release following their departure from Def Jam Recordings. The album’s title is adapted from Sly and the Family Stone’s 1971 album There’s a Riot Goin' On. The album was initially released in the now-ubiquitous digital format through the Atomic Pop website on May 18, 1999.

The album was involved in some controversy over the track “Schindler’s Lust,” a song deemed anti-Semitic in part due to the title’s wordplay on the 1993 film Schindler’s List, which deals with the Holocaust. Despite the controversy, the album received favorable reviews from multiple publications.