Genesis Publications

Stay in touch

New Subscribers | 10% Off Your First Order

Livin' Loud

Chuck D

'In the last six years, I've reverted back into the arts, combining all of these elements in my work, still trying to change the world. This is truly what I want to do. My deepest thanks to Genesis for giving me a place to be able to display all of this through my artwork.' - Chuck D

Livin' Loud is the first fine art book by the groundbreaking hip hop pioneer, activist and artist, Chuck D. Featuring over 250 of his paintings, sketches and drawings, Livin' Loud includes a commentary of over 13,000 words in which Chuck D traces his musical and artistic trajectory offering unprecedented insight into his life and work. Chuck D's edition of 1,200 copies worldwide comes in three different art sets, each numbered and signed by the author.

'This beautiful book testifies to Chuck D's inestimable talent' - Record Collector

  • Ice Cube by Chuck D
  • Public Enemy by Chuck D
  • Adam Yauch by Chuck D
  • Ice-T by Chuck D
  • The Beastie Boys by Chuck D
  • American Football by Chuck D
  • Baseball Art by Chuck D
  • Basketball by Chuck D
  • Marvin Gaye by Chuck D
  • Bring The Noise by Chuck D
  • Public Enemy Onstage by Chuck D
  • Kanye West by Chuck D
  • Coachella by Chuck D

The Artwork

Livin' Loud

'On tour we had a lot of hotel time. While some people might have decided to go out to a club or the hotel bar, I turned my room into an art studio.' - Chuck D

Working with a selection of media, sketchpads and canvases, Chuck D has produced hundreds of artworks over the last six years. Everything from oil paintings of 1950s baseball fields to pencil sketches of music icons have been curated exclusively for Genesis Publications to create a striking kaleidoscope of his work. 
 
The artworks reveal his visual dexterity as he explores a diverse range of subjects. Chuck pays homage to his musical peers and influences: from the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan to Woody Guthrie and Nina Simone; hip-hop legends including Ice Cube and Run the Jewels; and Def Jam labelmates Run-DMC and Beastie Boys. 
 
His twin passions of baseball and New York City basketball are celebrated, while sociopolitical compositions explore issues that continue to shape our culture today. His artworks of Public Enemy and Prophets of Rage give the viewer further insight into the career of a cultural revolutionary.
 

'Whether he focuses this talent on music, sports, political satire or even landscapes, Chuck is able to channel in his drawings the same immediacy, nuance, humanity, righteousness and power of his greatest recordings.' - Tom Morello

  • The Manuscript image 1
  • The Manuscript image 2
  • The Manuscript image 3
  • The Manuscript image 4
  • The Manuscript image 5
  • The Manuscript image 6
  • The Manuscript image 7
  • The Manuscript image 8
  • The Manuscript image 9
  • The Manuscript image 10
  • The Manuscript image 11

The Manuscript

Livin' Loud

'I was already expressing my political viewpoint through my art and graphics, so the bridge into music was a natural next step. First I expressed myself with my head and my hands, and then later with my voice.' - Chuck D

In an enlightening written commentary of over 13,000 words, Chuck D reveals his early experiences growing up in the turbulent era of the Sixties, in which he was shaped by the prevalent civil rights and anti-war sentiments of the time. He goes on to share his journey into the world of hip-hop, a genre that he helped to curate, cut through and form. 
 

'It's a sketchbook of a life with a narrative commentary showing how Chuck D went from Long Island kid to soul-obsessed teen to founder of Public Enemy' - The Independent

Chuck describes the musical figures that shaped him and his voice, sets the scene for the first time he met Flavor Flav, the formation of Public Enemy and his stint with supergroup Prophets of Rage. Through his illuminating anecdotes and cultural observations, Chuck addresses the political issues facing America today within a wider social commentary on race, technology and the impact of social media. Chuck's words are equal parts entertaining, educational and touching. 
 
Featuring a foreword by Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello, Livin' Loud is a revealing art collection from one of the greatest minds in hip-hop. 
  • Chuck D
  • Chuck D

The Author

Livin' Loud

'My work throughout my life is always representative of the time we live in. I want to move forward with everything I do.' - Chuck D

Chuck D, born Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, is an American rapper, activist and founding member of the iconic hip-hop group, Public Enemy. As the first artist to create hip-hop entrenched with political sensibilities, his works have continued to speak out in unexpected and necessary ways. His lyrics are now considered some of the greatest of all time, and Chuck remains a pioneer in rap music. The nonconformism and innovation heard in his music have endured throughout his art, which he has produced since he was a teenager.

Chuck attended Adelphi University in Long Island, where he studied graphic design. There, he developed his artistic virtuosity and found his passion for hip-hop. Chuck would go on to receive a B.F.A an honorary doctorate from the university. His influence in the visuals of hip-hop can still be seen today. As a firm believer that visually and sonically hip-hop could be as big as rock music, he created the famous Public Enemy logo.
 

'The Fight the Power rapper has returned to his first love of drawing in a book brimming with social commentary' - Financial Times

Livin' Loud comes after a string of impressive exhibitions at Gallery 30 South, Shepard Fairey's Subliminal Projects Gallery and Chuck's alma mater, Adelphi University. Between this, Chuck runs global art agency, mADurgency, which dedicates itself to illustrating and promoting the best of the hip-hop industry. His work has previously been compared to that of Francis Bacon, Graig Kreindler and Frank Lloyd Wright.

 

  • The Collector Copies image 1
  • The Collector Copies image 2
  • The Collector Copies image 3
  • The Collector Copies image 4
  • The Collector Copies image 5
  • The Collector Copies image 6
  • The Collector Copies image 7

The Collector Copies

Livin' Loud

The two-volume Collector boxed set is limited to 800 copies, each numbered and signed by the author.

Numbered 1 to 800, the Collector copies are quarter bound in cloth with gold foiling and presented in a clamshell box. A second volume, a reproduction Chuck D sketchbook, is also included. The Collector copies are accompanied by a numbered print that reproduces one of Chuck's drawings of Public Enemy, each hand-signed by the artist.

Edition: 800 numbered copies
Main Volume: 225mm x 300mm, 240 pages
Signed by: Chuck D
Sketchbook: 125mm x 185mm, 64 pages
Signed Print: 10" x 8" on heavyweight fine art paper

  • The Deluxe Copies image 1
  • The Deluxe Copies image 2
  • The Deluxe Copies image 3
  • The Deluxe Copies image 4
  • The Deluxe Copies image 5
  • The Deluxe Copies image 6
  • The Deluxe Copies image 7
  • The Deluxe Copies image 8
  • The Deluxe Copies image 9
  • The Deluxe Copies image 10
  • The Deluxe Copies image 11
  • The Deluxe Copies image 12

The Deluxe Copies

Livin' Loud

The two-volume Deluxe boxed set is limited to 350 copies, each numbered and signed by the author.

Numbered 1 to 350, the Deluxe copies are fully bound in cloth with gold foiling and presented in a clamshell box. A second volume, a reproduction Chuck D sketchbook, is also included. The Deluxe Edition features a set of numbered prints depicting three iconic hip-hop groups: Beastie Boys, Public Enemy and Run-DMC. Printed on archival heavyweight paper, all three prints are signed by the artist. 

Edition: 350 numbered copies
Main volume: 225mm x 300mm, 240 pages
Signed by: Chuck D
Sketchbook: 125mm x 185mm, 64 pages
Signed Prints: Three 10" x 8" prints on heavyweight fine art paper

The Video

Livin' Loud

Livin' Loud

Select from the following editions:

Livin' Loud

Livin' Loud

  • ISBN:
    9781905662777
  • Collector:
    800 copies
  • Signed by:
    Chuck D
  • Contributors:
    Tom Morello
  • Binding:
    Quarter bound in cloth with gold foiling
  • Box:
    Clamshell case
  • Extras:
    Reproduction sketchbook • Signed Giclée print
Now Shipping worldwide.
Collector £225
Available from £74.25 per month. Learn more >

Livin' Loud is the first fine art book by the groundbreaking hip hop pioneer, activist and artist, Chuck D. Featuring over 250 of his paintings, sketches and drawings, Livin' Loud includes a commentary of over 13,000 words in which Chuck D traces his musical and artistic trajectory offering unprecedented insight into his life and work.

  • Page size: 225mm x 300mm
  • 240 pages
  • 13000 words
  • 300 images
From Hamburg to Hollywood

From Hamburg to Hollywood

Jurgen Vollmer

£245

How Can It Be? A Rock & Roll Diary

How Can It Be?

Ronnie Wood

£325

How Can It Be? Fine Art Prints

How Can It Be?

Ronnie Wood

FROM £595

Lenny Kravitz The Formative Years, 1989-1993

Lenny Kravitz

Lenny Kravitz, David Hindley

FROM £275

The story of your book

Since 1974 Genesis has created signed limited edition books on behalf of authors and artists ranging from the Beatles to Buckingham Palace.

More

Stay in touch

Genesis news and special offers direct to inbox.