Flavor Flav was dismissed from Public Enemy on Sunday (March 1), shortly before Chuck D and his Public Enemy Radio brethren hit the stage at the Bernie Sanders rally in Los Angeles.
Now, Public Enemy has released an official statement to HipHopDX addressing the group’s decision and making it abundantly clear it had nothing to do with political views.
“Public Enemy did not part ways with Flavor Flav over his political views,” the statement begins. “Flavor Flav has been on suspension since 2016 when he was MIA from the Harry Belafonte benefit in Atlanta, Georgia. That was the last straw for the group. He had previously missed numerous live gigs from Glastonbury to Canada, album recording sessions and photo shoots. He always chose to party over work.
“Public Enemy Radio toured Europe and co-headlined with the Wu-Tang Clan in May 2019 without Flavor. They have also done numerous benefit shows without Flavor. While Public Enemy Radio was moving forward, Flavor Flav was starring on the reality show ‘Growing Up Hip Hop New York,” when an episode featured his children discussing an intervention and putting him into rehab. It’s time to move on and everyone wishes Flavor well.”
Flav responded to the initial announcement via Twitter on Monday (March 2).
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@MrChuckD are you kidding me right now???” he wrote. “over Bernie Sanders??? You wanna destroy something we’ve built over 35 years OVER POLITICS??? all because I don’t wanna endorse a candidate … I’m very disappointed in you and your decisions right now Chuck.
“Also @MrChuckD … i’m not on drugs like you’re saying and have been clean for 10 years…I have battled addiction before and like millions of other Americans I know the massive toll it takes. Chuck you know better than to lie about shit like that.”
Last week, Flav’s legal team fired off a cease-and-desist letter to the Sanders campaign, calling Sanders’ efforts a “fake revolution” and accusing the campaign of using the Public Enemy name without his permission, which Flav also addressed in the series of tweets.
“And @MrChuckD i didn’t sue you on Friday … i asked the @berniesanders campaign to correct misleading marketing,” he added. “that’s all it was…i’m not your employee. i’m your partner..you can’t fire me. there is no Public Enemy without Flavor Flav…so let’s get it right Chuck.”
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Chuck’s attorney made it clear Flav didn’t have rights to the name, writing, “From a legal standpoint, Chuck could perform as Public Enemy if he ever wanted to; he is the sole owner of the Public Enemy trademark. He originally drew the logo himself in the mid-80’s, is also the creative visionary and the group’s primary songwriter, having written Flavor’s most memorable lines.”
Following Sunday’s rally, Chuck reiterated his decision was a long time coming.
“I heard I’m trending, like I care,” he tweeted. “I built @EnemyRadioRS so it does benefits & fundraisers … He said he never gonna do them. So his refusal to do @HarryBelafonte #ManyRiversFestival in Atlanta 2016 was my last time. I built Enemy Radio to get far away from that ridiculousness.”
