Latest news with #FlavaFlav
Newsweek
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Why Flavor Flav Says the US Must Ban Firearms Now
"Right, left, left, right, left." We are marching ourselves into madness, both in the crazy and angry senses of the word. We are caught in an epidemic of gun violence with no sign we can stop or change course. That's why Chuck D and I created a new Public Enemy song, "March Madness," a term usually reserved for basketball. To us, March Madness is not about the left or the right or politics—it's about the need to unify, as human beings, to say what is right and what is wrong. Stop putting a price tag on the heads of our children. Chuck D and Flava Flav pose for a portrait at the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony streaming on Disney+ at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on October 19, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. Chuck D and Flava Flav pose for a portrait at the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony streaming on Disney+ at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on October 19, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. Sara Jaye/Getty for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame This track starts off with a 911 call report about a teacher calling in a school shooting and begging for help. I fear for my kids when I drop them off at school. Our schools aren't safe and our kids aren't safe. This is because gun protection laws are weak. Guns are falling into the hands of the wrong people. I would know. I went to jail because of guns. I ended up on Rikers Island. So I am speaking from first-hand experience. Back in the day, guns and drugs were brought into Black communities. It was a time when we were taught that guns and drugs equaled power. We all had guns. There was peer pressure; a gun felt like a necessity to protect yourself from gang wars. This helped create a system of criminals who were forced into legalized slavery. If one part of society has guns, then more people feel the need for guns to protect themselves. And then more people. But no civilian needs to possess semi-automatic weapons. Fear and power are two of the biggest emotions that drive us. America is being built on fear. You have people who are scared. And these people are fighting for gun rights to protect themselves. They wouldn't have to protect themselves if all guns were banned. Fear is a powerful, short-term motivator. We need to flip it so it can break through to be a positive and valuable resource. Let our fear of losing our children be more powerful than our fear of our next-door neighbor. Right now, it's too easy for kids to grab their parents' guns. They are motivated by fear of being disliked, fear of not being accepted, fear of being made fun of. It makes them feel powerless. Some choose to take their power back and show up those peers. This happens so often, we have started to become numb to it as a society. It's barely in the news if it's less than a handful of people who were killed, and then the news cycle moves onto something else... The hits just keep on coming... School shootings are normalized. The lack of gun laws has created a violence epidemic here in the United States that is nowhere else in the world. This is domestic errorism. I've grown up. I had to take responsibility for myself, my actions and my career. I got sober. And I see the world with more clarity. I got a whole new team. No more guns for Flav. The only thing I'm carrying now is the conversation. My new manager, on day one, set up a meeting with Sam Hollander, a producer and songwriter with numerous chart-topping hits. They had me do something I've never done before. If we want Public Enemy and Flavor Flav to appeal to a broader audience, we need to invite them into the conversation. We need to understand their perspective. Now, my manager used to represent former Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders and he has this extremely talented and musical son, Nigel Sanjai Sanders, who was a student at Howard University. We asked him to make us some music and he delivered. My manager graduated from Harvard University and, using her resources, she, Sam, Nigel and I went to Harvard and met with their students and Dee-1, a brilliant rapper who served as a Nasir Jones Hip-Hop Fellow at Harvard's Hiphop Archive & Research Institute. Then we all went to the neighboring Berklee College of Music to write and record with some of their students. Public Enemy: March Madness Cover Artwork. Public Enemy: March Madness Cover Artwork. Courtesy of Alto Global Media I was in that room, with all these students, just sitting back and being quiet. If y'all know Flav, that's not like me. But to listen to them, their ideas, opinions and reasons behind them, you had to sit back and stay quiet. Now, take the students' intelligence and point of view, plus the experience of growing up on the streets and Public Enemy, and that equals something powerful. Our friend, the artist Shepard Fairey, inspired an entire population with just one word: hope. That is what I saw in these students. I hope this song, "March Madness," reignites the conversation. I hope this song sparks change. I hope this anthem gives a voice to those who feel powerless against a system of power and greed. I hope we can come together to create a wall of unity with peace and togetherness that is so strong, no one can divide and tear us down. As my partner, Chuck D, says: "I would rather live in peace than rest in peace." I hope the same for my children and all children. Flavor Flav is a rapper who cofounded hip-hop group Public Enemy with Chuck D over 40 years ago. Their new single, "March Madness," is out now.
Buzz Feed
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Cringe '00s Pop Culture Moments We Can't Forget
No matter how nostalgic you feel, it's hard not to admit that the 2000s were a decade of cringe. Recently, the BuzzFeed Community shared the pop culture moments from the '00s that they shudder the most thinking about, and it's low-key impossible to make it through the list without going into full body cringe... "Christina Aguilera's style choices " —Anonymous "Britney and Justin. 2001 VMAs. All that denim." —Anonymous, 40, New Orleans "The Superbowl where Justin Timberlake ripped off Janet Jackson's bra. Unexpected and cringey. Why would they invite him back to do the 2018 halftime show?!" —Anonymous, California "Britney being chased by paparazzi constantly. Truly awful." —discostudio "Literally any time a teenage girl was asked about her virginity." —Ceinwen "How certain female celebrities were body shamed. Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie, Anna Nicole Smith among others. They were all beautiful and they didn't deserve that." —Anonymous, 38, Tennessee "Ashley Simpson being caught lip-syncing on SNL." —Anonymous, 49, Pennsylvania "Everything about Jersey Shore and the Kardashians." —poeticmoon912 "[The Office episode] 'Scott's Tots.' Full stop" —Matt, Colorado "It crosses over into the 2010s, but How I Met Your Mother has aged terribly." "Barney was a sexual predator and his behavior was played for laughs. But I think the thing people came around to more slowly is that Ted may actually be worse because we're supposed to think he's nice and romantic when really his behavior is awful in its own way. The classic 'man slowly wears down woman he's crushing on' trope."—Anonymous "Flavor of Love." "Women signed up for a Bachelor-esque style show and the prize was Flava Flav. He gave them all nicknames, and it was peak reality TV. The moment that I will never forget? When Pumpkin SPIT in New York's face during the elimination ceremony and in retaliation, New York shoved Pumpkin into the camera that was filming. These women were really fighting over Flava Flav! "—Anonymous, 33, NC "The Team Aniston vs Team Angelina stuff. In hindsight, it's really gross." —Anonymous "Australians Next Top Model — Sarah Murdoch announcing the wrong winner — awks!" —Anonymous "Australian Big Brother's 'turkey slap' — a female contestant was assaulted and it was broadcast on the 24-hour livestream." —Caitlin "So many movies that haven't aged well, but the one that comes to mind most is Shallow Hal. Can't believe I thought it was funny at the time." —Anonymous And finally, "Definitely Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah's couch. Everything about that relationship with Katie Holmes, really." —Anonymous What pop culture moment from the 2000s makes you cringe the most?
San Francisco Chronicle
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
‘This is home': Green Day kicks off BottleRock with a fierce yet familiar performance
Green Day kicked off BottleRock Napa Valley with an exuberant yet no-frills headlining set that felt like a homecoming for the Bay Area rockers. Ever-youthful frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, who co-founded the band in 1987 alongside bassist Mike Dirnt, reveled in the band's deep connection to the region, calling out lesser-known cities like Vallejo, Fairfield and American Canyon. Throughout the performance on Friday, May 23, he frequently turned the microphone toward the audience to let them finish the lyrics. 'This is home,' Armstrong declared, as the crowd eagerly cheered on the East Bay rockers through its 90-minute set. Much like their 2022 appearance at San Francisco's Outside Lands, however, Green Day's performance was devoid of surprises — no political rants, no radical shifts in the setlist and no pyrotechnic mishaps. Armstrong, ever the political provocateur, subtly altered the lyrics of 'American Idiot' to reflect his discontent with current politics, singing, 'Don't want to be an American idiot / I'm not part of a MAGA agenda.' But that was about as far as he was willing to push things. Maybe, with a hometown crowd, he didn't feel like he needed to try harder. Instead, Armstrong, Dirnt and drummer Tré Cool maintained their trademark onstage chemistry, breezing through a performance that has remained largely unchanged for the past two decades. They delivered high-speed renditions of fan favorites like 'Basket Case,' 'Longview' and 'Holiday' with the precision and energy that proved why Green Day remains one of the most reliable rock acts in the industry. Still, while the band's concerts now resemble well-produced Broadway shows, their energy was undeniably electric. Green Day balanced nostalgia and newer material, playing crowd-pleasers like 'Brain Stew' and 'Wake Me Up When September Ends' drawing the loudest reactions. Fans sang along to every word, especially during 'Jesus of Suburbia' and 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams.' During 'Bobby Sox,' Armstrong thanked the crowd for their support. To wind down the evening, Armstrong busted out his acoustic guitar for a hushed rendition of 'Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)' as Cool pranced around tossing confetti. Public Enemy's Flava Flav even briefly joined the trio onstage, but Green Day decidely ended the night with a whimper, not a bang. Well, that was the quietest ending I've ever seen Green Day wrap a show. It was also adorbs to see Flava Flav close out @BottleRockNapa for them like that well before curfew ⏰ — Mariecar Mendoza (@SFMarMendoza) May 24, 2025 The set marked just the beginning of BottleRock's eclectic opening day. Other performances included crowd-pleasing sets from Sublime as well as rap legends E-40 and Public Enemy, who energized the crowd with nostalgic hits. Up-and-coming artists like Remi Wolf and Bad Nerves kept the energy high with their raucous performances in the middle of the day. On the opposite Verizon Stage, electronic dance music superstar Kaskade brought the crowd to life with club-ready renditions of hits like Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin'' and Gotye's 'Somebody That I Used to Know,' complemented by a dazzling light show. Several celebrities were spotted at the festival, including Tobey Maguire, Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, as well as tennis legend Serena Williams and country singer Trisha Yearwood, who appeared together for one of the star-studded cooking demonstrations on the Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage. BottleRock Napa Valley continues with Justin Timberlake headlining day two and Noah Kahan closing out the weekend on Sunday.
Arab News
13-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Coachella continues with Weezer, T-Pain and a Bernie Sanders appearance
INDIO: Coachella's second day featured high-profile guests from Hollywood and Washington, D.C., an emotional performance from Weezer and a peaceful transfer of power between electropop stars. Then there was Flava Flav joining the Yo Gabba Gabba characters on-stage to rap 'I love bugs!' The cultural breadth of the influential Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was on full display Saturday at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida traveled from a Los Angeles rally to the desert to introduce Clairo, praising the 26-year-old singer-songwriter's political activism. Less than an hour earlier, Charli XCX commandeered a minimalist stage where she was joined by Troye Sivan and Billie Eilish, with an audience that included Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet in the front row wearing a big smile and a backpack. As for that power transfer: After last year's 'brat summer,' the English pop star concluded her 'Girl, so confusing' performance with New Zealand electropop star Lorde by declaring 'Lorde summer 2025.' Sanders' appearance wasn't the day's only dose of politics. Billie Joe Armstrong adjusted the lyrics of Green Day's set-opening 'American Idiot' to declare he's 'not a part of the MAGA agenda' and changed lyrics in 'Jesus of Suburbia' to 'running away from pain like the kids from Palestine.' T-Pain brought mash-ups and covers to the main stage, singing Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin'' and Chris Stapleton's 'Tennesee Whiskey.' Earlier, Weezer delivered a dozen songs in a well-received performance featuring 'Undone (The Sweater Song),' 'Buddy Holly' and a cover of Metallica's 'Enter Sandman.' The band played four days after bassist Scott Shriner's wife Jillian Lauren was shot and injured by Los Angeles police. Lauren, an author of two memoirs, was arrested and later posted bail after police said she pointed a gun at them. Band members didn't specifically address the incident, but frontman Rivers Cuomo told the crowd, 'It feels so good to get out here with you guys and let out these emotions.' Coachella kicked off Friday with Lady Gaga headlining with a crowd-pleasing, extravagantly theatrical, five-act performance. K-pop star Lisa drew a massive crowd to the Sahara tent and Benson Boone announced his second album and sang 'Bohemian Rhapsody' with Queen's Brian May on guitar. The festival runs through Sunday, with another round of performances April 18 to 20. Travis Scott headlined Saturday night on the main stage with Post Malone set to perform in the final slot Sunday night.
The Independent
13-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
AP PHOTOS: Coachella continues with Weezer, T-Pain and a Bernie Sanders appearance
Coachella's second day featured high-profile guests from Hollywood and Washington, D.C., an emotional performance from Weezer and a peaceful transfer of power between electropop stars. Then there was Flava Flav joining the Yo Gabba Gabba characters on-stage to rap 'I love bugs!" The cultural breadth of the influential Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was on full display Saturday at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida traveled from a Los Angeles rally to the desert to introduce Clairo, praising the 26-year-old singer-songwriter's political activism. Less than an hour earlier, Charli XCX commandeered a minimalist stage where she was joined by Troye Sivan and Billie Eilish, with an audience that included Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet in the front row wearing a big smile and a backpack. As for that power transfer: After last year's 'brat summer," the English pop star concluded her 'Girl, so confusing' performance with New Zealand electropop star Lorde by declaring 'Lorde summer 2025.' Sanders' appearance wasn't the day's only dose of politics. Billie Joe Armstrong adjusted the lyrics of Green Day's set-opening 'American Idiot' to declare he's 'not a part of the MAGA agenda" and changed lyrics in 'Jesus of Suburbia' to 'running away from pain like the kids from Palestine.' T-Pain brought mash-ups and covers to the main stage, singing Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin'' and Chris Stapleton's 'Tennesee Whiskey." Earlier, Weezer delivered a dozen songs in a well-received performance featuring 'Undone (The Sweater Song)," 'Buddy Holly' and a cover of Metallica's 'Enter Sandman.' The band played four days after bassist Scott Shriner's wife Jillian Lauren was shot and injured by Los Angeles police. Lauren, an author of two memoirs, was arrested and later posted bail after police said she pointed a gun at them. Band members didn't specifically address the incident, but frontman Rivers Cuomo told the crowd, 'It feels so good to get out here with you guys and let out these emotions.' Coachella kicked off Friday with Lady Gaga headlining with a crowd-pleasing, extravagantly theatrical, five-act performance. K-pop star Lisa drew a massive crowd to the Sahara tent and Benson Boone announced his second album and sang 'Bohemian Rhapsody' with Queen's Brian May on guitar. The festival runs through Sunday, with another round of performances April 18 to 20. Travis Scott headlined Saturday night on the main stage with Post Malone set to perform in the final slot Sunday night.
