Flavor Flav Opens Up About Sobriety Setback: ‘I Briefly Relapsed’

Flavor Flav is opening up about a recent relapse on his sobriety journey — offering a heartfelt message to fans about struggle, accountability, and healing.

The Public Enemy co-founder and longtime reality TV personality shared the news on Instagram Stories on Friday (April 4), revealing that he briefly relapsed after maintaining over four years of sobriety.

“I remain authentic to who I am and a large part of the past 4.5 years for me has been my sobriety journey. I think I’ve been an inspiration to many that if I could get sober, anyone can do it,” Flav wrote.

He continued, “But just when you think it’s easy, it ain’t. I briefly relapsed. I say this to admit my mistake and publicly hold myself accountable. I am a human being who makes mistakes and it doesn’t make me a bad person. I hope those who are around me support my choice to be sober.

He added, “I went back to Day 1, again. Time didn’t stop, my journey continues.”

Flav, born William Jonathan Drayton Jr., has received widespread praise for his honesty around addiction and recovery. His openness has resonated with fans and peers alike, especially in a genre and industry where such transparency can still feel rare.

As the iconic hype man of Public Enemy, Flavor Flav played a pivotal role in shaping the sound and attitude of politically charged hip-hop during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013, cementing their place in music history.

In 2020, Public Enemy were honored with the GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing their decades-long impact on music, activism, and culture. The group’s work, including groundbreaking albums like It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and Fear of a Black Planet, continues to influence generations of artists.

Beyond music, Flav became a pop culture icon in the 2000s through reality TV hits like The Surreal Life, Strange Love, and Flavor of Love, where his chaotic charisma drew in a new wave of fans.