Public Enemy Fires Flavor Flav For Good Over Bernie Sanders Flap

Public Enemy said Sunday it was permanently parting ways with Flavor Flav after a clash over the hip-hop group’s support of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

“Public Enemy and Public Enemy Radio will be moving forward without Flavor Flav,” the group announced in a statement. “We thank him for his years of service and wish him well.”

Flavor Flav’s attorney shared a cease-and-desist letter sent Friday to the Sanders campaign, accusing it of using the iconic hypeman’s “unauthorized likeness, image and trademarked clock” to promote a Sunday campaign rally in Los Angeles. The letter noted that Flavor Flav had not endorsed any candidate and called the marketing “deceptive,” Rolling Stone reported. 

“While [Public Enemy leader Chuck D] is certainly free to express his political views as he sees fit ― his voice alone does not speak for Public Enemy,” the lawyer wrote. “The planned performance will only be Chuck D of Public Enemy, it will not be a performance by Public Enemy.” 

Public Enemy Radio, which now consists of founding member Chuck D plus DJ Lord, Jahi and the S1Ws, performed a 30-minute set Sunday that included the rap giants’ 1988 hit “Fight the Power,” the Los Angeles Times reported. Chuck D also addressed the Los Angeles Convention Center crowd, joking about the age of Sanders and his own.

“Hey, I’m 59 ― I’m an old-ass rapper,” he said.

Through a statement from his attorney, Flavor Flav accused Chuck D of misleading fans, USA Today noted. “Flav reached out in the interest of unity, supporting Chuck’s right to speak his mind but without unnecessarily misleading the public. …  Chuck may own the name Public Enemy but all you had to do was look at the masses of clock-wearing fans pouring out of the rally … to know that there is no Public Enemy without Flavor Flav.”

Flavor Flav co-founded the band in 1985, but left in 2009.

Chuck D tweeted into the night that he built Public Enemy Radio “so it does benefits & fundraisers.” He wrote that Flavor Flav refused to perform in them, but “If there was a $bag, Flav would’ve been there front & center.”

He said he had been previously sued by Flav, and has had enough of the “ridiculousness.”

Chuck D wrote that he was a “political artist” who made himself “heard & seen outside my ART.”

Chuck D has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, calling him “King Devil.”