Public Enemy’s Chuck D: Wiping Out Cosby’s Legacy ‘Akin to Nazi Book Burning’

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Daniel Nussbaum

Chuck D, a member of famed hip-hop group Public Enemy, blasted critics of Bill Cosby in a Twitter rant on Sunday, calling attempts to wipe out the comedian’s legacy “akin to Nazi book burning.”

“No way I’m defending Cosby,” Chuck D, real name Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, tweeted Sunday morning. “But this wiping out history wit a swoop is akin to Nazi book burning. Context is everything. Phil Spector still plays.”

The rapper was referring to record producer Phil Spector, who was convicted for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson in 2009 and sentenced to 19 years in jail.

Chuck also likened Cosby’s situation to that of the Confederate flag, which was removed from the South Carolina statehouse last week.

“We are living in a wild bizarre time,” the rapper tweeted. “Character assassination very real DrCosby & ConFed flag down in same week. Status is currency to masses.”

Earlier this month, the Associated Press published a previously sealed 2005 deposition in which Cosby admitted to giving Quaaludes to women with whom he intended to have sex. In the wake of that report, some activist groups had lobbied the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to remove Cosby’s star from the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Chamber of Commerce denied the request.

Chuck D got pushback from some of his nearly 500,000 followers on the social media site, and he replied to several tweets.

“Question do some of yall start stop listening to Marvin Gaye records because of drug addiction?” he asked. “Attempted murder? Wife abuse? Pedophilia?”

And: “@RapSnobTweets so you feel history & accomplishment should be erased or have an asterisk? Talk lets get dumb then eh?”

Check out some of Chuck’s tweets below:

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