110+ Chuck D Quotes On Culture, Politics And Education

Rapper Chuck D is an American rapper, author, and producer. He is best known as the leader of the rap group Public Enemy, which he co-founded in 1985. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential rappers in the history of hip hop. Following is our collection on famous quotes by Chuck D on culture, politics, education.

Top 10 Chuck D Quotes

1. I came from a mother and father who always made me secure in my beliefs, and that's where the love came from.
2. Knowledge, wisdom, and understanding don't come out of the microwave. You got to keep moving forward because the evil doesn't sleep.
3. Culture is this thing that we can exchange among ourselves as human beings to knock aside our differences and build upon our similarities. Cultural exchange is the ultimate exchange.
4. I got a letter from the government the other day I opened and read it...it said they were suckers.
5. I spread the message of hope and of unity. That's what gets me up in the morning. I can tell you what is wrong, but I can't tell you how to fix it. I'm a raptivist, not a politician. I deal in hope.
6. I totally hate when somebody takes a classic and desecrates it. I like Jimmy Page and P. Diddy, but what they did to 'Kashmir' was a debacle.
7. The best way to boycott is to build your own
8. The best American is one who considers themselves as a citizen of the world.
9. Music and art and culture is escapism, and escapism sometimes is healthy for people to get away from reality. The problem is when they stay there.
10. No matter what the name, we're all the same pieces in one big chess game.

Chuck D Short Quotes

• And when I say it, they get alarmed... 'Cause I'm louder than a bomb.
• With black people, there are 50 Hitlers over the course of history.
• My thing is, the older you get you gotta stand up for what you believe in, and keep bashin' away.
• Public Enemy is the security of the hip-hop party.
• I'm not a U.S. citizen. I mean, I'm an earth-izen. Borderline policies are crap to me.
• I never live alone, I never walk alone. My posse's always ready And they're waitin' in my zone.
• One side of the street is a Church; across the road is a liquor store. Both of 'em keepin us poor.
• Oh, America is slipping away from the rest of the consciousness of the planet - slipping away.
• I think too much of the music industry is for the lawyer and accountant mentality.
• Share and enjoy the fruits of this planet.

Chuck D Quotes About Culture

Hip-hop is a part of rock & roll because it comes from DJ culture. DJ culture is the embodiment of all genres and all recorded music, if you actually pay attention to it. — Chuck D

They [US Administration] have exploited hip-hop and some of the culture around it - magazines, videos, etc. - to recruit people into the military. The Army says it will give out Hummers, platinum teeth, or whatever to those that actually join. — Chuck D

The powers that be are trying to meld, shape, and corral the culture of hip-hop into another speaking voice for the government. — Chuck D

It ain't this big I, little You. Music is to be shared. Music is not a hustle. [Hip hop's become] cultural stripmining [by the major labels]. Some people get into this music to make a killing but music is a way to make a living. — Chuck D

Government and culture are two diametrically opposed forces - the one blinds and oppresses, the other uplifts and unites. — Chuck D

DJ culture always made us aware that the best records were going to come from the small shops — Chuck D

Chuck D Quotes About Love

To live a life you love, you must Love the life you live. — Chuck D

All I want is peace and love on this planet. Ain't that how God planned it? — Chuck D

Rappers should just be able to perform what they create and satisfy the people that like and love them. — Chuck D

Chuck D Quotes About Heart

The real thing is the heart, you know the heart shouldn't be covered with concrete. — Chuck D

Corporations have steered the industry into what it wants, and a lot of times they will make artists record what it wants or to make songs talk to who they want to talk to. But sometimes the heart and the head have to be able to talk and deal with a situation that's evident. — Chuck D

Never let a win get to your head, or a loss to your heart. — Chuck D

Chuck D Famous Quotes And Sayings

Rap comes from the humble beginnings of rebelling against the status quo. Now, rappers have become the status quo themselves. You can't rebel against the Queen and then become the Queen yourself. I attribute much of the blame to testosterone-male dominance and patriarchy. — Chuck D

When culture is created in boardrooms with a panel of six or seven strategists for the masses to follow, to me that is no different than an aristocracy. It's not created from the people in the middle of the streets, so to speak. It is created from a petri dish for the sake of making money, and it is undermining the longevity of the culture. — Chuck D

Never have so many men treated women like our foes. They call 'em hoes, but they might as well call them foes, 'cause you are totally against the existence of somebody who should live their life as an equal human being. If not, any man knows, it's like we're not equal. You know, women are usually a little better than us. — Chuck D

Comin' from the school of hard knocks, Some perpetrate...they drink Clorox. Attack the black, cause I know they lack exact The cold facts, and still they try to Xerox. — Chuck D

The immediacy of the technology of the web allows us, as songwriters, to write something very sharp and quick. That has a lot to do with helping a songwriter be more reflective of reality, instead of being in an area where you have to process things. It's the difference between processing fish and catching it in a boat. — Chuck D

Today, a young person that doesn't know themselves will totally be sold some other situation. Let's do your avatar. You know? And young people are going out, spending what little they have to try to buy themselves when they don't have themselves, or they feel like they don't have themselves. To me, that's like a damn pimp tragedy. — Chuck D

One of the problems with hip hop is lack of infrastructure and not being able to control its own course. I don't like that hip hop is full of infantile 35-year-olds. Hip hop cannot afford to be lazy. — Chuck D

Let the voice be the voice of the voiceless and let it come from the world of rap music to keep the stereotype and the peace at the same time. — Chuck D

You should be a person inside the world with knowledge of your terrain. And if you lock yourself into the 2,000-by-3,000-square-mile, lower-48 box of the United States, you're going to be frustrated by its limitations. You gotta think outside the box. — Chuck D

McDonald's offers a king's ransom to any hip-hop artist who is able to put Big Mac into a song. MTV - and more to the point, Viacom - is succeeding in extending a teenage life to twenty-nine or even thirty-one years old. It is about extending this market and removing any intelligent substance in the music. — Chuck D

A lot of artists have been persuaded into doing whatever they can do to gain attention. The media, of course, will position and promote the worst of them to the front page. The sidewalk to crime becomes the marketing campaign. These artists have seen it work and sell millions and millions of records for other artists. — Chuck D

Of course voting is useful. But then again, I don’t put a big glow to it. Voting is about as essential as washing yourself. It’s something you’re supposed to do. Now, you can’t go around bragging, expecting to get props because you voted. That’s stupid. — Chuck D

Try to do your best to look people in the eye and talk to them without a gadget being in between you all the time. — Chuck D

Slavery was incredibly prosperous for some people, at that time. It was not a bad business plan, but it was terrible and inhumane. But as a business it worked. — Chuck D

We don't see the people who are doing real things getting enough props. We often see politicians who are everywhere but nowhere at the same goddamn time. You know the kind of person: You see them everywhere on television but nowhere in front of your face. — Chuck D

Where else can you go with respect to the work, lyrics, and message of the music? If you are past high school age, you can get by with saying very little the first or second time around. However, after a while you know you are going to have to say something beyond high school stuff. — Chuck D

A visit to the hood through a record, or through a video, or through a film, is a lot safer than actually visiting the people in real life. It became a business model. It became a revenue engine that, you know, you can get to the hood without ever going there. — Chuck D

I think traveling the world has helped to keep Public Enemy alive. We've never solely depended on the United States. — Chuck D

I don't have any exteriors that would actually put me into some kind of different air that would actually intimidate somebody to stay away from me. — Chuck D

I'd rather have a hundred thousand or a million people saying I'm nuts and I'm crazy for my musical choices and what I've said lyrically, than a million people all raising their hand on the first day. — Chuck D

A lot of the post-1977 dancefloor disco sounds had their place at one time, but you can't bring them back unless you bring back a floor. — Chuck D

Most artists are always fighting for their fame. They have that fear, like the saying goes, "out of sight, out of mind." They need to keep themselves out there. I have never had that fear. If I have any fear, it's not doing enough to reach people. — Chuck D

I don't believe that everybody is out of some kind of cookie cutter, so the thing that protects me is always being level with myself, even to myself. — Chuck D

People are so confused about race and hip-hop that people didn't even consider the Beastie Boys one of the greatest rap groups of all time because they were white. — Chuck D

Alternative spaces, independent media, satellite, these all provide some tools by which we can work more independently and deal more directly with communities we hope to reach. Distribution is key, and finding alternative ways to do that with new media is critical. — Chuck D

Truth is truth no matter what I think. — Chuck D

Rap is supposed to be about keeping it real and not relinquishing your roots in the community. Without that, it's just posturing. Somebody who claims to speak for the 'hood don't need no private jet. — Chuck D

If I can't change the people around me, I change the people around me. — Chuck D

You can't master time, but you have to work your hardest to manage it. — Chuck D

I've signed with major labels, and I haven't had any control over the money. — Chuck D

Many have forgotten what we came here for, Never knew or had a clue, so you're on the floor. Just growin' not known' about your past... Now you're lookin' pretty stupid while you're shakin' your ass. — Chuck D

Some artists are told what to like and told definitions of what the music business is. That's a problem. Music is artistry, and you want your music heard, your act known. But artists don't know. They are ignorant the minute they sign a contract. — Chuck D

My mother went to university, my father didn't. But they are very educated, very wise people. My father went to the military, so he's worldly. — Chuck D

My daughter's 19. I'm not asking her to develop as an artist. I'm just asking her to develop as a full person, human being. — Chuck D

There are too many leaders anointed because they have a public voice - television, radio, or record, or whatever. That even includes myself. In the past, I'd say, 'Don't anoint me when you can anoint yourself.' — Chuck D

If they can send you to war at 18, maybe it's beneficial for some people to think that most of us gotta go to war for our own existence. — Chuck D

As black people we were out to further our equality. I don't pay attention to the controversial connotations put on by media and the undermining labels they place on us. We pay attention to what our community situation is and what we need. — Chuck D

I tell each artist they have to grow toward a revenue stream. — Chuck D

I'm recording freely, and if I make a song, I release it immediately, so I'm more likely to believe in one song at a time as opposed to albums. — Chuck D

I know I am judged unfairly by my physical characteristics and ostracized because of that so I say, "Yes, I'm a black man." — Chuck D

Try to master technology instead of it mastering you. — Chuck D

Being positive is like going up a mountain. Being negative is like sliding down a hill. A lot of times, people want to take the easy way out, because it's basically what they've understood throughout their lives. — Chuck D

In the past, people were going to record stores and buying albums or CDs. And the label was exposing their artist as much as possible and maybe getting them picked up by a major. Now I tell people to cut a good tune and have it up in the marketplace the next day. You better be prepared to give it away, and people will come pay to see you. — Chuck D

You know, it's nothin' quick overnight. If anything happens to you quick, you need to start questioning that. You know, you hear young people go, aw, I'm gonna blow up. You gonna blow up but with a controlled explosion. Don't just blow up all over the place. — Chuck D

For a long period of time, the media covered rap music and hip hop the same way they cover a lot of black people, people of color, you know, the bad news happens to be news. They used to have these little stupid colloquialisms that pop up like, "You know what? No news is bad news!" They trick the masses into thinking that any news is great for you. And I just think that's a piece of crap. — Chuck D

The best medicine for pain sometimes is some kind of logic and common sense from older folks. They tell you, "Okay, you're not the only one who actually went through this." — Chuck D

Real people do real things. A collective of a whole bunch of people who do things in their own locale, in their own neighborhoods - the sum is bigger than the parts, and the parts will grow. — Chuck D

I grew up as a sports fan, and I know that a hall of fame is very different than an award for being the best of the year. It's a nod to the longevity of our accomplishment. — Chuck D

If you go get a passport, it might encourage you to at least consider the world around you. — Chuck D

I wanna go to the clubs and actually have a good time too, but at the same time, when the party's over, I have to go back to the real world and try to figure out who I am. — Chuck D

I adhere to the philosophy, "I don't care who writes the laws, let me write the songs." — Chuck D

Music used to cause revolutions and I'm not seeing much revolution anymore. — Chuck D

Your closest and your most dedicated fans will be your ultimate test. They will test you. — Chuck D

Most of my heroes don't appear on no stamps — Chuck D

When we worked on Ice Cube's Amerikkka's Most Wanted album. Before we talked studios, beats, or lyrics, I said, "Two rules: Only say what you're able to vouch for. Number two, never repeat yourself twice, because we makin' an album that people will play over and over. — Chuck D

Black folks are judged by quantity, not quality. It's a decimal point or figure. How different is that from slavery? There's no moral code, it's just about successful business for America. — Chuck D

Public Enemy started out as a benchmark in rap music in the mid-1980s. We felt there was a need to actually progress the music and say something because we were slightly older than the demographic of rap artists at the time. It was a time of heightened rightwing politics, so the climate dictated the direction of the group. — Chuck D

The Illuminati is just the evil, 'nameless' people who are behind governments. — Chuck D

I'm a multi-tasker. I was down with that stuff before they invented the term. — Chuck D

You know, I've written many of my songs while driving - which is against the law in many cases. — Chuck D

Men have periods; they're called wars. — Chuck D

Nothing has more words and performance than rap music. — Chuck D

Someone like Jay-Z does have a timeless quality, but it's much different than ours. You can look back at something like "At the Hop" by Danny and the Juniors or the music that was on American Bandstand in the 1950s-'60s. — Chuck D

If you have no soul you can gut it out. You know, like a marionette, you'll just follow what seems to actually give you whatever you ain't got. — Chuck D

I always tell people that I was fortunate I was able to come in with a group of men. We didn't come into the game with a group of boys. We were young then. So your cats keep you in check. — Chuck D

So, rather than trying to humbly mix with the rest of the world, we are forcing ourselves upon it. We seem to create conflicts with everyone. — Chuck D

These days you can't see who's in cahoots, Cause now the KKK wears three-piece suits. — Chuck D

My work throughout my life is always representative of the time we live in. It's all about keeping it in order and keeping it in gear. — Chuck D

Burn, Hollywood, burn, I smell a riot goin' on, First they're guilty, now they're gone! — Chuck D

Young people are having a hard time with what's reality and what's fantasy these days...We created discussion. It wasn't to create controversy for sale's sake, but rather it was my obligation to use the medium for discussion. Nobody's discussing the grown-up topics; they are faking and fronting. — Chuck D

I have to be conscious of what I'm sayin' because people are gonna come at me about this sh*t. — Chuck D

Money is created by a machine... but you can't really create respect with a machine. — Chuck D

Maybe we need to look upon technologies and social networks as things that come out of us, not things that lead us. We can be on top of these things instead of them bein' on top of us as human beings. — Chuck D

I think hip hop should be a living word. And what I mean by the living word is like yo, you gotta have the words that provide life. — Chuck D

Music should be some kind of nourishment. — Chuck D

I like Rick Ross as a person. I like Jay-Z and Kanye West as people. But I hate the companies that they record for. — Chuck D

You have to wait for people to program you. The only difference is the amount of people that you're going to reach but that's going to even out in the next two or three years anyway. Computers are being bought faster than televisions right now. — Chuck D

I think the Internet was the saving grace for Public Enemy. Before that, travelling the world saved Public Enemy. — Chuck D

I'm not a firm believer of "mo' money mo' problems" - I think that's stupid. I think it's that problems are already there that can be exacerbated by more things you don't understand. — Chuck D

Downloadable music is the biggest musical phenomenon since the Beatles, and the music industry is slow to come to grips with that. — Chuck D

I think governments are the cancer of civilization. — Chuck D

No matter what's in your head, you go up into any hospital, up to a terminal ward and it'll smack you right back into reality that, "Hey man, whatever you're dealing with, if it's heavy on your heart and head, you're gonna have to let that go, because there, some people are dealing with unavoidable situations that they can't let go." And then they eventually let those go, so, I mean, that's helpful. — Chuck D

I let go usually by talking to many people in different areas, in different realms of life that make me look at what I'm dealing with as being small fries stuff, you know? — Chuck D

Life Lessons by Chuck D

1. Chuck D teaches that it is important to stay true to yourself and your beliefs, no matter the cost. He encourages people to use their voice to speak up for what they believe in and to stand up for those who cannot do so themselves.
2. He also emphasizes the importance of being aware of the world around you and using your knowledge to create positive change. His lyrics often focus on the issues of inequality, racism, and injustice, and he encourages people to take action to make a difference.
3. Lastly, Chuck D emphasizes the importance of staying connected to your roots and your culture. He encourages people to stay true to their heritage and to stay connected to the people, places, and stories that make up their identity.