Don't Believe the Hype

"Don't Believe the Hype"
Single by Public Enemy
from the album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
B-side	"Prophets of Rage" & "The Rhythm The Rebel"
Released	1988
Format	12"
Genre	Political hip hop
Length	5:23
Label	Def Jam/Columbia/CBS Records
Writer(s)	Carl Ridenhour/Hank Shocklee/Eric "Vietnam" Sadler/William Drayton
Producer	The Bomb Squad
Public Enemy singles chronology
"Bring the Noise" (1989) "Don't Believe the Hype" (1989) "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" (1989)

"Don't Believe the Hype" is the second single of Public Enemy's second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. The song's lyrics are mostly about the political issues that were current in the U.S. at the time of its release. "Don't Believe the Hype" charted at number 18 on the U.S. R&B chart.

It reached a high of 18 in the UK Singles Chart in July 1988. The b-side included "Prophets of Rage" and "The Rhythm The Rebel" which is an acapella of the opening verse from "Rebel Without a Pause" which was a popular scratching phrase.

Charts

Chart (1988)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles	21
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	17
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	18