Flavor Flav Spent $5.7 Million on Drugs in 6 Years?

By Nicki Gostin Posted Jun 7th 2011 10:15PM

Flavor Flav holds nothing back in his memoir, dubbed 'Flavor Flav: Icon,' in which he takes readers on a journey from being the court jester of rap to the court jester of Reality TV. In between there were years of wall-to-wall cocaine addiction and it's a wonder the New York native can remember any of it (he's amazed as well). Public Enemy's ebullient hype man spoke openly to PopEater about how he got clean, the "difficult" experience of starring in a dating show even though he had a girlfriend the whole time, his plans to get married "real soon" and talks about a debt owed to MC Hammer.

You're very honest in the book about your drug use. It got really crazy.
Yeah I was spending $2,600 a day, for six years, every single day. I don't know how much that is but if you did the math, wow, I went through a lot of money. If I did the math I'd probably be shocked on how much money I spent, I'd probably punch myself in the face.

(Editor's Note: 2,191 days -- one leap year day included -- at $2,600 a piece equals $5,696,600.)

When you recounted your life, can you believe everything you've done?
I've done a lot. I didn't really think about it like that. I thought more, damn how can I remember everything I've done!

How did you get clean?
I went out to California in the middle of 2003 and I changed my people, places and things. My also wanting to pursue a TV and movie career, I knew that in order for me to do that and be successful, I had to leave all of that behind me. I had to because me being a major celebrity, everything that I do, word will travel. I didn't want to build a bad reputation in other states. I wanted to leave all that stuff in New York. That's what really helped me get clean by me not wanting to build up a reputation of me going through neighborhoods buying drugs.

Didn't MC Hammer help your TV career?
Yeah I asked him for his advice on whether I should do 'The Surreal Life' or not. I wasn't going to do it, I figured it was for has-beens, at that time I didn't consider myself a has-been, I considered myself still hot. I asked MC Hammer for his advice and he said I should do it because if I do it then great things could happen afterwards like it did for him and he was right.

And America fell in love with you.
That's because I fell in love with America! You only get back what you give off Nicki!

You lost your virginity when you were very young.
I was six years old. I lost my virginity by experimenting. The girl was the same age as me. We kind of felt a little something funny. We knew it was kind of wrong yet we felt it was kind of natural.

How is that even possible?
I mean I call it a lost virginity when the penis penetrates the vagina, I do consider that a cherry pop.

Ever get tired of schlepping that big clock around?
Never. The clock is American Express. I don't leave home without it. My neck is used to it after all of these years. My neck has developed certain muscles, I forget the clock is around me.

You did a dating show and yet you had a girl friend the whole time.
Yes I did. Well I'm an entertainer, my job is to bring America good TV. In my book I had to write about me being an entertainer but yet after I finished entertaining I go home to my family. Yeah that was kind of difficult but I had to do it. I'm still with my girlfriend, we've been together now going on eight years and we have a kid together.

So when are you going to marry her?
Real soon. I just got to put myself in a much more comfortable state for me to get married. I'm still not in a comfortable state. There are certain things I want to do within myself. I just really want to be in the right financial position before I say 'I do.'

You have seven kids.
Yeah from 25 to 4 and I'm going for three more so I can have my personal 10. I want a starting five and some substitutes. I also have four grand-children and my grand-kids call me grand-daddy. I spoil them as much as I can.

You also had 62 traffic violations.
Over 62. I don't have a license right now but there's just a couple more things that I have to do here in New York to clear that up and once we do that, we are good to go.

You're an avid bowler.
Oh yes, I get down. I'm Flavor Flav Twinkle Toes Flintstone. My average is like 150, 160, stuff like that. Every now and then I get up to 170, 180.

Was your relationship with Brigitte Neilsen real?
That was definitely really, really real. She's married now, she's over in Italy with her husband and children. She's doing good. We speak from time to time.

Hey thanks for speaking to me Flav.
(To the tune of Toni Basil's hit 'Mickey') Oh Nicki you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind!

More Q&As From Nicki Gostin: Ice T, Jerry Seinfeld, Will Ferrell, Paul Reiser and Jerry Seinfeld

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http://www.popeater.com/mm_track/popeater/tv/?s_channel=us.tvpop&s_account=aolpopeater,aolsvc&omni=1&ke=1

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The Flavor of Flav

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 01: Flavor Flav performs onstage during An Evening With Flavor Flav at The GRAMMY Museum on June 1, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mark Sullivan/WireImage)

WireImage

Flavor Flav Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 01: Flavor Flav performs onstage during An Evening With Flavor Flav at The GRAMMY Museum on June 1, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mark Sullivan/WireImage)

Flavor Flav Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 01: Flavor Flav gestures onstage during An Evening With Flavor Flav at The GRAMMY Museum on June 1, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mark Sullivan/WireImage)

Flavor Flav Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 01: Flavor Flav and GRAMMY Foundation vice president Scott Goldman onstage during An Evening With Flavor Flav at The GRAMMY Museum on June 1, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mark Sullivan/WireImage)

Flavor Flav Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 01: Flavor Flav (L) signs the neck of a fan in the GRAMMY Museum after An Evening With Flavor Flav at The GRAMMY Museum on June 1, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mark Sullivan/WireImage)

Flavor Flav Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 01: Flavor Flav (L) poses with a fan in the GRAMMY Museum after An Evening With Flavor Flav at The GRAMMY Museum on June 1, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mark Sullivan/WireImage)

Flavor Flav Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 01: Flavor Flav gestures onstage during An Evening With Flavor Flav at The GRAMMY Museum on June 1, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mark Sullivan/WireImage)

Flavor Flav Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 01: Flavor Flav gestures onstage during An Evening With Flavor Flav at The GRAMMY Museum on June 1, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mark Sullivan/WireImage)

Flavor Flav Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 01: Flavor Flav gestures onstage during An Evening With Flavor Flav at The GRAMMY Museum on June 1, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mark Sullivan/WireImage)

Flavor Flav Snapshots

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 28: Flavor Flav promotes the new book "Flavor Flav: The Icon the Memoir" at Hue-Man Bookstore & Cafe on May 28, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by T Roth/WireImage)

Flavor Flav Snapshots

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 28: Musican Flavor Flav promotes the new book "Flavor Flav: The Icon the Memoir" at Hue-Man Bookstore & Cafe on May 28, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Marc Stamas/Getty Images)

Flavor Flav Snapshots

Tags: Flavor Flav

Comments

(109)

Tuesday 07 June

By ralphpal

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I dont believe it. I dont believe he spent 2000 every night on drugs. I believe he spent 2000 some nights but not every night. I dont even care if he was a drug addict . His body would of shut down day .
What kind of drugs did he do.
How did he even get the money after a while.
Just think he said ever day Not that he spen millions of dugs in a year . he said he did 2000 on drugs every single day.
When did he have time to pay. After the 3rd month he wouldnt be able to walk.
Just said he did coke.
Do you know how people get after doing coke there to scared to leave they room
Just say he did something harder people fall asleep and cant wake up after awhile
Just say he did both . a pick me up and a downer, Could be but do you think he could of done that every single day? For 5 years non-stop.
Like i said if he said he did that much money in 5 years i could believe him but 2000 dollars everyday

Wednesday 08 June

By David Garcia in Hong Kong

Vote down Vote up Report this

That's pretty good information you gave. Thanks.

Helps lower down my blood pressure, because now, I have a feeling that he was just hyping himself to get publicity.

Still, he seems creepy.

By hello kitty

Maybe it's tax deductible?

By johnson

FIGHT THE POWER!

By debbie

OK, MY name is Flavor Flav and I wear a clock around my neck. Should i say anymore?

By corvette01

I feel you. Been there,done that. Spent thousands of dollors too on that sh##. Had to change friends and the way of doing things. I knew it would have been a matter of time before I lost out if I diden't change . Plus I diden't want my kids to know their dad was stupid like that. It wasn't easy. Been straight since 2001.

By wayne

I will never understand why anyone looks up to any person, whether musician/movie star/entertainer etc who has done drugs and repeated crimes. None of them, to me, are important to us all who are law-abiding citizens. Everyone should think about where their hard-earned monies will be going to.

By frank

he sho is one fugly mofo...

just a typical rapper...doin wat dey duz bestus...actin likes da stupid clowns wat dey is...know whut ahm sayin?

By terrylseal

you'd never know it by his youthful appearance :~

By daddyo35

does anyone really give a flying fuk what this guy does with his money? its typical

By YellowRose3218

Rap and drug use, seems to go hand in hand.
I would have kept this under my hat myself.
Drug use is a horrible way to live, I hate to think, a young person would read this head line, and think its fun to do drugs.
Its not fun, its ridiculous to spend time being a dope head, not knowing whats going on around them, is negligent as it gets.

By amiwright

I can believe that; especially when you got leeches at the parties and all they bring to the party is their habit.

By Harvett

Give me 2600 a day and I will show you how to use it.

Thursday 09 June

By Keith

He looks like Rat boyyeeee!

Saturday 11 June

By WminPhoenix

Flavor Flav an entertainer? What a laugh! Dude is simply a clown that can barely speak english. Also snorting up 6 million in coke shows what an moron Flav is.

By jeffjohnston

YIKES.

By Drue

Who's dumb enough to believe this except Flav himself and the reporter who wasted all our time interviewing him? Going rate for blow is 50 a gram. Figure because he was buying in bulk he got somewhere around 15 or 20 per gram. Even if he gave half away that means he was doing 60 something grams a day for 5 years? Riggggggght.

By goatcars2

OMG...Who woulda' thunk it. I mean, he looks so normal. I hope this is a lesson to all those who sterotype people based on their appearance.

By sal the fish

A true human POS.

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