10 Questions With Chuck D (4/16/2009)
Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:12 am
10 Questions With Chuck D (by Darrick Patrick)
Chuck D (Carlton Douglas Ridenhour) is a professional musician, author, producer, and lecturer. He may be most known for his work as the frontman for legendary Hip Hop group Public Enemy. Along with Flavor Flav, Terminator X, Professor Griff, and the Bomb Squad, the group helped pave the way for politically conscious rap and is listed on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Chuck D has also released a solo project titled Autobiography Of Mistachuck and fronted the band called Fine Arts Militia.
Darrick: What was it that initially led you to a career in the arts?
Chuck D: My mother and the rest of my family had all of the arts very accessible to me in the home while I was growing up, so that was my main influence.
Darrick: Any words of advice for other individuals looking to make a living through artistic means?
Chuck D: Whatever art you are pursuing, learn it's stories and histories thoroughly. Learn the fundamental techniques of it, whether it is a hobby or a profession.
Darrick: For those who aren't familiar with Let Freedom Sing: The Music of the Civil Rights, what's the scoop on this project and your involvement in it?
Chuck D: It's a compilation of songs from the past one hundred years that speak in protest with the parallel human struggles for freedom in the United States. It's a Time Life project and I wrote the liner notes, as well as supervised over the selection of a few of the tracks.
Darrick: You were recently appointed as Ambassador for Sellaband. What exactly does your role consist of?
Chuck D: Mainly to recruit and make this a viable recording option in North America for the company. It has proven to work in Europe and Asia for various start-up bands.
Darrick: Do you feel as if the mainstream rap/urban music that currently dominates the airwaves with materialism and sexism is at all representative of the Hip Hop culture?
Chuck D: Not at all. I feel Hip Hop is across the planet and the elements are not being recognized. The corporate "radio-TV-record company triangle strangle" is doing everything it can to trick as many people as possible into consumption. However, the transitions from citizens to netizens has changed the business models and turned them upside down.
Darrick: Any new projects from you that we can look forward to in the future?
Chuck D: My digital label http://www.SLAMjamz.com is where I'm spending all of my time. I call it the 21st century recording label. Also, you can always take a look at http://www.publicenemy.com for announcements on new projects and events.
Darrick: Outside of your various works, what are your other interests?
Chuck D: Driving - I love to drive rent-a-cars. I also dig geography, technology, and history. With other spare time, I enjoy doing uploads on SLAMjamz and Public Enemy Radio on our main Public Enemy site.
Darrick: What is your oldest memory?
Chuck D: Musically speaking, it would be looking through all of my parent's old album covers. I remember the Ray Charles, Dinah Washington, Redd Foxx, and Jimmy Smith albums - just to name a few.
Darrick: Tell us something about you that most people don't know.
Chuck D: I live in three U.S. cities at one time and I'm on my third passport. Also, I wanted to be a sports announcer specializing in baseball.
Darrick: When you're no longer amongst the living, how would you most like to be remembered?
Chuck D: As a person who tried to level the field for everybody.
FOR OTHER EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS BY DARRICK PATRICK:
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=4974388&blogID=343519835
You can also check out Chuck D in the following places:
Official Chuck D MySpace Profile:
http://www.myspace.com/chuckdpublicenemy
Chuck D's Terrordome:
http://www.publicenemy.com/index.php?page=page3
Official Public Enemy Website:
http://www.publicenemy.com
Chuck D Information on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_D
SLAMjamz.com Site:
http://www.slamjamz.com
Chuck D (Carlton Douglas Ridenhour) is a professional musician, author, producer, and lecturer. He may be most known for his work as the frontman for legendary Hip Hop group Public Enemy. Along with Flavor Flav, Terminator X, Professor Griff, and the Bomb Squad, the group helped pave the way for politically conscious rap and is listed on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Chuck D has also released a solo project titled Autobiography Of Mistachuck and fronted the band called Fine Arts Militia.
Darrick: What was it that initially led you to a career in the arts?
Chuck D: My mother and the rest of my family had all of the arts very accessible to me in the home while I was growing up, so that was my main influence.
Darrick: Any words of advice for other individuals looking to make a living through artistic means?
Chuck D: Whatever art you are pursuing, learn it's stories and histories thoroughly. Learn the fundamental techniques of it, whether it is a hobby or a profession.
Darrick: For those who aren't familiar with Let Freedom Sing: The Music of the Civil Rights, what's the scoop on this project and your involvement in it?
Chuck D: It's a compilation of songs from the past one hundred years that speak in protest with the parallel human struggles for freedom in the United States. It's a Time Life project and I wrote the liner notes, as well as supervised over the selection of a few of the tracks.
Darrick: You were recently appointed as Ambassador for Sellaband. What exactly does your role consist of?
Chuck D: Mainly to recruit and make this a viable recording option in North America for the company. It has proven to work in Europe and Asia for various start-up bands.
Darrick: Do you feel as if the mainstream rap/urban music that currently dominates the airwaves with materialism and sexism is at all representative of the Hip Hop culture?
Chuck D: Not at all. I feel Hip Hop is across the planet and the elements are not being recognized. The corporate "radio-TV-record company triangle strangle" is doing everything it can to trick as many people as possible into consumption. However, the transitions from citizens to netizens has changed the business models and turned them upside down.
Darrick: Any new projects from you that we can look forward to in the future?
Chuck D: My digital label http://www.SLAMjamz.com is where I'm spending all of my time. I call it the 21st century recording label. Also, you can always take a look at http://www.publicenemy.com for announcements on new projects and events.
Darrick: Outside of your various works, what are your other interests?
Chuck D: Driving - I love to drive rent-a-cars. I also dig geography, technology, and history. With other spare time, I enjoy doing uploads on SLAMjamz and Public Enemy Radio on our main Public Enemy site.
Darrick: What is your oldest memory?
Chuck D: Musically speaking, it would be looking through all of my parent's old album covers. I remember the Ray Charles, Dinah Washington, Redd Foxx, and Jimmy Smith albums - just to name a few.
Darrick: Tell us something about you that most people don't know.
Chuck D: I live in three U.S. cities at one time and I'm on my third passport. Also, I wanted to be a sports announcer specializing in baseball.
Darrick: When you're no longer amongst the living, how would you most like to be remembered?
Chuck D: As a person who tried to level the field for everybody.
FOR OTHER EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS BY DARRICK PATRICK:
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=4974388&blogID=343519835
You can also check out Chuck D in the following places:
Official Chuck D MySpace Profile:
http://www.myspace.com/chuckdpublicenemy
Chuck D's Terrordome:
http://www.publicenemy.com/index.php?page=page3
Official Public Enemy Website:
http://www.publicenemy.com
Chuck D Information on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_D
SLAMjamz.com Site:
http://www.slamjamz.com