Rapper Flavor Flav's time is up in the hip-hop group

It's no exaggeration to call Public Enemy one of the most influential old school rap groups of all time.

The hip-hop group formed in 1985 and have been no strangers to making political statements in their music, with songs like 'Fight the Power' and 'Shut 'em Down'.

However, one political disagreement between two of its founding members has caused a split.

Rapper Flavor Flav, the hype man of the band who is famous for wearing an oversized clock, has been fired after issuing a 'cease and desist' letter to Bernie Sanders' campaign a few days ago. The letter was issued following the news that his fellow rapper Chuck D was due to perform at a campaign rally for Sanders yesterday.

“While Chuck is certainly free to express his political view as he sees fit — his voice alone does not speak for Public Enemy,” it stated. “The planned performance will only be Chuck D of Public Enemy, it will not be a performance by Public Enemy. Those who truly know what Public Enemy stands for know what time it is, there is no Public Enemy without Flavor Flav."

Now, it seems that it was the final straw for the band as they issued a statement saying "Public Enemy and Public Enemy Radio [a Chuck D-led offshoot of the rap group] will be moving forward without Flavor Flav. ‘We thank him for his years of service and wish him well."

Chuck D then took to Twitter to claim that the Sanders disagreement was only the tip of the iceberg. He gave another example of Flavor Flav's failure to support Harry Belafonte's non-profit organisation after he had inducted them into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame. He also suggested that unless there was money involved, Flavor Flav was not interested.

His tweets read:

‘ last final note the last final note was my last straw was long ago. It’s not about BERNIE with Flav… he don’t know the difference between BarrySanders or BernieSanders he don’t know either. FLAV refused to support @Sankofa after @harrybelafonte inducted us. He don’t do that.

So I don’t attack FLAV on what he don’t know. I gotta leave him at the crib so y’all trying to fill his persona with some political aplomb is absolutely‘stupid’ Obviously I understand his craziness after all this damn time. Duh you don’t know him from a box of cigars or me either.

‘Spoke @BernieSanders rally with @EnemyRadio. If there was a $bag, Flav would’ve been there front & center. He will NOT do free benefit shows. Sued me in court the 1st time I let him back in. His ambulance lawyer sued me again on Friday & so now he stays home & better find REHAB.

‘I heard I’m trending, like I care. I built @EnemyRadioRS so it does benefits & fundraisers … He said he never gonna do them. So his refusal to do @HarryBelafonte #ManyRiversFestival in Atlanta 2016 was my last time. I built Enemy Radio to get far away from that ridiculousness.

93yr old @harrybelafontecould bust his ass come 3000 mls to present PublicEnemy its induction 2013 ( many still are clueless on) &anyone feel that they cannot give a ounce of time to reciprocate that honor to his @Sankofa fundraiser-to judge a Bikini $how. #Ungrateful."