Flavor Flav has hit back at Public Enemy after getting wildly turfed from the legendary hip-hop group following a messy political squabble.
ICYMI: Flav hit Democractic US Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders with a cease and desist letter following the announcement that the group would be performing at a rally for Sanders in Los Angeles, which was, at least apparently, the last straw for bandmate Chuck D, who swiftly booted his bandmate of 37 years out the door.
“Flavor chooses to dance for his money and not do benevolent work like this,” Chuck said in a statement at the time, with his lawyer asserting to Pitchfork that “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-’80s, is also the creative visionary and the group’s primary songwriter, having written Flavor’s most memorable lines,” the lawyer added.
Now, Flav has clapped back at Chuck over his unceremonious ousting, taking to Twitter to air his grievances.
“Are you kidding me right now…over Bernie Sanders,” the rapper tweeted at Chuck today.
“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 continued.
“I’m not your employee, I’m your partner. You can’t fire me. There is no Public Enemy without Flavor Flav.”
However, Public Enemy have since released a fresh statement to Pitchfork, clarifying that the Sanders rally wasn’t the reason for his sacking.
“Public Enemy did not part ways with Flavor Flav over his political views,” the statement reads.
“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.”
Wild.
Read more tweets on the matter from Chuck D below.
We’ll bring you more on this saga as it develops.
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
93yr old @harrybelafonte could bust his ass come 3000 mls to present PublicEnemy its @rockhall induction 2013 ( many still are clueless on) &anyone feel that they cannot give a ounce of time to reciprocate that honor to his @Sankofa fundraiser-to judge a Bikini $how. #Ungrateful
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) March 2, 2020
