Chuck D
Rap was a new genre of music that began in the 1980s. Some artists established themselves as quick lyricists when this new sound hit the radio and acquired momentum with specific groups.
Among them, Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, also known as Chuck D, built a name for himself during that time. As a result, rap music fans frequently note his contribution to the formation of this genre.
Quick facts
| Full name | Carlton Douglas Ridenhour |
| AKA | Chuck D, Carl Ryder, Mistachuck, Chucky D, Chuck Dangerous, The Hard Rhymer, The Rhyme Animal |
| Birthday | August 1, 1960 |
| Age | 62 years old |
| Sun sign | Leo |
| Place of birth | Queens, New York, United States |
| Education | W. Tresper Clarke High SchoolAdelphi University |
The Early Life of Chuck D
On August 1, 1960, Carlton Douglas Ridenhour was born in Roosevelt, Long Island. Moreover, his parents were both political activists, and he was a bright student who turned down an architecture scholarship and chose to pursue graphic design at Adelphi University on Long Island.
Personal Life
Chuck D attempts to maintain most of his details out of the public spotlight. However, we know that he married Gaye Theresa Johnson on March 4, 2014.
Furthermore, we also know that he and his wife have three daughters. Yet, he hasn’t made any announcements regarding his family.
Career and Achievements
At a young age, Chuck D showed an interest in the rap industry. In high school, he was a part of a band that competed in hip-hop events.
Chuck used his Hip Hop fame to create awareness within the Black community. However, Chuck D’s professional success did not come easily. Yet, he worked for it since he was young.
Luckily, Rick Rubin, a young American record producer, heard Chuck D on a friend’s demo tape and wanted Chuck D for his Def Jam label, looking to popularize hip-hop music.
On Def Jam Recordings in 1987, the rapper and his group ‘Public Enemy’ released the album ‘Yo! Bum Rush the Show,’ which reached No. 28 on the ‘Top Black Albums Chart.’
Additionally, Fear of a Black Planet, Public Enemy’s third album, was released in 1990. The album expressed its worries and ideas about African–Americans, their empowerment, and social problems.
Moreover, in 1992, Public Enemy published their first compilation album, titled “Greatest Misses.” It included new songs and remixes of previously released songs, including ‘Tie Goes to the Runner’ and ‘Hit Da Road Jack.’
Furthermore, ‘Autobiography of Mistachuck,’ his first solo album, was published in 1996. It reached No. 190 on the Billboard 200 Charts. Furthermore, critics praised it as a step forward from his previous band recordings.
From 1990 through 1994, ‘Public Enemy’ was nominated for four Grammy Awards in the categories of ‘Best Rap Performance by a Group’ and ‘Best Metal Performance for the Single,’ with ‘Bring the Noise.’
Between 1989 and 1992, ‘Public Enemy’ was nominated three times for the ‘American Music Awards in the ‘Favorite Rap/Hip Hop’ category.
The ‘Hung Tao Leadership Institute’ awarded him the ‘Paul Robeson- Here I Stand Award’ in 2013 at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington.
Songs:
| Fight the Power | 1989 |
| Don’t Believe the Hype | 1988 |
| Harder Than You Think | 2007 |
| Welcome to The Terrordome | 1990 |
| Can’t Truss It | 1991 |
| Rebel Without a Pause | 1988 |
| Black Steel in The Hour of Chaos | 1988 |
| She Watch Channel Zero?! | 1988 |
| State of the Union | 2020 |
| By the Time I Get to Arizona | 1991 |
| 911 is a Joke | 1990 |
| Unfuck the World | 2017 |
| Shut Em Down | 2016 |
| Public Enemy No. 1 | 1987 |
| Bring the Noise Remix | 2009 |
| Night of the Living Baseheads | 1988 |
| He Got Game | 1998 |
| Burn Hollywood Burn | 1990 |
| Black is Back | 2007 |
| Brothers Gonna Work it Out | 1990 |
| Living the 110 | 2017 |
| Endangered Species | 1990 |
| Louder Than a Bomb | 1988 |
| Killing in the Name | 2016 |
| Fight the Power: remix 2020 | 1989 |
| Terminator X to the Edge of Panic | 1988 |
| No | 1996 |
| Like a stone | 2017 |
| Sophisticated Bitch | 1987 |
| Prophets of Rage | 2017 |
| Can’t do Nuttin’ for ya man | 1990 |
| You’re Gonna Get Yours | 1987 |
Movies and TV shows:
| Title (date)StarsDirectorsHarlem Globetrotters: The Team That Changed the World (2005)Geese Ausbie, Timuel Black, Bill Bradley Michael Sear, Joseph SharmanHip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes (2006)Byron Hurt, Chuck D, Mos DefByron HurtRock the Bells (2006)Redman, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Sage FrancisCasey Suchan, Denis Henry HennellyThe King (2017)Eugene Jarecki, Chuck D, Emi SunshineEugene JareckiThe Untold Story of Detroit Hip Hop (2018)Chuck D, Awesome Dre, The BlackmanChamptownSomething from Nothing: The Art of Rap (2012)Ice-T, Dr. Dre, Eminem | Ice-T, Andy Baybutt | |
|---|---|---|
| NewsRadio (1995-1999) | Dave Foley, Stephen Root, Andy Dick | Paul Simms |
| The Henry Rollins Show | Independent Film Channel (IFC) | |
| The Charlie Rose Show | Bloomberg Television | |
| Space Ghost Coast to Coast (1994-1999) | Mike Lazzo | |
| Johnny Bravo | Cartoon Network | Van Partible |
| Aqua Teen Hunger Force (2001-2015) | Cartoon Network |
Net worth
Chuck D’s net worth is estimated to be above USD 20 million as of July 2021. He is one of the wealthiest rappers in the world.
Album sales, music royalties, and concerts that he has performed have all led to his income.
Similarly, as he has continued to invest in many industries, his net worth is expected to rise.
Social media
Chuck D is active on social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter. He has a total of 645k and 681k followers on Twitter, respectively.
The link to his Instagram is:
https://www.instagram.com/mrchuckd_pe/?hl=en
The link to his Twitter is:
Chuck D awards and achievements:
| Grammy Award | Lifetime Achievement Award (2020) | Won |
| Grammy Award | Best Metal Performance (1995) For “Bring The Noise” | Nominee |
| Grammy Award | Best Music Video – Long Form (1993) For “The Enemy Strikes Live” | Nominee |
| Grammy Award | Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group (1993)For “Greatest Misses” | Nominee |
| Grammy Award | Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group (1992) for “Apocalypse 91…The Enemy Strikes Black” | Nominee |
| Grammy Award | Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group (1991) for “Fear of a Black Planet” | Nominee |
| Grammy Award | Best Rap Performance (1990) for “Fight The Power” | Nominee |
| Online Film & Television Association | Best New Theme Song in a Series (2001) for Dark Angel | Nominee |
| Soul Train Awards | Best Music Video (1991) for Public Enemy: 911 is a Joke | Nominee |
| Sports Emmy Awards | Outstanding Music Composition/Direction/Lyrics for Ali Rap (2006) | Nominee |
