S. Samuel
Hip-hop icon Flavor Flav has become the target of speculation after new reports claim he is stiffing employees of his Iowa fried chicken restaurant.
Reports of the disgruntled employees’ grievances landed online Monday (April 4).
Workers at Flavor Flav’s Chicken in Clinton, Iowa, are claiming that the rap star’s paychecks are bouncing. Both Kelly Butler and Kim Kostka told Iowa’s WQAD television that the restaurant’s owner, Nick Cimino, owes them three weeks of pay after banks refused to accept their pay checks. “My check was only $150 and they couldn’t even cash it,” Butler told the station. Butler also said she was turned down at several banks before finally taking her case to Freedom bank, which holds the restaurant’s account. But even they wouldn’t accept the legendary hype man’s check. Instead, they gave her a letter saying the funds weren’t available, she told the station. (New York Daily News)
Despite the allegations, Flav has come forward to deny his employees’ accusations.
Flavor Flav and the local operator of Flavor Flav’s Chicken in Clinton deny that some of the restaurant’s paychecks are bouncing. Flav, whose real name is William Drayton Jr., and Nick Cimino acknowledge some startup problems but deny that workers hadn’t been paid properly. In response to the allegations, Flav said, “We do have money in our accounts.” Cimino says he fired 15-20 workers recently for a variety of reasons and says the complaints are merely disgruntled former employees trying to get revenge. (Chicago Tribune)
Flav’s fried chicken spot officially opened in late January.
Equipped with his trademark clock, Public Enemy group member and reality TV star Flavor Flav joined citizens, city officials and media for Flav’s Fried Chicken’s grand opening ceremony Monday. Once the event completed, the restaurant opened at 4 p.m. and people lined up outside the building for hours to taste Flav’s fried-chicken recipe. Flav, who has been in Clinton since Thursday, said this experience is overwhelming. (Clinton Herald)
Prior to its launch, Flav said he was prepared to compete with other fast food giants like Kentucky Fried Chicken.
“My chicken ain’t no joke. I ain’t scared to go up against the Colonel, tastewise,” Flav said, referring to chicken giant KFC, in a YouTube video of him frying chicken at Monday’s opening. “You’re going to find me in here working. … You’re going to catch me in here seasoning up my chicken, flouring up my chicken, frying up my chicken. And not only that, but coming out here and serving my chicken to people.” (CNN)
Check out Flavor Flav speaking on his restaurant down below:
