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Chuck D

Chuck D

Actor, also composer, producer and writer · Born August 1, 1960 (66) · Roosevelt, Long Island, New York, USA

Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, better known by his stage name Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. He helped create politically and socially conscious rap music in the mid-1980s as the leader of the rap group Public Enemy.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 1, 1960 (66)
From
Roosevelt, Long Island, New York, USA
Works as
Actor, also composer, producer and writer
Titles
20 on MovieCove · 45 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 29% in 30 days

What are Chuck D's films like?

Across their 21 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Self.

Genres

Documentary13 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 25th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Society
51%
Self
16%
Power
12%
Ideas
10%
Morality
8%
Bonds
2%
Survival
2%
Community11 titles, browse their movies with this themeLegacy6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFame6 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themePrejudice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 15 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 11 · Serious 3 · Dark 1

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 13 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 7 · Charged 7 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 12 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 7 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 14 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Contemplative
16
Hopeful
9
Warm
7
Joyful
7
Triumphant
6
Other
14

How their films linger

Thought-provoking10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet4
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous10
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Chuck D's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 9 of their 20 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Chuck D's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

45 credits, 20 with a MovieCove page; 87 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Freestyle 101: Hip Hop History(2023)

    as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as The Beetle (voice)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Fight the Power How Hip Hop Changed the World(2023)

    Show 4 episodes · Creator · Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • Use of Force: The Policing of Black America(2022)

    Producer · as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • For NYC (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Actor

  • The Cobra at Twilight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Actor

  • System Shock: How the MP3 Changed Music (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Actor

  • Shut Up and Dribble(2018)

    Show 3 episodes · Additional Music

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all shows

  • Prophets of Rage: Eurockéennes 2018 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Actor

  • 1971 Pirates: Forever Brothers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Actor

  • Full Court: The Spencer Haywood Story(2016)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Bet(2016)

    as Charles McD

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • The Late Show with Stephen Colbert(2015)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • Hustlers Convention(2015)

    Executive Producer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Heights Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Actor

  • Public Enemy Live at the Metro Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Rappeur

  • Ali vs Stevenson: The Greatest Fight That Never Was (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Narrator

  • Dream School(2013)

    Show 6 episodes · Producer · as Self - Student Mentor/Self - Raptivist, Musician, Digital Advocate

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Swing Lowe Sweet Chariote (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as DJ Jonny Specials

  • The Doctor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Rebels Without a Pause: The Induction Celebration of Public Enemy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Executive Producer · as Self

  • City Teacher (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • Founding Fathers (The True Origins of Hip Hop) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • On the Shoulders of Giants(2011)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Founding Fathers: The Untold Story of Hip Hop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Narrator

  • Mixtape, Inc. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Actor

  • The Henry Rollins Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Black in the 80s (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • Wake Up, Ron Burgundy(2004)

    as Malcolm Y

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • James Brown: Soul Survivor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • Public Enemy - Live from House of Blues (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Actor

  • Aqua Teen Hunger Force(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Chuck D (voice)

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Sealab 2021(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Abelard (voice)

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Jackie Chan: My Story(1998)

    Thanks · as Self - Rapper

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn(1997)

    Composer · as Leon Brothers

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Rage Against the Machine - Live at Pinkpop 1996 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Actor

  • Rap: Looking for the Perfect Beat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Actor

  • NewsRadio(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Chuck D

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • New York Undercover(1994)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Space Ghost Coast to Coast(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • The Real Malcolm X(1992)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Public Enemy: The Enemy Strikes...Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Writer · as Hard Rhymer

  • Public Enemy - Burn Hollywood Burn feat. Ice Cube and Big Daddy Kane (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Writer · Actor

  • Impact Video Magazine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Actor

  • Public Enemy: Fight the Power... Live! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 51st percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 44 titles from 1989 to 2023; peak year 2004.

Biggest box office

An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (1997)

$60K worldwide

Highest rated

Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown (2014)

Midcredits 90th

Most popular right now

This Is Pop (2021)

Film career

19892023

Peak 2004 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1998Screen debut· An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting38 of 44: 35 only acting, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score63rdWriting2 of 44: 0 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing2 of 44: 2 only producing, 0 with another roleMusic3 of 44: 2 only music, 1 with another roleOther crew2 of 44: 2 only other crew, 0 with another role

44 titles, 3 with more than one role — acting and music overlap on 1 of them.

By decade

1980s2 · acting1990s10 · 9 acting · 4 crew2000s9 · acting2010s18 · 14 acting · 4 crew2020s5 · 4 acting · 1 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Chuck D's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 56th percentile, the median of all 10; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 72nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

72ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

29thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 20 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

6 of their 20 titles are Divisive.

  • Divisive6
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor, producer

Use of Force: The Policing of Black America (2022)

99th percentile spread · 37% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · composer

On the Shoulders of Giants (2011)

Midcredits 78th · 63% liked

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Chuck D work with?

People who share at least 2 of Chuck D's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Questlove shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Producers