Hip Hop Legend Chuck D Visits BIMM
Ahead of the Public Enemy and The Prodigy’s SOLD OUT show at Manchester Central on Friday night, author, political activist and hip-hop legend Chuck D made an exclusive visit to BIMM Manchester for a very special Q&A masterclass session.
Chuck D came to BIMM Brighton earlier in the year and made such an impact on the students, that the team in Manchester just HAD to ask him to squeeze in a visit to BIMM Manchester before the gig.
Founding member Chuck D was joined by Public Enemy’s James Bomb and newly signed rapper Obeah, who’s currently touring with them. The masterclass session was broad-ranging, fiercely political and hugely inspiring to all the students who packed into the room. The three guests talked at length with the BIMM Manchester students, discussing their music experiences past and present. Chuck D spoke of his early days DJing and MCing at parties in Long Island, to the group dynamics of Public Enemy – comparing them to a sports team with every part of their success coming from a group effort. He also described how the Reagan and Bush era affected him, thus fuelling Public Enemy to become a powerful political force in music.
The guests also spoke of the emergence of the internet and technology and how this has impacted on the promotion of music.
After answering a range of questions from the floor – including passing on advice about the importance of learning the trade of becoming an authentic performer – Chuck D took a few selfies with the students before heading off to Manchester Central. Everyone at BIMM Manchester felt privileged to have such important and influential figure in the history of hip-hop come and visit the college. Diploma in Artist Development student, Alex Goodall was in the audience and said:
”I couldn’t believe it when I saw this massive name. It’s amazing that BIMM are able to pull in these big names to offer advice to young students. Chuck D was very down-to-earth and inspirational.”
We at BIMM couldn’t agree more with the sentiment with which the hip hop superstar summed up Public Enemy’s ethos: ‘Life seems to write itself – you just need a plan!’
