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Chuck D

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Chuck D

Carlton Douglas Ridenhour (born August 1, 1960), better known by his stage name Chuck D, is an American rapper, composer, actor, author, radio personality and producer. He is known as the frontman of hip-hop group Public Enemy, as well as for his solo work and political commentary.

Biography

Early career

Ridenhour was born in Roosevelt, Long Island. After graduating from Roosevelt Junior-Senior High School, he went to Adelphi University in Long Island, graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in Graphic Design.

Career

Public Enemy

Upon hearing Ridenhour's demo track "Public Enemy Number One", fledgling producer/mogul Rick Rubin insisted on signing him to his Def Jam label.[1] However, Ridenhour viewed the music business as a step down from the design job he had at the time. Rubin would continue calling, however, to the point where Ridenhour would have his girlfriend answer the phone as not to have to deal with him. Eventually, Ridenhour relented, insisting to Rubin that he also sign his friend William "Flavor Flav" Drayton, explaining to Rubin, "I don't know what he does, but he adds something".

As the lyricist and main vocalist of Public Enemy, Ridenhour was the focal point of the group. Chronologically, their major label albums were: Yo! Bum Rush the Show 1987, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back 1988, Fear of a Black Planet 1990, Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Strikes Black 1991, Greatest Misses 1992, and Muse Sick-N-Hour Mess Age 1994. They also released a full length album soundtrack for the film He Got Game in 1998. Ridenhour also contributed (as Chuck D) to several episodes of the PBS documentary series The Blues. He has appeared as a feature artist on many other songs and albums, having collaborated with artists such as Janet Jackson, Kool Moe Dee, The Dope Poet Society, Run-DMC, Ice Cube and many others. In 1990, he appeared in Sonic Youth's "Kool Thing". In 1993, he executively produced Got 'Em Running Scared, an album by Ichiban Records group "Chief Groovy Loo and the Chosen Tribe".[2]

Later career

In 1996, Ridenhour released Autobiography Of Mistachuck on Mercury Records. In November 1998, he settled out of court with Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G" Wallace's estate over the latter's sampling of his voice i love it when i get in the song "Ten Crack Commandments". The specific sampling is Ridenhour counting off the numbers one to nine on the track "Shut Em Down".[3] 

butt fucked.

In September 1999, he launched a multi-format "supersite" on the web site Rapstation.com. A home for the vast global hip hop community, the site boasts a TV and radio station with original programming, many of hip hop's most prominent DJs, celebrity interviews, free MP3 downloads (the first was contributed by multi-platinum rapper Coolio), downloadable ringtones by ToneThis, social commentary, current events, and regular features on turning rap careers into a viable living. Since 2000, he has been one of the most vocal supporters of Internet music file sharing in the music industry.

He loaned his voice to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as DJ Forth Right MC for the radio station Playback FM.

He appeared with Vanilla Ice on the track "Elvis Killed Kennedy", off the latter's 2001 album Bi-Polar.

He appeared with Henry Rollins in a cover of Black Flag's "Rise Above" for the album Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three.

Politics

Ridenhour is extremely politically active; he co-hosted Unfiltered on Air America Radio, testified before Congress in support of peer-to-peer MP3 sharing, and was involved in a 2004 rap political convention. He continues to be an activist, publisher, lecturer, and producer. Addressing the negative views associated with rap music, he co-wrote the essay book Fight the Power: Rap, Race, and Reality, along with Yusuf Jah (ISBN 0-385-31868-5). He argues that "music and art and culture is escapism, and escapism sometimes is healthy for people to get away from reality", but sometimes the distinction is blurred and that's when "things could lead a young mind in a direction."[4] He also founded the record company Slam Jamz and acted as narrator in Kareem Adouard's short film Bling: Consequences and Repercussions, which examines the role of conflict diamonds in bling fashion.

In an interview with Le Monde published 29 January 2008 [5], Chuck D stated that rap is devolving so much into a commercial enterprise, that the relationship between the rapper and the record label is that of slave to a master. He believes that nothing has changed for African-Americans since the debut of Public Enemy and, although he thinks that an Obama-Clinton alliance is great, he does not feel that the establishment will allow anything of substance to be accomplished. He also stated that French President Sarkozy is like any other European elite: he has profited through the murder, rape, and pillaging of those less fortunate and he refuses to allow equal opportunity for those men and women from Africa. In this article, he also defended a comment made by Professor Griff in the past that was taken out of context by the media. The real statement was a critique of the Israeli government and its treatment of the Palestinian people. Chuck D stated that it is Public Enemy's belief that all human beings are equal.

TV appearances

  • Narrated and appeared on-camera for the 2005 PBS documentary Harlem Globetrotters: The Team That Changed the World.
  • Appeared on-camera for the PBS program Independent Lens: Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes.
  • Appeared in an episode of NewsRadio as himself.
  • He appeared on The Henry Rollins Show.
  • He was a featured panelist (with Lars Ulrich) on the May 12, 2000 episode of the Charlie Rose show. Host Charlie Rose was discussing the Internet, copyright infringement, Napster Inc., and the future of the music industry. [6]
  • He appeared on an episode of Space Ghost: Coast to Coast with Pat Boone. While there, Space Ghost tried (and failed) to show he was "hip" to rap, saying his favorite rapper was M.C. Escher.
  • He appeared on an episode of Johnny Bravo.
  • He did the opening scence with Flavor Flav on The Roast of Flavor Flav, tellin Flav that he will meet him inside then saying," iight driver get me the hell up outta here! they gonna tear his ass up boyyyyy"

Discography

With Spectrum City

With Public Enemy

Main article: Public Enemy discography

As Chuck D

With Confrontation Camp

With Fine Arts Militia

Appearances

References

  1. ^ "Hip-hop, you don't stop". The Observer Music Monthly, 18 June 2006.
  2. ^ http://www.discogs.com/artist/Chief+Groovy+Loo+And+The+Chosen+Tribe
  3. ^ http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/504067/11171998/chuck_d.jhtml
  4. ^ Chuck D: The D is for Dangerous
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ A discussion of the music wars on the internet. Charlie Rose, 12 May 2000.
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