Public Enemy icon Chuck D has sold a huge stake in publishing rights to his back catalogue including over 300 songs.
Chuck D has sold a huge stake in his back catalogue including over 300 songs.
The Public Enemy rapper has made a deal with his longtime publisher Reach Music to give the company 100% of his writer royalties plus half of his copyright interest.
In a statement to Rolling Stone magazine, he said: "Doing this deal was the right timing for a forward and logical evolution of our business together in an ever changing industry.
“Reach has always been ahead of the curve on establishing respect for the HipHop genre songwriting and publishing-wise, and they will continue taking care of my works.”
Although the sale doesn't cover his entire output, it does include Public Enemy's most formative work released from 1987 to 2012.
During that time, the hip hop legends released some iconic albums, such as 'It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back', 'Fear of a Black Planet' and 'Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Back'.
Meanwhile, during this period he co-wrote most of the group's songs, including 'Fight The Power', 'Bring The Noise' and 'Welcome To The Terrordome'.
Michael Closer - Reach’s president, founder, and owner - added: “I’m so grateful to Chuck for our business together as his music publisher throughout these many decades.
"There’s no one more consequential in the world of Hip-Hop than Chuck D, and he has written iconic and impactful songs that will forever be a part of music history.
"The team at Reach will continue working hard to protect these works while also introducing them to new generations to come.”
The move comes after the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks and Neil Young have struck similar deals over the past couple of years.
On the same day that Glastonbury welcomed back Margate's adopted sons, The Libertines, Margate itself put on it's very own Leisure Festival as it...
Sheffield's very own all girl group Pretty Fierce are still on a high after the recent release of their debut single - 'Ready For Me'.
Three nights before the end of his current tour Will Varley returned to his home town of Deal to delight a sold out crowd in The Astor Theatre.
With only a few days to go before Portsmouth based songstress and producer WYSE releases her new single, 'Belladonna', we caught up with her to find...
Colorado raised, Glasgow educated and Manchester based Bay Bryan is nothing if not a multi-talented, multi-faceted artist performing as both...
Former Marigolds band member Keelan Cunningham has rediscovered his love of music with his new solo project Keelan X.
Wiltshire singer-songwriter Luke De Sciscio, formally known as Folk Boy, is set to release is latest album - 'The Banquet' via AntiFragile Music on...
Electronic music pioneer and producer Annie Elise says that the release of her first EP - 'Breathe In, Breathe Out' feels "both vulnerable and...
Hip hop has always been more of a culture than just a genre of music....