As Public Enemy’s mighty mouth that roared, Chuck D upped hip hop’s aesthetic ante like no emcee before or since. B.C. (before Chuck) the genius of rap was most often its stylistic sophistication. A.D. (after D) we all recognized the power of hip hop to mobilize the masses and elevate mind-states without losing an iota of its visceral appeal: “food for the brain, beats for the feet,” as Chuck himself once rhymed. Over the past several years his singular voice as a revered social commentator, Air America Radio host, author, publisher, and progressive entrepreneur has kept him as, if not more, active than in P.E.’s golden era heyday. He’s still #1 (one, one… one, one… one, ONE!).