The FLAVOR FLAV Interview
GOING ALL OUT interviewed
Flavor Flav, the legendary hype man
for PUBLIC ENEMY. He's now
the breakaway star of VH-1's
SURREAL LIFE. Flavor was cool
and surprisingly mellow. We talked
to him at a Sound Check at
"The Key Club". Afterwards, his
manager, Greg J of Public Enemy
invited us to Flavor's first U.S. solo
performance. The show was incredible.
he hit the stage with Gorilla Funk,
his hype man. There were lots of
celebrities attending. Anthrax, Devante Swing
Jordan Knight, Cypress Hill and producer, Sir Jinx to name a few. I even spit game
at a sister, I later learned she was Jim Brown's wife. (Yeah, the NFL legend.)
Luckily, I didn't go all out. She dissed me anyway. Flavor also had
a camera crew with him shooting "The FLAVOR FLAV Documentary".
Ultimately Flavor, rocked it performing "911 is A Joke", "Public Enemy No. 1",
"Can't to Nuttin 4 Ya Man", and new music "Flavor Flav is Going Double Platinum"
and "Flavor, Flavor, Flavor Man". He did a great show.
jason - producer
The Interview
GAO- Hold On we gotta get this. Its a New York Knicks wall clock.
FF- Well, I'm from New York, and I love my Knicks. But then again I love all teams.
I don't have a favorite team. All Teams are my favorite teams.
GAO- And you once said you're a Clocka Rocker.
FF- Thats right, I ain't new to this, I'm true to this.
GAO- Okay, I have to ask you about the controversy. You are on the SURREAL LIFE,
but some people call it the FLAVOR FLAV Show. Because you're pretty much the
most popular person.
FF- HAA, well you know, I still couldn't have done it without my cast members.
Me, Brigitte Nielsen, Ryan Starr ( I didn't get along with her), Charo (the COOCHI,
COOCHI lady) Dave Coulier and Jordan Knight from New Kids On the Block.
So you know, all of us together in that house for hours with these different
personalities, made a certain chemistry.
But you know me, I WILL NOT BE HOLDING BACK ANYTHING, Bro.
I moved out here to California for this purpose, to change over from
music into television and movies. I'm still gonna make my music.
I just wanted to try something different.
GAO- Well, I gotta ask about your current show. There was the SLAP heard
around the world with you and Brigitte Nielsen. I want you to touch on that.
FF- Word Up, On the Strength, Check 1-2. When I first met Brigitte, I didn't
know who she was. If you watched the first show, you'd see I didn't know
who anybody was.
GAO-That was real, you didn't know them? I thought you were joking.
FF- No, it was real. So when I went to give her a hug and she smacked me with her
pocketbook, THAT WAS REAL. Then the next time, I gave her a light and she gave
me a little "love tap", so I gave her a little "love smack". Mine was real.
And when she looked at me and said, "Oh I like that", I got scared.
I was like, oh this lady's crazy. So then I was like, if I'm gonna be on TV,
I'd better get to know this lady. Because I'm gonna be in for a long ride.
So I got to know her, and we ended up being the best of friends.
She's mad cool.
GAO- Another thing about the show, I noticed there were problems between
you and Ryan Starr.
FF- Yeah, you know Ryan Starr. She has the type of attitude and personality
where, everybody wants to break her neck. Me and her, we didn't really
kick it. I was treating the girl nice and talking nice about her. But behind my back,
she was creaming me. So when I found that out, I was like okay.
I just started to cream her back. I started letting her have it and
showing the whole world how wack she is. But in real life, I like her.
I wish her the best of luck and everything. Just on TV, we ain't cool.
GAO- She thought she was a star, huh?
FF- And she was just stuck in the jar.
GAO- Now what about Brigitte Nielson. In the beginning of the show,
we saw her saying she didn't like you, she didn't like your teeth, you're
loud. Then in the next show, you were sleeping and she gets in bed
with you. YOU WERE A SLEEPING AND SHE GETS IN THE BED WITH YOU!
What kind of magic did you do to change her mind?
FF- First of all, lets go back to my boy Master P. "It ain't my fault".
HE HE. Word Up, I got the type of personality where, you may not
understand it. You may take it for granted, but once you get to
know me, you start liking me. So at first she wasn't understanding me,
because I'm just a certain way. As she got used to me, she started
liking me. Then she started following me around. Then she got in my bed.
I was like, HEY, why are you taking your clothes off?
GAO- Did anything happen? You can tell us.
FF-Yo, I'm gonna tell you the truth, Fam. I was on National TV, I ain't
no porno star. Then I've got kids. And I didn't want to do anything to
damage my career. But I ain't gonna lie. The little
head was thinking more than the big head. Yo, it got hot under the
covers and all that, and your boy Flavor Flav was about to break
Brigitte Nielson off something treacherous. I'm dead serious, it got
hot under there.
GAO- So nothing happened?
FF- Nah, nothing happened. And the reason is because I was on
National TV, and that ain't the way I want to do something.
If I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it. It's not gonna be any sneaking.
Later for that, I don't want to bust no nuts like that.
I want to go all out and beat my chest at the end.
Plus I got kids, my kids were like "Oh daddy, I see you and Brigitte
in the pool". And my older daughter said "Why don't you date her"?
GAO- Alright, now separate from that. You were a part of the legendary
HIP-HOP group PUBLIC ENEMY. Pioneers in the 80's and 90's.
P.E. changed the industry and the tone of HIP-HOP.
Are you still together?
FF- First of all, we never split up. And for the last six and a half
years, we've been overseas touring. I've also been touring solo
overseas in Spain, all over Europe and Australia. We haven't toured in
the United States in a while, but we've got some dates coming up
soon. Tonight is my first Flavor Flav solo show in the U.S. It sold
out and I'm gonna give the people a good show.
GAO- Alot of people still love Flavor Flav.
FF- That's because Flavor Flav loves alot of people. If you keep it
real with people, they'll keep it real with you. If you fake moves on
people, expect people to fake moves back on you, Fam.
Karma, that's what I'm gonna name my next daughter.
GAO- You have a daughter on the way?
FF- No but it's gonna be in the making, I'll keep you posted.
GAO- You are from the era of such legends as Run-DMC, Eric B & Rakim,
BDP, Big Daddy Kane, The Beastie Boys. Do you ever talk to those
guys. Have you done any recent shows with them?
FF- Well I did a surprise show with Big Daddy Kane, Kool Moe Dee
and the Treacherous Three a few weeks ago in Philadelphia.
I was shocked to see Kane, Moe Dee and Sunshine.
GAO- Did you say, YEAH KANE!!
FF- Yo, C'mon man you know that. It was so good seeing Kane
and them. It was like a family reunion. We've always been good friends
over the years. Back when we used to tour, Flav was the only one
doing the Bus Hopping. Riding on everybody else's bus
I would ride with P.E. one night, then Naughty one night,
then Will Smith and them one night. I was the friendly ghost of the tour.
GAO- Do you ever talk to Will Smith now?
FF- I talked to Will Smith a few months ago. They might write me into
the cast of ALL OF US, but we'll see.
GAO- What do you think of the state of the affairs, with Bush in office.
We're at war and P.E. made a record called "Son of A Bush" a few years
ago, before all of this happened.
FF- "Son of a Bush", was written by my partner Chuck-D. My personal
opinion is that I really hope Bush loses. I hope Kerry wins.
Right now, we have a backyard bully dog for president.
He didn't even win the presidency rightfully, he stole that shit.
Him and his family stole it. Who wants a crook to run the country?
GAO- And try to run the world.
FF- Yeah, he's trying to cleanup everybody else's backyard. But his
backyard is real fucked up. I really hope Kerry wins.
But then again I might run for president.
Do you think I'll get some votes?
GAO- Definately.
FF- Yeah, I'll give out free rental cars, hotel rooms, I'll hook y'all up.
I'll even put a bank on 3rd and Slauson. Vote for your boy, Flav.
-end
J.M. Thomas