Professor Griff
Encyclopedia
Professor Griff is an American
rapper and spoken word
artist. He is a member of the hip hop
group Public Enemy and head of the Security of the First World
.
) was part of the Spectrum City DJ-for-hire service led by Hank Shocklee
, and Spectrum and Unity Force frequently worked side-by-side at local events. When Public Enemy was formed and signed to Def Jam, Ridenhour invited Griffin to be a sideman. Unity Force was renamed "The Security of the First World", or S1W for short. The S1W's were brought along, and became a curious combination of bodyguards/dancers for the band. Their stage routines were a loose combination of martial arts, military drill and "step show
" dances lifted from black college fraternities.
His role was also that of road manager
and "Minister of Information", the intellectual public face of the band for interviews et cetera, as Flavor Flav
was the "fun" one. He was rarely MC'ing, except between songs.
Professor Griff has started to emerge on the conspiracy theory scene, typically New World Order conspiracy theory. He is known for linking these allegations to past and present celebrities.
, Professor Griff, in his role as Minister of Information, gave interviews to UK magazines on behalf of Public Enemy, during which he made homophobic and antisemitic remarks. However, there was little controversy until May 22, 1989, when Griffin was interviewed by the Washington Times. At the time, Public Enemy enjoyed unprecedented mainstream attention with the single "Fight the Power
" from the soundtrack of Spike Lee
's Do the Right Thing
.
During the interview with David Mills
, Griffin made numerous statements such as "Jews are responsible for the majority of the wickedness in the world". When the interview was published, a media firestorm emerged, and the band found themselves under intense scrutiny.
In a series of press conferences, Griffin was either fired, quit, or never left. Def Jam co-founder Rick Rubin
had already left the label by then; taking his place alongside Russell Simmons
was Lyor Cohen
, the son of Israeli immigrants who had run Rush Artist Management
since 1985. Before the dust settled, Cohen claims to have arranged for a Holocaust Museum to give the band a private tour.
In an attempt to defuse the situation, Ridenhour first expressed an apology on his behalf, and fired Griffin soon thereafter. Griffin later rejoined the group, provoking more protests, causing Ridenhour to briefly disband the group. When Public Enemy reformed, due to increasing attention from the press and pressure from Def Jam hierarchy, Griffin was no longer with the band.
Griffin later publicly expressed remorse for his statements after a meeting with the National Holocaust Awareness Student Organization in 1990.
In his 2009 book, entitled "Analytixz", Griff once again admitted the faults in his alleged 1989 statement: "to say the Jews are responsible for the majority of wickedness that went on around the globe I would have to know about the majority of wickedness that went on around the globe, which is impossible... I'm not the best knower [God] is. Then, not only knowing that, I would have to know who is at the crux of all of the problems in the world and then blame Jewish people, which is not correct." Griff also pointed out that not only were his words taken out of context, but that the recording has never been released to the public for an unbiased listen.
, Griffin has embraced a form of Afrocentrism
. "Muslim
, Christian
, Jew / Here's a little somethin' I thought you knew / There is only one God
and God is one / The rich praises none."
After his departure from Public Enemy, Griffin formed his own group, the Last Asiatic Disciples. Griffin's albums were of an Islam
ic and Afrocentric style, combined with increasingly spoken word
lyrics.
He is a member of The Nation of Islam which his lyrics and record titles as a solo artist referenced. Another general theme in his lyrics is New World Order conspiracy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rapper and spoken word
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
artist. He is a member of the hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
group Public Enemy and head of the Security of the First World
S1W (group)
S1W, short for Security of the First World, began as a security organization inRoosevelt, New York under the name of Unity Force where they provided security at hip hop parties during the mid 1980s. The organization was headed by Professor Griff. Later they became part of the hip hop group Public...
.
Early years in Public Enemy
After returning from the army, he started a security service to work the local party circuit, calling it Unity Force. At the time, Carlton Ridenhour (a.k.a. Chuck DChuck D
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.- Early life :Ridenhour was born in Queens, New York...
) was part of the Spectrum City DJ-for-hire service led by Hank Shocklee
The Bomb Squad
The Bomb Squad is an American hip hop production team, known for their work with the rap group Public Enemy. The Bomb Squad are noted for their dense, distinct, innovative production style, often utilizing dozens of samples on just one track...
, and Spectrum and Unity Force frequently worked side-by-side at local events. When Public Enemy was formed and signed to Def Jam, Ridenhour invited Griffin to be a sideman. Unity Force was renamed "The Security of the First World", or S1W for short. The S1W's were brought along, and became a curious combination of bodyguards/dancers for the band. Their stage routines were a loose combination of martial arts, military drill and "step show
Stepping (African-American)
Stepping or step-dancing is a form of percussive dance in which the participant's entire body is used as an instrument to produce complex rhythms and sounds through a mixture of footsteps, spoken word, and hand claps...
" dances lifted from black college fraternities.
His role was also that of road manager
Road manager
In music industry, a Road Manager is a person who works with small to mid-sized tours...
and "Minister of Information", the intellectual public face of the band for interviews et cetera, as Flavor Flav
Flavor Flav
William Jonathan Drayton, Jr. , better known by his stage name Flavor Flav, is an American rapper and television personality who rose to prominence as a member of the rap group Public Enemy...
was the "fun" one. He was rarely MC'ing, except between songs.
Professor Griff has started to emerge on the conspiracy theory scene, typically New World Order conspiracy theory. He is known for linking these allegations to past and present celebrities.
Controversy and departure from Public Enemy
Before the release of It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us BackIt Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is the second studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released April 14, 1988, on Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions for the album took place at Chung King Studios, Greene Street Recording, and Sabella Studios in New York City...
, Professor Griff, in his role as Minister of Information, gave interviews to UK magazines on behalf of Public Enemy, during which he made homophobic and antisemitic remarks. However, there was little controversy until May 22, 1989, when Griffin was interviewed by the Washington Times. At the time, Public Enemy enjoyed unprecedented mainstream attention with the single "Fight the Power
Fight the Power
"Fight the Power" is a single by American hip hop group Public Enemy. First released on the soundtrack for the film 1989 Do the Right Thing, a different version was released on the group's third studio album, Fear of a Black Planet . The single reached number one on Hot Rap Singles and number 20 on...
" from the soundtrack of Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
's Do the Right Thing
Do the Right Thing
Do the Right Thing is a 1989 American dramedy produced, written, and directed by Spike Lee, who is also a featured actor in the film. Other members of the cast include Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, and John Turturro. It is also notably the...
.
During the interview with David Mills
David Mills (writer)
David Eugene Mills was an American journalist, writer and producer of television programs. He was an executive producer and writer of the HBO miniseries The Corner, for which he won two Emmy Awards, and the creator, executive producer, and writer of the NBC miniseries Kingpin.-Early life:Mills was...
, Griffin made numerous statements such as "Jews are responsible for the majority of the wickedness in the world". When the interview was published, a media firestorm emerged, and the band found themselves under intense scrutiny.
In a series of press conferences, Griffin was either fired, quit, or never left. Def Jam co-founder Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin
Frederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
had already left the label by then; taking his place alongside Russell Simmons
Russell Simmons
-External links:** * * * * * * from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum* *...
was Lyor Cohen
Lyor Cohen
Lyor Cohen is the North American Chairman and CEO of Recorded Music for Warner Music Group . He has been a pioneer in the development of hip hop music and influential in the development of hip hop music acts, including Beastie Boys, Foxy Brown, LL Cool J, Jam Master Jay, Nas, Run-D.M.C...
, the son of Israeli immigrants who had run Rush Artist Management
Rush Communications
Rush Communications is the company owned by hip-hop pioneer Russell Simmons. He is also the founder. Rush Communications is one of the largest African American owned media firms in the United States. Rush continues to draw on its roots in hip hop, targeting young consumers through urban and hip-hop...
since 1985. Before the dust settled, Cohen claims to have arranged for a Holocaust Museum to give the band a private tour.
In an attempt to defuse the situation, Ridenhour first expressed an apology on his behalf, and fired Griffin soon thereafter. Griffin later rejoined the group, provoking more protests, causing Ridenhour to briefly disband the group. When Public Enemy reformed, due to increasing attention from the press and pressure from Def Jam hierarchy, Griffin was no longer with the band.
Griffin later publicly expressed remorse for his statements after a meeting with the National Holocaust Awareness Student Organization in 1990.
In his 2009 book, entitled "Analytixz", Griff once again admitted the faults in his alleged 1989 statement: "to say the Jews are responsible for the majority of wickedness that went on around the globe I would have to know about the majority of wickedness that went on around the globe, which is impossible... I'm not the best knower [God] is. Then, not only knowing that, I would have to know who is at the crux of all of the problems in the world and then blame Jewish people, which is not correct." Griff also pointed out that not only were his words taken out of context, but that the recording has never been released to the public for an unbiased listen.
Afrocentrism
Although himself partly Native AmericanNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, Griffin has embraced a form of Afrocentrism
Afrocentrism
Afrocentrism is cultural ideology mostly limited to the United States, dedicated to the history of Black people a response to global racist attitudes about African people and their historical contributions by revisiting this history with an African cultural and ideological center...
. "Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
, Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, Jew / Here's a little somethin' I thought you knew / There is only one God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
and God is one / The rich praises none."
After his departure from Public Enemy, Griffin formed his own group, the Last Asiatic Disciples. Griffin's albums were of an Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic and Afrocentric style, combined with increasingly spoken word
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
lyrics.
He is a member of The Nation of Islam which his lyrics and record titles as a solo artist referenced. Another general theme in his lyrics is New World Order conspiracy.
Discography
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Hip-Hop Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
||||
| 1990 | Pawns in the Game Pawns in the Game Pawns in the Game is the debut solo album by emcee and Public Enemy member Professor Griff, alongside his group the Last Asiatic Disciples, which was composed of Jim "Obie" O'Brien, B-Wyze , Patrick X , JXL , and Life... |
127 | 24 | ||
| 1991 | Kao's II Wiz*7*Dome | — | 70 | ||
| 1992 | Disturb N Tha Peace Disturb N Tha Peace Disturb N Tha Peace is the third album by emcee Professor Griff. The album was released on December 17, 1992, and was his final album released on Luke Records. Production was handled by Professor Griff, Luke Skyywalker, Kavon Shah, DJ Spider, DJ Toomp, Tone Control, Snake Eyez, and Society. The... |
— | — | ||
| 1998 | Blood of the Profit Blood of the Profit Blood of the Profit is the fourth album by emcee Professor Griff, which was released on August 18, 1998, on Lethal/Blackheart/Mercury/PolyGram Records and was produced by Professor Griff and his Public Enemy bandmate Chuck D. The album did not make it to the billboard charts... |
— | — | ||
| 2001 | And The Word Became Flesh And the Word Became Flesh And the Word Became Flesh is the fifth album by emcee Professor Griff, which was released on September 11, 2001, on the Right Stuff Records and was produced by Professor Griff and Chuck D. The album did not make it to any of the Billboard chart or produce any hit singles... |
— | — | ||
| — - denotes the album failed to chart or was not released | |||||