Public Enemy Releases Statement on Flavor Flav Exit

The drama between Public Enemy and Flavor Flav keeps on boiling following the latter’s firing from the group.

In a new statement received by Billboard on Monday (Mar. 2) signed by Public Enemy’s Chuck D, James Bomb, DJ Lord, Pop Diesel and Jahi, the group clarifies that it “did not part ways with Flavor Flav over his political views.” The statement comes days after Flav shared an open letter from his legal representation regarding Bernie Sanders’ Los Angeles rally on Sunday (March 1). He was frustrated that Public Enemy was advertised as playing the event, when he claimed Chuck D was the one slated to perform and Flavor did not endorse a political candidate.

The statement continued: “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,” it continues. “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,’ where an episode featured his children discussing an intervention and putting him into rehab.”

“It’s time to move on and everyone wishes Flavor well,” the statement concludes.

Earlier in the day, Flavor Flav shared a series of heated tweets against Chuck D, who tweeted that Flav “will NOT do free benefit shows,” and that “His ambulance lawyer sued me again on Friday & so now he stays home & better find REHAB.”

“are you kidding me right now???,,,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,,,” he wrote.

“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,” he continued.