Coronavirus

HIP-HOP

Chuck D Responds to Flavor Flav's Lawsuit, Blames New Management

8/31/2017

Chuck D
Paul R. Giunta/Getty Images

Chuck D performs at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Oct. 4, 2016 in Alpharetta, Ga.

Chuck D says Flavor Flav "has his rights, but took a wrong road" by filing a lawsuit against him and members of Public Enemy's production and management team, according to a report by TMZ.

But in a series of tweets Thursday night (Aug. 31), he clarified, "People can lighten up on Flav. It's his new mgt that vengefully felt that suing a 3rd party & connecting me was a good move for him #stupid."

The lawsuit claimed Flavor Flav is owed several years' worth of royalties that have gone unpaid for Public Enemy music and merchandise using his name and image.

It also alleged new Public Enemy album Nothing Is Quick in the Desert, which includes vocals "not up to his standards of quality," was released without Flav's knowledge or consent.

"Despite Drayton's position in Public Enemy, the group’s management and related companies have for years attempted to minimize his role in the Public Enemy business, while continuing to rely upon Drayton's fame and persona to market the brand," the lawsuit, filed Tuesday stated.

Meanwhile, Chuck D told TMZ, "We will be [together] on a future stage" and says Flav "will again be embarrassed admitting on stage about the way it spun out. It’s always this way with him."

On Twitter Thursday night, Chuck D commented further: "Flav will be ok. @tmz Drama is beneath me considering our Age. It's low entertainment but I definitely like to find those 50 songs he wrote."

"I still believe giving the new @PublicEnemyFTP Album NothingIsQuickInTheDesert http://SLAMjamz.com/desert  was gratitude for our fans-so get it," he said.

"I cant accept @PublicEnemyFTP not doin benefits because Flav refuses to do em.So I head to Houston w @prophetsofrage we have done 8 in 1year," Chuck wrote. "When its all SAID & done I gotta pick him up & dust him off. Miss a deadline things move.Don't release album there WONT be touring #spoiled."

"PE Door is always open not for Bulsht.He as a no show for @harrybelafonte @Sankofa benefit after the man inducted us into RRHOF #ungrateful," he said. "I'll end there I need not to make no damn list on Flavor. We go fwd. He's 58.Houston needs attention. As w TRUMPOTUS. BLOGS ETC-do good work."

Despite the lawsuit, Flav also took to Twitter Thursday evening to seemingly agree that the two are on good terms: "#ATTENTION EVERYONE!! this is Flavor Flav speaking himself,,,I love my partner Chuck D everyone so don't get it twisted,,we will fix it,!!FF."

See their tweets below.

THE BILLBOARD BIZ
SUBSCRIBER EXPERIENCE

The Biz premium subscriber content has moved to Billboard.com/business.


To simplify subscriber access, we have temporarily disabled the password requirement.