Name |
Chuck D |
Height |
5' 9" |
Naionality |
American |
Date of Birth |
1 August 1960 |
Place of Birth |
Roosevelt, Long Island, New York, USA |
Famous for |
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Upon hearing Ridenhour's demo track "Public Enemy Number One", fledgling producer/mogul Rick Rubin insisted on signing him to his Def Jam label.[1] However, Ridenhour viewed the music business as a step down from the design job he had at the time. Rubin would continue calling, however, to the point where Ridenhour would have his girlfriend answer the phone as not to have to deal with him. Eventually, Ridenhour relented, insisting to Rubin that he also sign his friend William "Flavor Flav" Drayton, explaining to Rubin, "I don't know what he does, but he adds something".
As the lyricist and main vocalist of Public Enemy, Ridenhour was the focal point of the group. 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. Ridenhour also contributed (as Chuck D) to several episodes of the PBS documentary series The Blues. He has appeared as a feature artist on many other songs and albums, having collaborated with artists such as Janet Jackson, Kool Moe Dee, The Dope Poet Society, Run-DMC, Ice Cube and many others. In 1990, he appeared in Sonic Youth's "Kool Thing". In 1993, he executively produced Got 'Em Running Scared, an album by Ichiban Records group "Chief Groovy Loo and the Chosen Tribe".