Shut 'em Down is the fourth single from Public Enemy's Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Strikes Black.The song gained notoriety when remixed by Pete Rock

Pete Rock

Peter Phillips , better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapper. He rose to prominence in the early 1990s as one half of the critically acclaimed group Pete Rock & CL Smooth...

 in the summer of 1991. The remix incorporated elements of a horn sample which interwove prominently in and out of the mix while a filtered ascending bassline served as the backdrop of the song. An audio sample of a 1984 Fresh Fest concert also figures prominently in the mix. Pete Rock explains further: " I did it all in one day. They didn't think I would get it done in one day. The shit was incredible."

Part of Chuck D's voice was sampled on the track "Ten Crack Commandments" by The Notorious B.I.G.

The Notorious B.I.G.

Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...

, off of the album Life After Death

Life After Death

Life After Death is the second and final studio album by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released March 25, 1997 on Bad Boy Records. A double album, it was released posthumously following his death on March 9, 1997 and serves as his final studio album...

.

This song was used in the 2008 thriller film Lakeview Terrace, and in 2009's Madden NFL 10.

Charts

Chart (1988)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Singles	1
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	26