It’s been a rocky year for Public Enemy’s Chuck D and Flavor Flav, but the iconic duo are back where they belong – in the studio together, making bristling protest music.
Public Enemy’s two most prominent figures, Chuck D and Flavor Flav, underwent a public falling out in the early months of 2020. It began when Flav took issue with the band’s name and logo being used to endorse presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders. The Chuck D-led offshoot Public Enemy Radio were confirmed to perform at a Sanders campaign rally, which prompted Flav to issue a cease and desist letter.
“While Chuck is certainly free to express his political views as he sees fit – his voice alone does not speak for Public Enemy,” it said. Chuck’s lawyer responded by saying. “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.”
Public Enemy Radio not only went on to perform at the Sanders rally, but Chuck also announced Flav had been fired from the group. In April, Public Enemy Radio released the album Loud Is Not Enough, from which Flav was absent. However, Chuck would later claim the entire dispute with Flav was a hoax. This claim seemed like a deus ex machina, but whatever transpired, we’re happy they’re back together.
The pair called on DJ Premier to produce the new single, which is a fiery anti-Trump song called ‘State of the Union (STFU)’. The lyrics are a non-stop attack on the 45th President of the USA. Chuck handles most of the heavy lifting, but Flav’s chorus gets right to the point:
“State of the Union / Shut the fuck up / Sorry ass motherfucker / Stay away from me.”
Check out ‘State of the Union (STFU)’ by Public Enemy:
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