In the Hour of Chaos

"[Chuck D is] neither snootily professorial nor just an OG unspooling war stories. Rather, he’s a thoughtful interlocutor . . . .  a valuable chronicle of the genre’s role in troubled times—and how the times have always been troubled. Smart and chatty hip-hop history."

— Kirkus Reviews

“Anyone even slightly familiar with the work of P.E. will know that Chuck D is a gifted lyricist, capable of boiling down very real experiences into lines that have the greatest impact—an attribute he shares with the likes of Dylan, Guthrie, and Marley. So, it’s not at all surprising that his book packs a genuine punch. The man can write.”

— Music Connection

"The book presents a razor-sharp investigation into hip hop and rap music from the searing lyricist and global music icon, engaging with some of the world's leading thinkers on the genre. 'Professor Chuck' sets out on a journey that celebrates fifty years of hip hop and charts paths forward for its future."

— That Eric Alper

"Public Enemy fans and rap aficionados who want to delve into Chuck D’s contention that hip hop was the ‘Black CNN,’ or learn how ‘Fight the Power’ sprang from the Isley Brothers, or examine the Black Panthers' influence on the group’s public persona, will be rewarded."

— California Magazine