Public Enemy released a statement on Monday announcing that the group's co-founder Flavor Flav has been fired. This comes after Flav sent a cease and desist letter to Sen. Bernie Sanders after Chuck D announced that he was going to perform at a rally for the presidential candidate.
Public Enemy's statement reads, "Public Enemy and Public Enemy Radio will be moving forward without Flavor Flav. We thank him for his years of service and wish him well." The statement added that Public Enemy will continue with their plan to perform at Sanders' 6 pm rally at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Chuck D clarified the group's statement on Twitter, stating that Flav "won't do free benefit shows," and he added that the famed hype man would've been up for the Sanders rally if he was getting paid.
Previously, Flavor Flav called out Bernie Sanders for trying to use Public Enemy as part of what Flav calls a “fake revolution.” Now, Chuck D has responded to the comments Flav made about the upcoming PE show at the Bernie Sanders rally in Los Angeles.
Chuck D said “Flavor chooses to dance for his money and not do benevolent work like this. He has a year to get his act together and get himself straight or he’s out.” Chuck D’s attorney also said “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.”