Public Enemy

Chuck D and Flavor Flav's real names are Carlton Douglas Ridenhour and William Jonathan Drayton, Jr., respectively. Chuck's first stage name was "Chuckie D.," and the band name came from a song he rapped on (created by their producer, Hank Shocklee), called "Public Enemy No. 1."

Flavor Flav is the comic relief in the group, portraying a character that he seems to morph into in real life. Far from an untalented clown, he has genuine musical ability and writes with his own form of social commentary - an early influence was the singer/poet Gil Scott-Heron. "I can understand the politics of everything, but I'm not really into digging up old books and blowing the dust off the covers," he explained in 1990. "If you can't understand what Chuck is saying 'cause his words are too high science for you, then I'll come and break it down on the street level. Flavor Flav portrays a street character."

A then-unknown Vernon Reid supplies guitar work on the early PE classic, "Sophisticated Bitch." The alt-rock group fIREHOSE would later cover the tune on their 1992 EP, Live Totem Pole.