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Chuck D Says Flavor Flav Was Never Fired From Public Enemy

Public Enemy Chuck D Flavor Flav
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 24: Hundreds of people enjoy music from Public Enemy during the Freedom Sounds concert on the National Mall where many celebrate the opening day of the new National Museum of African American History and Culture. in Washington, DC on September 24, 2016. PICTURED, Chuck D (left) and Flavor Flav performing on stage. (Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Remember at the beginning of the month when the whole Flavor Flav versus Public Enemy thing went down? Well, it turns out the joke was on us.

In a conversation with Talib Kweli’s People’s Party on Uproxx, Chuck D said that the whole thing was not what it seemed to be.

“We felt that over the past few years, Flavor’s stock was low,” he said. “Anybody that could take a shot at him could get a good shot at him.”

He went on to say what he said before about Flav, that he couldn’t tell the difference between Bernie Sanders, Barry Sanders and Col. Sanders.

“We already talked about this beforehand. Public Enemy Radio went up, his lawyer sent a cease and desist, I’m like, ‘Good move.’ Then, publicly, I’m like, ‘Man, you don’t sue me again.’ He ain’t suing me. But I can say it!” he continued. “I’m not saying it’s a hoax. I’m saying the original intention was to get your attention.”

To top it off — Flavor Flav is a partner in Public Enemy and to quote Chuck: “You can’t fire partners.”

So yeah, there you have it. Oh, by the way, apparently there’s a new Public Enemy (or some version of PE) song on the way on April Fool’s Day that Flav is on. You can listen to that here.

To recap:

Flavor Flav sent the cease-and-desist to the Bernie Sanders campaign about Public Enemy. Chuck D. wasn’t happy. Flavor Flav wasn’t happy. Public Enemy axed Flavor Flav. Flavor Flav wasn’t really fired. Public Enemy has new music.

There you go.

Check out the interview with Kweli below: