Public Enemy founder and front man Chuck D takes explores the most politically and socially influential songs on Songs That Shook The Planet as part of Audible’s Words + Music Initiative – an innovative and unprecedented approach to musical story telling. Songs That Shook The Planet is both entertainment and history lesson as it covers songs from multiple genres and decades, highlighting the artists who penned and performed songs that changed our world and influenced generations.

Chuck makes the experience a personal one as he recalls how the songs influenced his early life, listening to records that his mother played on the record player at in their home. Songs by Billie Holiday, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield and Too Short are chronicled on Songs That Shook The Planet.

In a recently published excerpt from the audiobook Chuck reflected on Bob Marley, Get Up Stand Up and some of the parallels in his messages and those of Rap music. Chuck states: “Get Up Stand Up was a song that called for action, both physical and spiritual. Co-written by Peter Tosh reportedly after visiting Haiti and seeing the impoverished conditions that mirrored their own Trenchtown experience, the song was a testament to the toughness they had growing up in Jamaica, struggling for respect and equality.” Chuck stated further “Marley’s early Ska songs like Simmer Down were directed to Jamaican ‘Rude Boys’ or Black Youth that were criminal juveniles…sounds similar right”.

Songs That Shook The Planet is available exclusively on Audible.