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).
@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.”
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.”
Flava Flav refused to let the masters whip him, so he was kicked outta his own group. I gained a newfound respect for him, although I always did like him. He’s a true, good dude.
You didn’t read the article
CHUCK D IS ‘PUBLIC ENEMY’! Been the Creator, the Writer, the Visionary and VOICE of P.E. since Day One! Flav early on was ‘the clown’, ‘the jester’, the ‘comic relief’ in a Super SERIOUS Group of REVOLUTIONARIES! Then with a lil money he became a CRACK ADDICT, a lazy, ego driven BUFFOON! He really hasn’t been ‘much’ of P.E. in last 20 years, a lil ‘appearance’ here and there, between his AWFUL reality shows that werre detrimental to what PUBLIC ENEMYT stood for! Losing Flav is NO BIG DEAL for anyone that understood what CHUCK and P.E. were ALL about!
They wouldn’t even be nationally recognized if it was not for Flava Flav, and u know it. The majority of the world only knows public enemy because of him. But either way, it’s still fucking ridiculous that they’d make this publicty stunt to kick him from the crew, all because he wouldn’t sellout and do a show for a political campaign. I mean, shit… Dudes claiming to “fight the system” are supporting a dude who is vowing to expand the system lol… So ironic.
You must be 25. Chuck D is Public Enemy, and Flav is the hype man. I bought flab’s solo album back in the day, and I must say it was terrible.
?????? Thank you my brother! Damn! There’s some Ignoramuses on here! J
Chuck D is a fraud. Public Enemy is dead. Sold out a long time ago. Stop living in the past old man.
Whereas I feel that… a group that knew it needed to have comic relief due to it’s revolutionary outlook for balance somehow forgot they needed that balance or that they placed their faith in a member and backed that member from 1985 to 2016. His kids shouldn’t have needed to intervene. His best friend Chuck D should have. However Chuck D has had his own issues over the years and decided it wasn’t a good look to help one of the pioneers of his group. I do not know why or claim to know why however I do know Chuck has had his own issues with substance abuse and shouldn’t have shelved Flav line that. Chuck is literally telling the youth it’s ok to ditch long time friends while going through problems that you could help with. He calls Flav lazy but does this. And you can’t call Chuck lazy, but paranoid to go through the trouble of setting up a charity to get rid of Flav. That’s some seriously next level Machiavellian maneuvers. I enjoyed PE throughout the 80s n early 90s. Maybe it’s time not to kick out an original member 35 years later, maybe it’s time to have a farewell tour.
I feel like perhaps Flav hasn’t been respected as much as should.. y shud he hav to do free shows (“benefits”) if he ain’t feeling it? Doing voluntary work isn’t fun especially not even being paid for it. With both Griff And fkav gone, it’s hardly p.e. any more..n I have huge respect for Chuck D obvs and bank relationships can b hard but… To end 35+ years over watever it’s over …. And it’s a Group but clearly not very democratic ….. It’s important to keep partners / employees / day ones / etc happy ? I mean cmon p.e. with no Flav ? Not great however I don’t attend their shows so … Maybe ppl who do attend their shows support chuck D. A bit like axl and slash I guess. Guns n roses without slash isn’t rlly guns n roses. ?
public enemy are racists who want to drag everyone down to their level and be as racist and hateful as they are. these teenagers back many years now they would be put on to black leaders such as those Malcolm x movies over their summer holiday from school. people such as public enemy know they can take advantage of learning and developing minds. next thing you know, as impressionable as young minds are, they start hating on white people because of what they learnt in the movie. what the hell is this really over anyway. they have their freedom of speech but what would public enemy know about oppression seriously. what would public enemy know about being in prison – have they been? what would public enemy know about millions… billions of people hating you. M.A.G.A. trump 2020.
GTFOH TROLL!
Shut up Bitch!!!
Lmao you can’t be serious right
Flag maybe a crazy crack head looking mofo, but he is smarter than Chuck D for NOT getting involved with a three house-100k-car-having champagne socialist phony!
Flav*
Dude’s been in politics for 40 years and only became a millionaire once he released a book. Troll harder, idiot.
Money ruins politics, Sanders is the only one willing to have publicly financed elections
He’s a jabbering old man with dementia. Won’t even live long enough to serve a full term. This is your savior lol. You might as well vote for Trump at this point lmaoooo.
White people stole this country from the native people of many nations that was already here most of them are racist over 50% they know they were created by alkebulans(Afrikans) they are mass murders the biggest drug dealers rapists racists which is a complement to them now please tell me why I should like them or be patriotic I hope the usofkkka implodes on itself may any person regardless of race that supports the us burn in hell please feel free to debate this and correct any errors you feel are not true fuck trump amreikkka sucks.
Yaaawwwnnn, now back to flipping burgers old head. Nobody cares about your opinion on a hip hop site
Check out my new post feel free to correct anything I say that you feel is not true but you know I’m right I’m not mad I’m happy to see the fakes get what they deserve just dont her mad when the devil comes to collect there soul b 4 there ready.
The 1988 Chuck D is rolling in his grave right now
Nope. The ’88 chuck D would have kicked Flave’s ass out the band after missing a few shows, for screwing up the money. They have been VERY patient with Flavor Flav and the fact that you – out of pure racism probably- jump on the hate train without any knowledge whatsoever about what REALLY has been going on with PE for the last 2 decades just shows you’re not even a fan. Flavor Flave is a talentless turd.
See how politics are a cancer to all it touches…Look how stupid we are. We fight to defend millionaires against other millionaires, all while using their millionaire status against them. None of it makes sense, yet we all think there’s a happy ending to be found somewhere. Ready for this mindfuck? Chuck D…yes that Chuck D…is throwing his black brother to the side so a white man can become president. Dude was a shitty rapper anyway, he’s popular cuz he said what everybody wanted to hear at the time. Most overrated rapper in the history of hiphop, garbage flow with some rah rah black power lyrics that made everybody feel that little rush of resistance they always dreamed about. And you know he was always mad that the face of his black power rap group was Flav…To this day Flav is Public Enemy, don’t nobody give a shit bout Chuck D no more
FOH with that dumb shit!
Lmaoo he about kick out flav over a candidate whose about to get WASHED by Trump hahaha old head chuck is dumb