Chuck D Reveals Public Enemy's Split With Flava Flav Was A Hoax
Wednesday, 01 April 2020
Written by Sophie Williams
Chuck D has confirmed that Flava Flav's recent firing was a hoax, and that he is still a member of Public Enemy.
On March 3, Public Enemy confirmed in a statement that they would be moving forward without Flavor Flav.
The official dismissal occured after Flava Flav had previously taken umbrage with Chuck D over a Bernie Sanders rally, where Chuck D wanted to perform under the group's name, despite Flav's refusal to take part.
On February 29, Flav had confirmed his departure via an open letter from his lawyer, Matthew H. Friedman:
“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. 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.”
Now, Chuck D has described the public spat as a hoax. In a 70-minute interview with hip-hop journalist Tim Einenkel, he shed some light on the situation, stating that, "[He] didn’t like that [Flava Flav] was getting hammered in the media." He argued that only negative news stories see the light of day – “The news you read about hip-hop is about another dead rapper” – and that this statement was reinforced by his dismissal of Flav.
Chuck D's comments were swiftly followed by an official statement posted to his website, in which he confirmed that the public discourse took place in order to promote his new Enemy Radio album. He added:
"Flav doesn’t do benefits and stays away from political events - we always agreed about that. Enemy Radio was built for that reason, to be a DJ+MC auxiliary unit of Public Enemy, a no-slack homage tossback to DJ+MC roots. It is DJ Lord, myself and Jahi with the S1Ws."
"Hearing the confused mush of political talk while under the bowels of Trumpotus made me use a presidential stage as my platform. Out of this storm came a plan between Flav and me to remind people that what’s important should have as much, if not more, value than just what’s popular. Thus came the HOAX, our ‘War Of The Worlds.’ Believe half of what you hear and NONE of what you see".
The announcement arrives in conjunction with the release of a new single, Food Is A Machine Gun. Billed as part of Chuck D's Enemy Radio, project which reunites Chuck D and Flava Flav, the track attacks the US food industry and its contiunous use of pesticides and chemicals in food production. Chuck D has also confirmed a new Enemy Radio album, 'Loud Is Not Enough', which is out now. You can listen to it below.
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Chuck D has confirmed that Flava Flav's recent firing was a hoax, and that he is still a member of Public Enemy.
