Flavor Flav is upset with Bernie Sanders and Chuck D using the Public Enemy name without his consent.
Flavor Flav sent a statement to Billboard on Saturday disavowing Bernie Sanders’ upcoming rally in Los Angeles that will feature Public Enemy, according to XXL.
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He wants to make it clear that he does not support the candidate and would prefer the rally advertise as “Chuck D of Public Enemy” and not “Public Enemy.”
“We have become aware that Flavor’s bandmate and Public Enemy co-creator, Chuck D, has endorsed Bernie Sanders’ candidacy for President and plans to perform at an upcoming Sanders Rally,” Flav’s attorney Matthew H. Friedman says in the statement sent to Billboard. “While Chuck is certainly free to express his political views 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.
“Sanders has promised to ‘Fight the Power’ with hip hop icons Public Enemy—but this Rap Icon will not be performing at the Sanders Rally,” the statement continues. “To be clear Flav and, by extension, the Hall of Fame hip hop act Public Enemy with which his likeness and name have become synonymous has not endorsed any political candidate in this election cycle and any suggestion to the contrary is plainly untrue. The continued publicizing of this grossly misleading narrative is, at a minimum, careless and irresponsible if not intentionally misleading.”
He finishes by taking a jab at the campaign: “Flav has always delivered his authentic self. That authenticity compels him to speak out to ensure voters are not misled and that Public Enemy’s music does not become the soundtrack of a fake revolution.”
The Bernie Sanders “Fight The Power” rally featuring Public Enemy is scheduled for March 1st at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
