WATCH RECORDED EVENT

DESCRIPTION:
There are few artists who possess as sophisticated an understanding of the music business, the entertainment industry, and racial politics in America as Chuck D,  the leader and co-founder of the legendary rap group Public Enemy, author of two critically acclaimed books, political activist, publisher, radio host, and producer.  In a powerful discussion moderated by USC professor Allissa V. Richardson, he will share his experiences, observations, and advice, addressing politics, rap and soul music, race, technology, and more. 

 

 

Bios:
Born Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Chuck D is the leader of the rap group Public Enemy, which pioneered socially conscious hip hop and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 and honored with the GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020. Chuck D has been featured in over 50 documentaries on music, technology, politics, and race, and has appeared in numerous public service announcements for national peace and the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. He has also been a national spokesperson for Rock the Vote, the National Urban League, Americans for the Arts Council, and the National Alliance of African-American Athletes. His most recent book, This Day in Rap and Hip-Hop History, was released in 2017. 

USC Annenberg professor Allissa V. Richardson is an award-winning scholar who studies how marginalized communities use mobile and social media to produce innovative forms of journalism—especially in times of crisis. She is the author of Bearing Witness While Black: African Americans, Smartphones and the New Protest #Journalism, and has been recognized as Journalism Educator of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and received the prestigious Harvard University Nieman Foundation Visiting Journalism Fellowship.

Presented by USC Visions and Voices: The Arts and Humanities Initiative. Co-sponsored by the Black Student Assembly, the Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs, and La CASA.

Background photo: Kim Metso