Rap, Race and Reality

Chuck D, leader and co-founder of rap group Public Enemy, redefined rap music and Hip Hop culture starting in 1987. The group's eight albums have all met with critical aclaim. The critical and commercial success of Public Enemy opened the doors for Chuck to deliver his message through a number of different mediums. He has hosted his own segment on the Fox News Channel, is a prominent member of music industry non-profit organizations MusicCares and Rock The Vote, and started the record label Slamjamz. Chuck has also launched a radio station on the Internet, BringTheNoise.com, and in a landmark move, made Public Enemy the first multi-platinum selling act to release their album via the Web before it was available in retail stores. A major proponent of music on the Internet, he launched a multi-format "supersite" on the Web, Rapstation.com in September, 1999, as a home for the global Hip Hop community. He is the author of Fight the Power: Rap, Race and Reality, and is currently working on a second book. Institute on National Affairs Series - The Business of Music in America