Musician Chuck D Speaks on Culture, Communication, and Critical Thinking

On Monday, February 2, at a special assembly, Hopkins School welcomed Chuck D—Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, author, visual artist, producer, and the pioneering voice behind the influential hip-hop group Public Enemy. Chuck D gave a wide-ranging speech that challenged the community to think critically about culture, technology, education, and what it means to stay grounded in a fast-moving world.

The afternoon opened with an introduction from Hopkins parent Adam Wallenta, who spoke about Public Enemy’s impact on his own education and worldview. Wallenta, whose friendship with Chuck D helped bring him to the Hill, described discovering the group as a seventh grader in 1987 and realizing that music could be “a positive force for education,” crediting Chuck D’s lyrics with opening doors to history, social movements, and new ways of thinking. 

Wallenta is an illustrator, author, and frequent collaborator with Chuck D. Most recently, Wallenta and his son, Makana ’29, published a new graphic novel, Punk Taco Adventures. The  educational story focuses on the wonder and joys of art with contributions from a wide range of talented creators from Chuck D to New York Times best selling cartoonist Maria Scrivan, as well as former art students of Wallenta who currently attend St. Thomas's Day School in New Haven.

When Chuck D took the stage, he immediately met students with warmth and humor, noting “Hopkins energy” before moving into the larger themes of the day: attention, identity, communication, and the responsibilities young people inherit in a world shaped by screens.

A central thread of Chuck D’s talk focused on the modern challenge of living with constant technology and learning how to use it with purpose. He urged students to think deliberately about the role screens play in their lives and to protect the skill of deep focus.

“This world is moving like a blizzard,” he said. “It’s a tech blizzard out there where data could appear and disappear.”

As a solution, Chuck D encouraged students to see their minds, attention, and sense of self as something worth defending.

“I want you to lead with your own mind,” he told students. “Your mind. Because minds are the real estate of the millennium.”

Chuck D also spoke as an artist, sharing his background as a graphic designer and how he returned more deeply to visual art later in life. He offered students a practical framework for growth centered around the concept of building skill in whatever field they choose to pursue.

“Everybody’s coming into this school with some sort of talent,” he said, “but how much you put into it is going to manifest into what they call skill.”

Chuck D also challenged students to commit to the work of “building something real,” a point he emphasized with the phrase, “You can’t take shortcuts. You can’t AI it,” which received loud applause from the crowd.

Following his talk, Chuck D sat for a Q&A featuring Hopkins science teacher Jennifer Geel as well as students Henry W. '26 and Jaiden C. '28. The conversation turned to mentorship, learning, and how students can navigate a world where information is abundant but not always reliable.

Asked about the value of human mentors in an era when some people turn to AI for answers, Chuck D responded: “Having somebody in front of you is going to be the only way that you’re going to be able to know what’s true and what’s not true.”

In a final reminder that echoed his broader message about growth and possibility, he discussed the importance of personal growth and embracing change.

“Feel free to change your mind at any time… because that’s the first change,” he said.

Chuck D’s visit was presented as part of the Hopkins School Speaker Series, which brings artists, thinkers, innovators, and leaders to campus to engage students in timely, thoughtful conversations that extend learning beyond the classroom.

Watch the full conversation below.