Chuck D is a rapper, composer, actor, author, radio personality and producer. He is known as the front man of hip-hop group Public Enemy, as well as for his solo work and political commentary. Upon hearing his demo track “Public Enemy Number One”, fledgling producer/mogul Rick Rubin insisted on signing him to his Def Jam. However, Chuck D viewed the music business as a step down from the design job he had at the time. Finally after being heavily perused by Rick Rubin, Chuck D only agreed to sign if Rubin would also sign his friend William “Flavor Flav” Drayton, explaining to Rubin, “I don’t know what he does, but he adds something”. 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. Chuck D was also featured in several episodes of the PBS documentary series The Blues. In 1996, Chuck D released Autobiography Of Mistachuck on Mercury Records.
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In September 1999, he launched a multi-format “super site” on the web site rap station.com. A home for the vast global hip hop community, the site boasts a TV and radio station with original programming. Since 2000, he has been one of the most vocal supporters of Internet music file sharing in the music industry. Chuck D 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 co-wrote the essay book Fight the Power: Rap, Race, and Reality. His most recently political involvement was against the alleged racial profiling law.
