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Chuck D

November 10, 2009
Isaac Hewlings

Isaac Hewlings on the Public Enemy legend who’s shaking up the music industry.

The music industry has recently been dealing with its latest crisis of file sharing and piracy with the usual bluster and pugnacity, so it comes as welcome news when someone attempts to inject some dynamism into this perennially reactionary business. This comes in the form of the news that Chuck D (of Public Enemy fame) is asking for fan funding in order to pay for his latest album. This new funding model might sound suspiciously like economics and not particularly interesting, but given the implications of the change it might just be worth some scrutiny.

If ever there was a man well qualified to position himself at the vanguard of the music industry, it would be Chuck D. The history and influence of Public Enemy is as illustrious of any Hip-Hop act in history. The albums Fear of a Black Planet and It Takes a Nation of Millions… released under Def Jam were part of the great wave of 90’s Hip-Hop, inspiring such greats as A Tribe Called Quest and Eric B. & Rakim. Full of venom and politics, it seems impossible to imagine something of their ilk being handled by any major label today, and we’re much the worse for it.

On top of his fine lyrics, Chuck D also brought in a wide range of political and afro-centric themes, which had been entirely ignored in Hip-Hop until Public Enemy’s arrival. Similarly, the fusion of rock/metal with Hip-Hop vocals has started a trend which has recently been replicated by just about every current rap artist, albeit fusing it with dance rather than metal. Clearly then – cometh the hour, cometh the man; and if this time it’s Chuck D, then so much the better.

So what is this new system? Essentially, it works a little like charity websites like ‘Justgiving.com’ in that the artist asks for a set amount of capital, and the fans then donate accordingly. What distinguishes it from straightforward charity though is the fact that when you give a certain amount (say $25) you are guaranteed a copy of the material. Thus, instead of buying the album in a shop, you ensure the production (of a potential album) and it gets delivered straight to your house. If you want to finance a larger amount, you a goody bag and if you’re crazy-rich you can buy enough to spend some time with them in the studio. Should the album never get released you’ll get your money back – which is probably what most people who bought Chinese Democracy are now wishing had been the case.

In the case of Public Enemy’s latest release they’re looking for $250,000 for the as-yet untitled offering. One question that remains however: is there enough demand for a new album and generally is there enough demand from average consumers to be making expensive, non-mainstream albums? The benefit of the SellaBand system is that the demand has to be fronted before the product hits the market, so whilst it may not be a huge success, certainly no one’s going away empty-handed. The second question is an issue – whilst the hardcore of P.E. fans may help to sponsor its creation, just as many people can share and avoid buying the album subsequently. Yet, research suggests that as music purchasing over the internet gets easier and more widespread, file-sharing will account for less of a drain on the industry. Similarly, acts like Public Enemy will always be able to rely on selling out big arenas and live shows.

Whilst this may not be the silver bullet to deal with all of the music industry’s problems, it certainly does offer a potent device for creating new work. Especially given that smaller acts can make a name for themselves on the live circuit and then mobilise fans for relatively modest donations, this system may well lower the entry-level for artists starting out in the industry. Whilst lots of it may not be very good quality, surely more music and more production can only increase the likelihood of finding new Public Enemy’s and Chuck D’s? If that’s the case, then I’m all in.