Rolling Stone reported that the group released a statement saying, “Public Enemy and Public Enemy Radio will be moving forward without Flavor Flav. We thank him for his years of service and wish him well.”
This all happened after Flav’s lawyer Matthew Friedman, sent a cease-and-desist in response to Chuck D’s scheduled perform at Bernie Sander’s California rally yesterday. Flav accused the campaign of using his likeness and his signature, trademarked, oversized clock at the rally even though he says he “has not endorsed any political candidate in this election cycle.”
The letter read, “While Chuck is certainly free to express his political view as he sees fit, his voice alone does not speak for Public Enemy. The planned performance will only be Chuck D of Public Enemy, it will not be a performance by Public Enemy. Those who truly know what Public Enemy stands for know what time it is, there is no Public Enemy without Flavor Flav.” Then later he added,”Sanders had promised to ‘Fight the Power’ with hip-hop icons Public Enemy, but this Rap Icon will not be performing at the Sanders rally.” The rally was held yesterday afternoon at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Bernie’s website claimed “Public Enemy Radio” was set to perform.
Chuck D took to Twitter to explain that the breakup wasn’t actually over this issue and that this was a long time coming…Legal issues between Flavor Flav and his bandmates have been an issue for the last few years, after Flav sued Chuck D and the group’s business management firm back in 2017 over unpaid profits.
Peep his tweets below:
… last final note the last final note was my last straw was long ago. It’s not about BERNIE with Flav… he don’t know the difference between BarrySanders or BernieSanders he don’t know either. FLAV refused to support @Sankofa after @harrybelafonte inducted us. He don’t do that pic.twitter.com/5Ky9dTnzmd
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) March 1, 2020
So I don’t attack FLAV on what he don’t know. I gotta leave him at the crib so y’all trying to fill his persona with some political aplomb is absolutely‘stupid’ Obviously I understand his craziness after all this damn time. Duh you don’t know him from a box of cigars or me either
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) March 1, 2020
Spoke @BernieSanders rally with @EnemyRadio. If there was a $bag, Flav would’ve been there front & center. He will NOT do free benefit shows. Sued me in court the 1st time I let him back in. His ambulance lawyer sued me again on Friday & so now he stays home & better find REHAB
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) March 2, 2020
I heard I’m trending, like I care . 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.
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) March 2, 2020