And politics has nothing to do with it.
The war of words between Public Enemy and Flavor Flav isn’t over yet. Just days after a statement to Billboard from PE’s Chuck D, James Bomb, DJ Lord, Pop Diesel and Jahi that explained that the group didn’t dump their hype man after more than three decades because of his alleged political beliefs, Flav himself spoke out to clarify his position.
In an interview with England’s The Guardian, Flav said that his refusal to appear at a Bernie Sanders rally in Los Angeles on Sunday that featured a PE performance wasn’t political. “I don’t have anything against Bernie. I think he’s a good person and I wish him luck,” Flav reportedly told the paper in an interview conducted at the San Diego International Airport as Flav awaited a flight to Las Vegas. “I think they’re all good people… Except Trump. Some people tried to say I did this because I’m a Trump supporter and that’s not true. F— Trump!”
The explanation came after Flav shared an open letter from his legal team regarding the show, which he said advertised the show as a PE performance when only leader Chuck D was slated to perform at the event, noting that the clock-wearing hype man has not endorsed a presidential candidate so far. “Flavor Flav has been on suspension since 2016 when he was MIA from the Harry Belafonte benefit in Atlanta, Georgia,” PE countered. “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.”
The band made it clear that they’ve played “numerous benefit shows without Flavor” and that they have continued on without him for several years. “It’s time to move on and everyone wishes Flavor well,” the statement concluded. Flav told The Guardian that the dispute had nothing to do with Sanders, but only with Chuck D including him in plans for a performance he hadn’t agreed to.
“Why try to say I’m a part of something I’m not a part of? That was all Chuck D,” said Flav. A spokesperson for Flav had not returned requests for comment on the Guardian interview at press time.
