Chuck D, the creative force behind Public Enemy and one of the most outspoken, politically active and controversial rappers in music, discusses his views on everything from rap and race to the problems with the politics of the 1990s. Before Gangsta Rap dominated the media and rode the airwaves, Chuck D and Public Enemy were redefining the sound of contemporary music with their brand of socially conscious, politically charged, bass-crunching music. His lyrics challenged mainstream notions of racial justice and rallied for self-empowerment, so much so that he became known as "e;Black America's CNN"e;. This book draws on the material Chuck D discusses in the lectures he gives across the United States, the result of provocative assessments of black culture today.
'This may be the most important book on rap in general and Public Enemy in particular.' The Guardian
Startling, gripping and uncompromising, Fight the Power is a living history of Hip Hop, the most popular and controversial musical movement since rock 'n' roll. Chuck D is the verbal powerhouse of Public Enemy, the group generally regarded as the political brains and brawn behind the rap revolution. Under Chuck D's leadership, Public Enemy have sold more than 20 million albums and are now confronting the music industry head-on by making new work available only over the internet.
This is his story.
'Fight the Power invites few comparisons, such is its sullen anger and glowering intensity.'
Hip Hop Connection
'No average music biography - a compelling read.'
Select
'A measured, mature work born of conviction, it forms a cornerstone of the institution that is Chuck D.'
The Times
'Witty and perceptive - lucid but emotionally stark. Fight the Power demands that for once, you believe the hype.'
Vox
'This defiantly ferocious statement of Hip Hop's love and revolutionary intent is Hip Hop's finest written testimony so far. What else did you expect?'
Muzik
'Chuck D is a towering artist of Hip Hop culture and a leading public intellectual of and for young America. His voice challenges all of us.'
Cornel West, author of Race Matters
