The Kranzberg Arts Foundation, XYION with Soul Kitchen present Roll Call: Most of My Heroes Don’t Appear on No Stamps, an exclusive art exhibition in the Midwest from visionary/artist/music icon and Public Enemy founder Chuck D. The exhibition, curated by Lorrie Boula + Adrian Miller (STL native), will open on September 12 at Legends’ Gallery, a pop-up located at 3318 Washington Ave. in St. Louis, and runs through November 12.

The show features original fine art by Chuck D that was inspired by his heroes, legends and peers and serves as a visual deep dive into society and culture. Standout pieces include a pair of diptychs: “Black Legends,” which features portraits of Harry Belafonte and Nina Simone presented in mixed media, and “Public Enemy Number One,” featuring a self-portrait of Chuck D. alongside his longtime collaborator Flavor Flav.

“Art is about sight, sound, story and style. This show is a doorway into my mind and lyrics told through visuals and is a small peek into the noise in my head,” says Chuck. “Roll Call: Most of My Heroes Don’t Appear on No Stamps is my way of paying tribute to the figures who shaped me yesterday and today.”

Known worldwide as the founder of Public Enemy, Chuck D ignited a movement with his politically charged lyrics and remains one of the most influential figures in contemporary music. His fine art has already been exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide and is included in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. A catalog of his work was published by Genesis Books in 2023 entitled “Livin’ Loud” and he has released a series of graphic novels and illustrated books, including his most recent, “Interficial ARTelligence: The Moments that Met Me.” He is a graduate of New York’s Adelphi University with a B.F.A. in Graphic Design.

Chuck D is currently in the midst of a world tour with Public Enemy, performing at major music festivals and in stadiums with Guns N’ Roses throughout the year. Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 and the GRAMMY Hall of Fame, he has helped shape politically and socially conscious hip-hop through landmark albums such as It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and Fear of a Black Planet. In addition to his work with Public Enemy and his solo career, he is also a founding member of the supergroup Prophets of Rage, alongside members of Rage Against the Machine and Cypress Hill.