Flavor Flav believes firearms should be banned, and he’s hoping Public Enemy‘s new protest song, “March Madness,” can start conversations that lead to change. In an op-ed published in Newsweek, he explained his stance against guns, which he partially attributed to his personal history and “normalized” school shootings.
“I fear for my kids when I drop them off at school. Our schools aren’t safe and our kids aren’t safe,” Flav wrote. “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. … So I am speaking from firsthand experience.”
Flav said that guns “were brought into Black communities” because of peer pressure and to be used as protection from gang wars, creating “a system of criminals.”
“Fear and power are two of the biggest emotions that drive us. America is being built on fear,” he wrote. “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.”
With growth, some accountability, clarity and his continued sobriety journey, Flav says he is done with guns. He is now using his platform to start conversations about gun laws, and he hopes Public Enemy’s “March Madness” will do the same.
“I hope this song, ‘March Madness,’ reignites the conversation,” Flav wrote. “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.”
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