Chuck D narrates new audio docu-drama about the birth of hip-hop

Chuck D has narrated a new audio docu-drama series about the rise of hip-hop, which is available to listen to now.

• READ MORE: Public Enemy’s Chuck D: “Activism comes in the aftermath of being shown that you have no power”

The American rapper and Public Enemy frontman recounts the story of hip-hop’s birth in the Bronx, New York during the late 1960s and early ’70s on new series Can You Dig It? A Hip-Hop Origin Story.

Across five 30-minute episodes, the hip-hop pioneer retraces the genre’s rise through a blend of “immersive reenactments, oral history and expert discussion”, according to the show’s summary notes.

“How did hip-hop happen? To understand that, we have to go back to before the birth’ of the culture,” the description reads.

It continues: “It wasn’t a given that the Bronx of the late 1960s and early 1970s would be the birthplace of an American art form. Urban renewal had left the borough neglected and in crisis. Gangs policed the streets, and winding up in the wrong territory could have serious consequences. But things were about to change.”

It describes the seres as an “in-depth history of how positive community influences helped inspire the troubled youth to end the cycle of gang violence”, as told by people who were there.

The synopsis adds: “It’s the inspiring true story of how local gang the Ghetto Brothers rejected calls for war in the aftermath of the murder of Black Benjie – a member who was trying to find common ground – and how gang leaders Yellow Benjy and Karate Charlie worked to broker a peace with rivals. The end result? A place where urban artistry could flourish into a global culture 50 years strong: hip-hop.”

Speaking about his involvement in the project, Chuck D told Billboard: “But when I started unpeeling it, I was like, “Wow, this is the story behind the story.” It was the germination of the seed, the beginnings of hip-hop.

“We always could talk loosely about “hip-hop started when the gangs stopped, then all of a sudden they used hip-hop.” But those are broad strokes and laced with mythology. This [series] got to the detail of what was what. You could almost smell the fresh paint of the Cross Bronx Expressway over the rubble.”

The series is available to listen to on Audible now.

Back in December of last year, Chuck D said that Public Enemy were “harassed by the police more than anyone in music”.

He also recently recounted a story about Tupac beating up a thief out of loyalty to Public Enemy.

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