Woody Guthrie Center to honour rapper Chuck D

TULSA, Okla. – Rapper Chuck D is this year’s winner of the Woody Guthrie Prize, an award that recognizes artists who speak out for the less fortunate.

Chuck D was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 as part of the groundbreaking hip-hop group Public Enemy. He’ll be honoured at a ceremony in Tulsa on Nov. 16.

Woody Guthrie Center Director Deana McCloud noted that Guthrie was “a fighter for the people.” She says Chuck’s D’s work has aligned with that message to “choose a side, fight the power, and work for a better world.”

Chuck D is the sixth recipient of the prize named for the Oklahoma native.

Past recipients of the award include John Mellencamp, Norman Lear, Kris Kristofferson, Mavis Staples and Pete Seeger.