Chuck D facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chuck D
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Chuck D in 2000
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Carlton Douglas Ridenhour |
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| Born | August 1, 1960 Hempstead, New York, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1984–present |
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Carlton Douglas Ridenhour (born August 1, 1960), known as Chuck D, is an American rapper. He is famous as the leader of the hip hop group Public Enemy. He started the group in 1985 with Flavor Flav. Chuck D is also part of the rock supergroup Prophets of Rage. He has released his own music too, like the album Autobiography of Mistachuck (1996).
Chuck D and Public Enemy helped create hip hop music that talked about important social and political issues in the 1980s. He is considered one of the best hip hop lyricists of all time. He has been nominated for six Grammy awards and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award with Public Enemy. In 2013, he was also added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Public Enemy.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour was born on August 1, 1960, in Long Island, New York. When he was a kid, his mom played Motown music and songs from musicals. His dad also had a record club. Chuck D started writing song lyrics after a big power outage in New York City in 1977.
He went to W. Tresper Clarke High School. Later, he studied graphic design at Adelphi University on Long Island. This is where he met William Drayton, who is known as Flavor Flav. Chuck D earned his degree in 1984. Adelphi University also gave him an honorary doctorate in 2013.
While at Adelphi, Chuck D hosted a hip hop radio show called Super Spectrum Mix Hour. He also designed posters for local hip hop events. He even drew a cartoon for the student newspaper.
Music Career
Chuck D (using his nickname) formed Public Enemy in 1985 with Flavor Flav. A music producer named Rick Rubin heard Chuck D's demo song "Public Enemy Number One." Rubin quickly signed the group to his record label, Def Jam Records.
Public Enemy released many popular albums. Some of their main albums include Yo! Bum Rush the Show (1987), It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988), and Fear of a Black Planet (1990). They also made a soundtrack for the movie He Got Game in 1998.
Chuck D has also worked with many other artists. He has collaborated with Janet Jackson, Ice Cube, Rage Against the Machine, and Sonic Youth. In 1990, he was featured on "Kool Thing" by the band Sonic Youth. He also sang on George Clinton's song "Tweakin'" in 1989.
Later Career and Other Projects
In 1996, Chuck D released his solo album, Autobiography of Mistachuck. He also launched a website called Rapstation.com in 1999. This site offered original music, interviews, and discussions about social topics.
Chuck D has used his voice for other projects too. He was the voice of DJ Forth Right MC in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. He also helped create the theme music for the TV show Dark Angel in 2000.
He has appeared in documentaries like The Blues: Godfathers and Sons. In this film, he recorded a version of Muddy Waters' song "Mannish Boy" with Common. Chuck D also contributed to the book Sound Unbound: Sampling Digital Music and Culture in 2008. He even did sports commentary for the video game NBA Ballers: Chosen One.
In 2016, Chuck D joined a new band called Prophets of Rage. This group included members from Rage Against the Machine. In 2023, Chuck D released a four-part documentary on PBS called "Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World."
Rapping Style and Creative Process
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Chuck D is known for his powerful and strong rapping voice. People often say his voice is one of the most unique in hip hop. He shared that he learned from listening to other rappers like Melle Mel. He also listened to sportscasters like Marv Albert.
When Chuck D writes songs, he often starts with the title first. He usually writes his lyrics on paper. He prefers to record his vocals all at once, without stopping or adding parts later.
In 2000, Chuck D shared his favorite rap albums. Here are some of them:
- N.W.A, Straight Outta Compton
- Boogie Down Productions, Criminal Minded
- Run-DMC, Tougher Than Leather
- Ice Cube, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
- Dr. Dre, The Chronic
- De La Soul, 3 Feet High and Rising
- Eric B. & Rakim, Follow the Leader
- Run-DMC, Raising Hell (He said this album made him realize hip hop could be about full albums, not just singles).
Advocacy and Views
Chuck D is very active in politics and social issues. He co-hosted a radio show called Unfiltered on Air America Radio. He also spoke to the United States Congress to support sharing MP3 music files. He was part of a rap political convention in 2004. He continues to be an activist, speaker, and producer.
To address negative ideas about rap music, he co-wrote a book called Fight the Power: Rap, Race, and Reality. He believes that music and art can help people escape reality in a healthy way. But he also warns that sometimes the lines can blur, which might lead young minds in the wrong direction.
Chuck D also started his own record company called Slam Jamz. He narrated a short film called Bling: Consequences and Repercussions. This film looked at how conflict diamonds are used in fashion. Even with his success, Chuck D says that being popular was never his main goal. He is careful about celebrity status. He once said that creating too many celebrities can make people forget what's important in life.
In 2008, Chuck D said that rap music was becoming too focused on money. He felt the relationship between rappers and record labels was unfair. He believes that not much has changed for African-Americans since Public Enemy started. He also defended a past comment by Professor Griff. He said it was a criticism of the Israeli government's treatment of the Palestinian people. Chuck D believes that all human beings are equal.
In 2010, Chuck D released a song called "Tear Down That Wall." He said it was about walls that divide people, not just between countries, but within states too. He is on the board of the TransAfrica Forum. This group focuses on issues in Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
He has also worked with groups like Refuse Fascism and Stop Mass Incarceration Network. In 2022, he supported Conrad Tillard in his campaign for the New York State Senate. Chuck D is also a US Global Music Ambassador. This program helps use music to promote peace and democracy around the world.
Personal Life
Chuck D has shared that he is the great-grandson of the architect George Washington Foster.
As of 2023, he has three children. His two oldest children are from his first marriage. His youngest child is with Gaye Theresa Johnson.
Chuck D lives in California. He lost his home in the Thomas Fire that happened in late 2017 and early 2018.
TV Appearances
- Narrated and appeared in the 2005 PBS documentary Harlem Globetrotters: The Team That Changed the World.
- Appeared in the PBS program Independent Lens: Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes.
- Appeared in an episode of NewsRadio as himself.
- He was on The Henry Rollins Show.
- He was a guest on Charlie Rose in 2000, discussing the internet and music.
- He appeared on Space Ghost Coast to Coast with Pat Boone.
- He appeared on an episode of Johnny Bravo.
- He was a panelist on BBC's Newsnight in 2009, after Barack Obama's inauguration.
- He appeared on a Christmas episode of Adult Swim's Aqua Teen Hunger Force.
- He was featured in VH1 Ultimate Albums Blood Sugar ... Magik, talking about the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
- He appeared on Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways, discussing hip-hop in New York City.
- He is in the 2024 documentary Cover Your Ears, talking about music censorship.
Music Appearances (Guest Features)
- In 1990, Chuck D was featured on Sonic Youth's single Kool Thing.
- In 1993, Chuck D rapped on "New Agenda" from Janet Jackson's album janet.. Janet Jackson said she admired his work and wanted his rap throughout the song.
- In 1999, Chuck D appeared on Prince's song "Undisputed" from the album Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic.
- In 2001, Chuck D provided vocals for Public Domain's Rock Da Funky Beats.
- In 2011, Chuck D appeared on the song "Mad Mad World/The Good God Is a Woman and She Don't Like Ugly" from Meat Loaf's album Hell in a Handbasket.
- In 2013, he was featured in Mat Zo's single "Pyramid Scheme".
- In 2016, he appeared on ASAP Ferg's album "Always Strive and Prosper" on the track "Beautiful People".
- In 2017, he was featured on the track "America" on Logic's album "Everybody".
- In 2019, he appeared on "Story of Everything" from Sheryl Crow's album Threads.
- In 2020, he was featured on "A Riot in My Mind" by Common and Lenny Kravitz.
- In 2022, he appeared on "Miracle" by Betty Boo from her album Boomerang.
- In 2023, he was featured on "Hip Hop Saves Lives" by Arrested Development.
Selected Discography
With Public Enemy
Studio albums
- 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)
- Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age (1994)
- He Got Game (1998)
- There's a Poison Goin' On (1999)
- Revolverlution (2002)
- New Whirl Odor (2005)
- How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul? (2007)
- Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp (2012)
- The Evil Empire of Everything (2012)
- Man Plans God Laughs (2015)
- Nothing Is Quick in the Desert (2017)
- What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down? (2020)
With Confrontation Camp
Studio albums
- Objects in the Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear (2001)
With Prophets of Rage
Studio albums
- Prophets of Rage (2017)
Studio EPs
- The Party's Over (2016)
Solo Albums
Studio albums
- Autobiography of Mistachuck (1996)
- The Black in Man (2014)
- If I Can't Change the People Around Me I Change the People Around Me (2016)
- Celebration of Ignorance (2018)
Compilation albums
- Action (DJ Matheos Worldwide International Remix) – Most*hifi (featuring Chuck D. and Huggy) (2010)
- Don't Rhyme for the Sake of Riddlin' (as Mistachuck) (2012)
Images for kids
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Chuck D in 2000
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Chuck D in 1991
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Chuck D in 2013
