The feud between Chuck D and Flavor Flav is claimed to be a publicity stunt to draw attention to their hip-hop group as they are gearing up to release a new album.
- Apr 2, 2020
AceShowbiz - Chuck D hasn't fired Flavor Flav from Public Enemy as he insisted their feud was just a publicity stunt to promote the group's new album.
The pair's relationship looked to have broken down last month, March 2020, with the rapper announcing he was firing his old colleague after Flav sent a cease and desist letter over the use of the Public Enemy name for Chuck's gig in support of U.S. presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders.
However, in an interview with Talib Kweli on the Uproxx podcast "People's Party", recorded on March 10, the hip-hop legend said he was inspired by Orson Welles' infamous "War of the Worlds" hoax and staged their feud to improve Flav's image.
"We felt that over the past few years, Flavor's stock was low," he explained. "Anybody that could take a shot at him could get a good shot at him."
Chuck added that he viewed the legal letter over the Sanders concert featuring the group's spin-off act Public Enemy Radio as a "good move" and they agreed to use the dispute to drive media coverage.
Asked about whether Flav is still in Public Enemy, he confessed that the hype man cannot be dismissed from the group.
"He can't (be fired), he's a partner," the "Fight the Power" hitmaker said. "You can't fire partners. You just walk away from 'em."
Chuck then claimed that he and Flav have been working on a new Public Enemy Radio album since the end of February and that their relationship is "better than ever."
Flav is yet to comment on his bandmate's claims his firing was staged.
