No Flavor Flav at 80/35

Des Moines Register reporter Daniel Finney spoke with Chuck D earlier today, and Chuck told Finney that Flavor Flav did not make the trip to Des Moines. I just spoke with 80/35 organizers, and they confirmed it.

"He's had a good life," Chuck told Finney at about 7 p.m. during a meet-and-greet at Urban Dreams in Des Moines. "This is unacceptable for a professional."

UPDATE: On stage after 10 p.m. during PE's headlining set at 80/35, Chuck D had a different message for fans. He said that Flav had been hospitalized in Las Vegas and hoped, in the wake of Michael Jackson's death last week, Flav would not take a turn for the worse.
"Can the show go on?" Chuck asked the audience. Fans cheered.

Amedeo Rossi, head of the Des Moines Music Coalition, also said that he was told by Brother Mike of Public Enemy that Flav was hospitalized on Thursday with chest pains. He also characterized Flav's absence as "unfortunate" but added, "The show must go on."

Chuck D's message was delivered immediately after PE's DJ performed a sing-along tribute to Jackson.

So Public Enemy performed, but without its hype man.

Some of the fan reaction in the wake of the news of Flav's absence:

"He may be the most commercialized member of Public Enemy, but he doesn't make the group," said Mark Pospisil, 27.

"I had too much of Flavor Flav when it was his reality show," said Nate Welling, 25, of West Des Moines. "I'm not that disappointed he's not here."