Chuck D has a reputation for thinking things through, for never saying something lightly.

Sure, the rapper may well be seduced by onstage energy, but a political pronouncement from the Public Enemy legend should never be taken lightly.

But when Chuck D endorsed Scottish Independence during a recent Glasgow show, opinions were divided. The internet being the place it is, the rapper was championed and pilloried in equal measures, with his comments placed under huge scrutiny.

First, those comments in full: “That little brother shit is over. Don’t let them take your money no more, Scotland.”

Granted time to speak with the rapper ahead of Public Enemy’s show at a House Of Vans event in London, Chuck D expanded on his comments.

“Yeah I support it,” he says. “I have friends from Scotland and my friends think that’s the way to go. I was able to get them to give me a good table of pro’s and cons.”

“Now, I don’t live in Glasgow or Aberdeen or Edinburgh. I don’t live there but I've been there enough and I also talk to my friends and say, if they can have a conversation on it then I can publicly speak about it. Of course there’s a con side, too. There’s a con side to everything.”

Those initial comments sparked widespread social media discussion; something Chuck D admits is par for the course given his profile. “Really as a public person if you speak in favour of one thing, know that you have an instant enemy. No pun intended. A public statement brings on an instant adversary.”

“Social media has a tendency to swell people up bigger than what they are,” he states. “No matter who they are. Artists, entertainers. Sometimes social media can be electronic yeast.”

Finishing, Chuck D re-affirmed his belief in Scottish independence. “They’re smart and it’s time. It’s 2014. Scotland can have independence. If they get past the financial games that the government is playing, that is. There are a lot of financial games going on. Now, I’m not an economist, I’m not in charge of anything. But I’m pretty sure that they’ll figure that out.”

“You know really, seriously, what it comes down to is that there are two decisions to make: yay or nay. And if it’s nay, then why would this even pop up to be a point in the first place? It’s the way of the world: change is going to have to come.”

Watch out for a full interview with Chuck D on the site shortly.