Flavor Flav

William Jonathan Drayton Jr., born March 16, 1959, and professionally known as Flavor Flav, is an American rapper, hype man, and television personality. He is best known as a founding member of the hip-hop group Public Enemy alongside Chuck D, a group that earned six Grammy Award nominations and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On stage and in public, he became recognizable for his signature catchphrase "Yeah, boyeee!" and for wearing sizable clock necklaces.

Drayton was raised in Freeport, New York, where his father operated a restaurant. Taught by himself to play piano at age five, he learned several instruments as a youth and sang in his church choir. After dropping out of high school, he completed culinary school in 1978 and later attended Adelphi University. There, he met Carlton Ridenhour, who would perform as Chuck D. The pair began collaborating on a college radio show and rapping together, with Drayton adopting his graffiti tag, Flavor Flav, as his stage name.

In 1985, Flav and Chuck D co-founded Public Enemy. The group signed with Def Jam Records and released their debut album, Yo! Bum Rush the Show, in 1987. Their 1988 album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, achieved double platinum status, and their 1989 single "Fight the Power" brought them mainstream success. Serving as the showman and comic foil to Chuck D's politically charged lyrics, Flav earned a major solo hit with the 1990 single "911 Is a Joke" and later released a solo album titled Hollywood in 2006.

Flav later established a career in reality television. After appearing on VH1's The Surreal Life, he starred in Strange Love alongside Brigitte Nielsen and headlined three seasons of the dating show Flavor of Love. His television and media work expanded to include acting in the comedy series Under One Roof, hosting a Comedy Central roast, appearing in video games, and performing voice roles in animated projects.

Throughout his career, Flav launched several short-lived restaurant ventures specializing in fried chicken, including locations in Iowa, Las Vegas, and Michigan. His personal life involved struggles with substance abuse, multiple stints in rehabilitation centers, and various arrests and legal issues stemming from driving offenses, domestic disputes, and other charges.

In recent years, Flav has actively supported athletics and philanthropy. He became a five-year sponsor and official hype man for the United States women's national water polo team, traveling to France for the 2024 Summer Olympics. He has extended financial and promotional support to various Olympic and Paralympic athletes, and announced plans to host the She Got Game Weekend in July 2026 to celebrate female American medalists.