Editing Public Enemy (section)

===Formation and Background (1982–1986)===

The roots of Public Enemy lie in the hip-hop radio culture of Long Island. Chuck D (Carlton Douglas Ridenhour) and Bill Stephney began hosting a rap show called ''Spectrum City'' on WBAU, a college radio station at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York, in the early 1980s. It was through this environment that Chuck D met Flavor Flav (William Jonathan Drayton Jr.), DJ Terminator X (Norman Lee Rogers), and Professor Griff (Richard Griffin), who would become the group's Minister of Information and leader of its paramilitary-styled hype unit, the S1Ws (Security of the First World).

[[Rick Rubin]] and [[Russell Simmons]] of [[Def Jam Recordings]] became aware of Chuck D through a demo track, and after persistent persuasion — Chuck D was initially reluctant to sign — Public Enemy joined the Def Jam roster in 1986. Their debut album was recorded and released the following year.