Whether working a crowd into a frenzy, cheering on the side at a Taylor Swift concert, or even helping save Red Lobster, the Public Enemy icon never seems to rest. And now, again, the official face of 1-Hour Energy, Flav, is preparing for another chapter in his ever-changing career. But regardless of where life takes him, his heart is still with Public Enemy and the legacy he helped forge with Chuck D.
In an exclusive Zoom interview with AllHipHop, Flav spoke about his appreciation for his longtime musical collaborator, their group's legacy, and his all-time favorite Public Enemy song, spoiler alert, but the one that started it all.
The energy was high when Public Enemy shared the stage at the Black Music Action Coalition's Restore & Rebuild L.A. event during Grammy Week. Flav and Chuck D brought their revolutionary anthem, "Fight the Power," with the same intensity they eschewed in 1989. For Flav, each time he performs the track, he gets to step into a time machine.
"It reminds me of the first time we did the video," he said. "It always takes me back to that. I had a great time filming that 'Fight the Power' video that day. And today and back then, that record is such a powerful statement."
Their politically charged lyrics and The Bomb Squad's innovative production helped reshape hip-hop's place in activism decades on; their music resonates, stoking discussions of social justice and media manipulation.
With such a vast catalog, choosing a favorite Public Enemy song might seem impossible, but not for Flavor Flav. He didn't hesitate when asked.
"My favorite personal Public Enemy song is 'Public Enemy Number One,'" he said. "I'm not ashamed to say that's the first one out the box, baby! That one did it. That song put us on Def Jam and changed our lives."
"Public Enemy Number One" was not only the group's first introduction to the world but was a mission statement, establishing the mood for the fearless and uncompromising music that would follow.
"We have a tour scheduled with Guns N' Roses this summer, and we're working on some new songs right now to take out on the road," he said. "We have some new songs we're working with right now that're quite fresh and new, and we're just about done with those. Just putting the final touches on them, a few little knick-knacks, tweaks, this and that. Boom. Then y'all will get a new EP brand new from me and Chuck."
Flav doesn't take the ability to continue creating and performing for granted. Many of his contemporaries are gone, and he is thankful for the chance to keep evolving.
"I think I'm most proud of being able to be here still talking about what we're talking about right now," he mused. "There are a lot of brothers and men that I came up with who are not alive right now and can sit around and talk about it like Chuck or me.
Flavor Flav is one of pop culture's most recognizable figures, and he has a giant clock, effervescent energy, and signature voice. But fame isn't something he's obsessed with.
"I just live day to day and enjoy the people who enjoy me," he said. "And that's it. I think I'm one of the most humblest people. I've been lucky to have tons of people tell me I'm big, I'm larger than life, but I don't see me that big. I just see me this size. This is the size you're going to receive."
And that's precisely why Flavor Flav remains a presence in music and more. Whether he's performing onstage, reinventing himself, or simply smiling and bringing that good Flav energy, it's still Flav, baby. And for Public Enemy fanatics, that's something to crowd around.
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