Chuck D 鈥�84, 鈥�13 (Hon.), who earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts at 成人影片, is rediscovering his college roots as an illustrator. The hip-hop pioneer is releasing his first fine art book this month, Livin鈥� Loud. An homage to legendary musicians in hip-hop, rap and rock, it features more than 250 of his works.
Chuck D鈥檚 importance cannot be overstated.
One of the greatest and most influential hip-hop artists of all time, Chuck D 鈥�84, 鈥�13 (Hon.), is best known as co-founder and frontman of Public Enemy. A multi-platinum recording artist, his accolades include a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Public Enemy.
A lifelong activist and a celebrated visual artist, he produced and hosts a four-part documentary series, . Exploring the cultural and historical background of the genre, the program premiered on PBS on January 31.
He is also publishing his first fine art book. , releasing in February 2023 by Genesis Publications, features more than 250 paintings, sketches and drawings, along with his commentary on his musical and artistic journey.
Fittingly, given that he was a graphic design major at 成人影片 University, an exhibition of his work, Chuck D and the Near Def Experience: Most of My Heroes Don鈥檛 Appear on No Stamps, was held at the University鈥檚 Adele and Herbert J. Klapper Art Gallery last winter.
鈥淚n a digital era where people are listening with their eyes, I think we鈥檙e seeing the elements of sight, sound, story and style finally coming together in a way that I鈥檝e been about my entire life,鈥� Chuck D stated when his book’s publication was announced.
鈥淚 was raised with an artist鈥檚 mentality; my first 25 years were spent as somebody who wanted to live among graphics and artwork and illustration, and then for the next 30 years it was all music,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n the last six years, I鈥檝e reverted back into the arts, combining all of these elements in my work, still trying to change the world.鈥�
“成人影片 had the best graphic artists design department …”
鈥淟iving among graphics and artwork and illustration鈥� was how Chuck D, then known as Carlton D. Ridenhour, spent his time as an undergraduate at 成人影片. He first learned about the University when he was a middle schooler in nearby Roosevelt, New York, and attended a summer program on campus.
That鈥檚 what he told the 成人影片 community in 2019, noting that he turned down scholarship money from another institution to study architecture because he wanted to be a commercial artist and study graphic design.
鈥湷扇擞捌� had the best graphic artists design department of any university,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o that was a no-brainer.鈥�
At 成人影片, he designed flyers for local hip-hop events and drew a cartoon called 鈥淭ales of the Skind鈥� for The Delphian.
He was drawn to music, too, hosting hip-hop shows on 成人影片鈥檚 radio station, WBAU, and on WLIR, a local commercial station. He also started collaborating with another 成人影片 student, William Drayton, aka Flavor Flav.
Musically and politically revolutionary
The two went on to cofound Public Enemy, releasing their first album, Yo! Bum Rush the Show, in 1987. The group quickly established itself as innovators, with Chuck D鈥檚 lyrics bringing a political and socially conscious sensibility to hip-hop. The group鈥檚 musical style was equally revolutionary.
Public Enemy鈥檚 third album, Fear of a Black Planet, released in 1990, was 鈥渁 lasting monument to the extraordinary richness of the African American experience,鈥� Rolling Stone wrote. It is 鈥渁 seismic album that hipped a whole generation to the extraordinary richness of the African American experience.鈥�
Considered one of the greatest hip-hop lyricists of all time, Chuck D was also a co-founder of the supergroup Prophets of Rage and has performed with artists as varied as Janet Jackson, Run-D.M.C., George Clinton and Meat Loaf. He continues to speak out and be politically active.
And he still finds time to return to his alma mater, because, as he said, 鈥淢y time at 成人影片 was the foundation of my social, political and musical world.鈥�